Graduate Students’ Perception of Their Program’s Culture: The Role of Social Class Background

• In Event: Sociology of Education Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 17. The Structure of Academe: Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff

Abstract

Studies have found that students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often feel like they do not fit into institutions of higher education. Many of these studies have focused on undergraduates, while evidence suggests that the relevant dynamics may be even more pronounced in graduate education. Using data generated from a sample of graduate students in U.S. programs across six natural and social science disciplines, we assess how a student’s socioeconomic background influences their perception of their program’s culture, such as whether they see their program as supportive or welcoming. Our analysis finds that graduate students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to perceive their program’s culture positively even after we account for funding, work status, and a wide variety of other controls. These findings highlight a need for graduate education to consider the ways in which their cultural norms and process may create mismatches for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Authors

• Rachel E. Stein, West Virginia University

• Christopher P. Scheitle, West Virginia University

• Bernard DiGregorio, West Virginia University