Pushed or Pulled Out of STEM? Students’ Pathways Into and Out of STEM Majors (Poster 11)

• In Event: Sunday Poster Session 9:35 am
  In Poster Session: College Student Access, Trajectories, and Transitions Poster Session (Division J, Section 2a)

Abstract

The present study explored students’ pathways into and out of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors. Using semi-structured interviews and qualitative analyses, we investigated the reasons students initially pursued a STEM major along with reasons for departing from that STEM major. Preliminary analyses revealed that students described social influencers, interest, and career pathways when choosing their initial major and when changing their major. In addition, students described reflections on the future, their time to degree, the cost of challenging courses, and structural barriers when explaining their experiences changing majors. Findings provide additional directions for future research examining factors that influence students’ departure from STEM fields.

Authors

• Anna C. Brady, Georgia Southern University

• Yeo-eun Kim, Sungkyunkwan University