Underrepresented Minority Doctoral STEM Students, Attrition, and Persistence: A Comparative Descriptive Study

Research shows, despite an increase in underrepresented students completing their doctoral programs, there remains a significantly low rate of participation and completion amongst underrepresented minorities and females in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields of study. Growing ethnic diversity throughout the United States reinforces the need to increase underrepresented minority and female doctoral student enrollment, persistence, and degree attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields of study. However, limited research analyzed student level data obtained from multiple institutions to understand doctoral student attrition and persistence. As such, this quantitative comparative descriptive study investigated the effects of gender and ethnicity on student attrition and persistence in doctoral science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs at multiple institutions. This study addressed four fundamental research questions. Are there statistically significant differences between genders of underrepresented minority doctoral students and attrition in STEM doctoral programs between 1999 and 2015? Are there statistically significant differences between genders of underrepresented minority doctoral students and persistence in STEM doctoral programs between 1999 and 2015? Are there statistically significant differences between ethnicities of underrepresented minority doctoral students and attrition in STEM doctoral programs between 1999 and 2015? Are there statistically significant differences between ethnicities of underrepresented minority doctoral students and persistence in STEM doctoral programs between 1999 and 2015? The study analyzed aggregated archived data of 26,667 doctoral students obtained from four institutions, located in three geographical areas across the United States. The study employed independent t tests to identify patterns and trends of attrition, persistence, and progression amongst gender and ethnicity/race of doctoral students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs between 1999 and 2015. This study found 6.5% of the sample and 5.9% of the underrepresented minority group left during stage one. In addition, 18.6% of the sample and 19.6% of the underrepresented minority group departed during stage two. The results suggest most doctoral students, enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields of study, successfully navigate the transition and adjustments during the first 12 months of the doctoral programs. The study found completion rates of African Americans increased 43.3%, while completion rates of Hispanics increased by 22.5%. In addition, 61.7% of African Americans and 55.6% of Hispanics, who enrolled between 1999 and 2008, completed the initial program of enrollment. The findings advance the understanding of doctoral student progression and contribute to the development of doctoral student persistence theoretical models. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]