Getting in and getting out: Predicting the likelihood of graduation of master’s program students

Abstract

[EN] We assess the predictors of the likelihood that a student will graduate from the master’s program of a business university. We use data from three years of a master’s program, totaling 455 students. The methods used are bivariate tests and logistic regression analysis. We find that the likelihood of a student graduating from the master’s program is positively related to the student i) holding their previous degree from business, as opposed to another field, ii) moving from another country to take the master’s program, and iii) taking up a master’s program with a qualitative, rather than quantitative, orientation. Interestingly, we find no evidence to suggest that whether a student’s previous degree is from a research university or from a practically oriented polytechnic would be related to the student’s odds of graduating. The results are relevant for master’s program teachers who can benefit from taking into account their students’ varying backgrounds, and for people responsible for planning the selection criteria and implementation of master’s programs. The results are also encouraging for polytechnic students who are contemplating taking further studies at a research university.