Motives for Dropping out of Engineering Disciplines
A study of the motives for dropping out, switching to another subject and changing universities as well as the measures taken to limit these, using the subjects of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering as an example.
Runtime
03/2010 – 12/2012
Contracting Authority
Financing provided by the European Social Fund and the Free State of Saxony within the framework of the funding guideline “state innovation promotion”.
Goals / Summary
Considering the growing shortage of specialists and the potential that lies in reducing the engineering dropout rate, the dropout topic in engineering subjects at universities in Saxony has become especially relevant. With this backdrop, the dissertation on this topic will encompass a qualitative examination of the motives of students who have dropped out or changed subjects and will have the goal of identifying possible strategies to reduce the dropout rate in the subjects of electrical and mechanical engineering. Interviews with students who have either dropped out of electrical and mechanical engineering, or who have switched to a different field, will be carried out. In addition to the individual perspective, a series of interviews with experts, such as instructors, student representatives and student counselors, will be carried out in order to obtain an institutional perspective on the topic of student dropout. Measures and strategies which have been put in place by universities to reduce student dropout will also be a main focus of these interviews.
The comprehensive findings pertaining to student dropout in both subjects, acquired through the qualitative study, will then serve as the foundation for the development of targeted measures to counteract student dropout, which take into consideration the specific features of both subjects and incorporate a review of preexisting practical measures, so that this important potential for engineering graduates does not remain untapped.
Project Management
Prof. Dr. Karl Lenz
Contributor
Dipl.-Kult. Mirjam Reiß