Doctoral Students' Types of Funding and Agency in Time to Degree: A Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable 22
  In Roundtable Session: Roundtable Session 3: Graduate and Postdoctoral Education Across the Disciplines SIG

Abstract

This mixed methods research paper explores whether and how different types of funding influence STEM doctoral students’ time to degree completion and degree progress. We developed regression models using Survey of Earned Doctorates, complemented by qualitative interviews with 38 STEM doctoral students. Our results show that primary funding and number of funding types were significant predictors of time to complete their doctoral program. Further, different types and sequence of funding may influence doctoral students’ individual productivities on research, teaching, and networking. STEM departments and advisors can support doctoral student agency by providing suitable funding types related to their career goal and proper sequences of funding which align with their program process.

Authors

• Nathan Hyungsok Choe, The University of Texas - Austin

• Maura J. Borrego, The University of Texas - Austin

• Timothy J Kinoshita, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Kevin A. Nguyen, The University of Texas - Austin

• David Knight, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University