christine.switzer@strath.ac.uk ( @frankensoils) Access and transitions in higher education by underrepresented students Christine Switzer, Kelsey Brown, Lisa Lyons, Douglas Bertram, Michael Kenny, Neil Ferguson Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde christine.switzer@strath.ac.uk ( @frankensoils)

Department Profile 100 staff (43% female) incl. 29 academic staff (38% female) UGT, PGT, & PGR degrees Largest CEE recruiter in west of Scotland (1st or 2nd in Scotland) UG Population ca. 400 students 21% female SIMD20/40 PGT Population ca. 80 students 40-50% female ??? SIMD20/40 PGR population 85 students 45-50% female ???? SIMD20/40

Undergraduate Profile: Women UK average gender parity UK average

Students from 20% and 40% most deprived areas of Scotland Undergraduate Profile: SIMD20/40 Students from 20% and 40% most deprived areas of Scotland equality of access

EnTICE (Enhancing Transitions in Civil Engineering)

Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Undergraduate Profile Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction

Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Undergraduate Profile Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction MEng Completion in 2016-17 BEng Completion in 2015-16 Academic Failure: Mathematics most likely Evaluation by gender, SIMD status…

Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Undergraduate Profile Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Cohort vs Women Cohort vs SIMD20/40

Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Undergraduate Profile Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Year 4 and Year 5 (Women) Year 4 and Year 5 (SIMD20/40)

Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Undergraduate Profile Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction MEng Women outperformed men 4th year (BEng exit point) Women consistent with men Academic progression Men more at risk than women

Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction Undergraduate Profile Recruitment, Retention, Progression, Completion, Satisfaction MEng No apparent difference 4th year (BEng exit point) Numbers too small Academic progression Numbers too small

Recruitment: Calculating a Grade Point Average GPA: Numerical summary of academic performance on exams Advantages Quantitative Lacks bias Disadvantages Limited set of results for computation Based only on exam results Based only on results in 5th and 6th year Lacks nuance Methodology Higher: A = 4 points, B = 3 points, C = 2 points, etc Advanced Higher: A = 5 points, B = 4 points, C = 3 points, etc Multiple attempts at same Higher (average of 1st and 2nd attempts) All other entry routes and qualifications ignored for now

Does GPA predict degree outcome? GPA: Numerical summary of academic performance on exams

Student Support What we did recently: Curriculum revisions Tutorial support Entry criteria changes Maths support for some Y1 students Some Tailored Mentoring What we do already: Uni: Maths Skills Centre Peer Mentoring Industry Mentoring Year Advisors Mid-year feedback Liaise with class reps Personal Development Advisor (underutilised) What else? Maths support for Y2 DE More Tailored Mentoring? PDA support? Personal feedback to all students at the middle and end of the year?

Conclusions / What Next We learned a lot from our data… Focus groups supplemented the more analytical aspects Support mechanisms identified and implemented Students in our underrepresented groups are doing well, but… Refinement of GPA formula / Is it too coarse? Deeper dive into subject-specific issues (e.g. mathematics) Examine impacts of recent changes? Further support needed, particularly Y2 entry?