Factors Influencing Postgraduate Students Graduation Rate at Arba Minch University

Abstract

This study examined postgraduate students' graduation rates and investigated the institutional, supervisory, and personal factors associated with students' motivation to graduate on time. A cross-sectional survey and document analysis were conducted using data collected from 307 postgraduate students and 106 faculty members at Arba Minch University. The findings showed improvements in postgraduate enrollment and graduation rates. The overall graduation rate was 77.4%, with the highest rate recorded in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (87.7%) and the lowest in the College of Business and Economics (57.8%), indicating considerable variation across colleges. Furthermore, institutional, supervisory, and students' personal factors were significantly associated with motivation for timely graduation. Significant differences were also observed between students' and faculty members' perceptions of institutional and supervisory factors. These findings provide valuable insights for postgraduate students, thesis supervisors, university administrators, and policymakers seeking to improve timely postgraduate completion.

Keywords: graduation rate, postgraduate students, institutional factor, student personal factor, supervisory practices