Abstract

Some graduate engineering students, returners, have spent many years in industry before returning to school. Others, direct pathway students, complete a master’s degree along with the undergraduate degree or go back to school fairly quickly after their undergraduate degree has been obtained. The focus of this study was to investigate the differences and similarities in direct pathway and returners. Differences include the rationale for obtaining a degree, the assumption that teamwork is essential to success, and specific self-efficacy statements. Those who have spent time in industry change disciplines more often. Similarities include no difference in graduate grade point averages (GPAs), while undergraduate GPAs are different for the two groups, and there is no difference in the calculus concept inventory.

摘要

一些工程研究生，回国者，在返回学校之前已经在工业界工作了很多年。其他人，直接衔接课程的学生，在获得本科学位的同时完成硕士学位，或者在获得本科学位后很快就回到学校。本研究的重点是调查直接途径和返回者的差异和相似之处。差异包括获得学位的基本原理、团队合作对成功至关重要的假设以及具体的自我效能陈述。那些花时间在行业中的人更频繁地改变学科。相似之处包括研究生平均绩点 (GPA) 没有差异，而两组的本科 GPA 不同，并且微积分概念清单没有差异。