Delayed completion of Master’s Degree programmes at the University of Dar Es Salaam: cases of School of Education and Business School.
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Date
2020
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Dar es salaam
Abstract
Delayed completion of Master’s Degree programmes at the University of Dar Es Salaam: cases of School of Education and Business School.
Emelia Jailo Mwambogo
Master of Arts (Education)
University of Dar es salaam, School of Education, 2020
This study investigated delayed completion of master’s degree programmes at the university of Dar es salaam: cases of school of education and business school. The study was guided by three objectives. First, to examine the factors contributing to delayed completion of master’s programme. Secondly, to examine the mechanisms and role of supervisor’s feedback in completion of masters’ programme and thirdly to examine views of students and supervisors on possible solution to improve completion rate of master’s programmes. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research approaches with case study research design. The study sample size was 220 participants which included 160 master’s students and 60 research supervisors. Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were employed to select the sample of supervisors and students (supervisees) to be included in the study. Methods used for data collection were questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. Quantitative data were analysed by the assistance of SPSS software where Chi-square was computed to find the differences in students’ views of the factors contributing to delayed completion of master’s programmes and qualitative data were analysed thematically. The study found that factors contributing to delayed completion of master’s programme were student related factors, supervisor-related factors and institution- related factors. For instance the inability of student to write different chapters of research report, the study revealed that inability of student to select research topic and failure to state the research problem, lack of students commitment and readiness to so their research, financial constraints, family responsibilities and poor time management among masters students are factors inherent of students themselves. The study further revealed that, supervisors contributed to delayed completion of masters’ studies of their students through delayed and non-constructive feedback provided by the supervisors, lack of enough recent research reading books on the university library and limited access to materials in the internet, presence of unnecessary bureaucratic processes in improving the research proposal, and processing of research permit. Further analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant difference of 0.05 between the male and female masters students’ on factors for their delayed completion. The study concluded that student-related factor are explained in terms of their shortfalls in research methods courses while supervisor – delayed factors are basically caused by supervisors’ delayed or non-constructive feedback as such students either spend long time waiting for feedback or get discouraged to concentrate on their work. The study recommended that research methods courses should be taught in practical way that equip students with adequate and relevant research writing skills, supervisors should provide timely constructive feedback and the institution should have enough research facilities that accommodate all courses within the university.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, class mark (THS EAF LC171.T34M935)
Keywords
Postgraduate students,, Higher education,, Study and teaching,, University of Dar es Salaam,, Tanzania
Citation
Mwambogo, E. J(2020)Delayed completion of Master’s Degree programmes at the University of Dar Es Salaam: cases of School of Education and Business School,Masters Dissertation,University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.