IR-MFF, Issue 11-2021: NU Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Completion and Time to Degree
Institutional Research Monthly-Friday Fact (IR-MFF), Issue 11-2021
Office of the Provost, Nazarbayev University
NU Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Completion and Time to Degree
This analysis examines degree completion and time to degree among NU students. The analysis includes student cohorts eligible for graduation: undergraduate students who matriculated in Fall 2011-2017, master’s students who matriculated in Fall 2013-2019, MD students who matriculated in Fall 2015-2017, and PhD students who matriculated in Fall 2013-2017.
As of September 2021, NU has awarded 5,895 undergraduate and graduate degrees (3,726 bachelor’s, 2,051 master’s, 65 MD, and 53 PhD degrees). Figure 1 shows trends in degree awards over time. Bachelor’s degree and master’s degree awards have increased by 85% and 165%, respectively, since NU first awarded these degrees.
Figure 2 shows the percent of students who completed their degree and the percent who graduated on time (i.e., within 4 years for bachelor’s, MD, and PhD students; and within 2 years for master’s students). Completion and timely graduation rates were outstanding for bachelor’s, master’s, and MD students. In contrast, PhD rates lagged far behind: 43% of PhD students completed the degree by the end of Summer 2021; only 18% of the PhD students graduated within four years. It is important to note, though, that NU awarded 23 PhD degrees in 2020-2021—well above the six to nine degrees awarded annually in previous years. For more detailed information on graduation rates, see the 2021-2022 NU Data Digest.
| Another important metric to monitor is time to degree (TTD), or the average number of years it takes students to complete their degrees. TTD was around 4.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 5.0 years for bachelor’s, master’s, MD, and PhD students, respectively. Values for bachelor’s, master’s, and MD degrees are indicative of timely graduation for students pursuing these degrees. The average for PhD students falls one academic year above the expected TTD (the result of the struggle/delay earlier PhD cohorts have experienced in completing their degree). |
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