Journal of Education and Human Development

The Impact of Graduate-Level Structured Research Programs on Degree Attainment and Doctoral Study
Simeon Slovacek, PhD.; Jonathan Whittinghill; Laura Flenoury; Yee-Lam Lee

Abstract
The study investigated the impact of the Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) programs on science graduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds at a southern California comprehensive university. A propensity score matching design was used with ten years of data on participants and non-participants. 145 MORE students were matched with a group of non-MORE graduate students enrolled over the same time period on a number of relevant covariates. Students in the MORE group outperformed those in the comparison group in multiple areas: greater numbers of the MORE students completed their degrees; more of them were accepted to doctoral programs; they had higher GPAs at graduation; and took less time to earn degrees. Furthermore, binary logistic regression models used to predict graduation and entrance to science PhD programs found participation in the MORE programs to be a strong predictor of both outcomes. Results are discussed in light of the propensity score matching, as well as in the context of graduate student research.

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