Considerations for switching: exploring factors behind CS students' desire to leave a CS major

Abstract

Understanding undergraduate students’ academic, professional and social experiences in computer science (CS) degree programs is critical to retaining students in these programs. This paper presents findings from an exploratory study aimed at empirically investigating the academic, social, and professional experiences that influence CS students to consider switching out of their major. We surveyed 96 CS undergraduate students at the University of Florida and examined their experiences during their degree program. The data were categorically analyzed to identify factors that influenced students to consider switching out of a CS major. We found that students who considered switching out of a CS major experienced gender biases in the classroom, had negative or neutral satisfaction with computing courses, and felt that the assignments and projects were not relevant to the coursework. We also found that females were twice as likely to consider leaving a CS major as compared to males. Several factors significantly affected female students: perception of the presence of gender biases in the classroom, not receiving timely feedback, negative satisfaction in coursework, and negative team experiences. We conclude by discussing these findings in light of retention theories and literature.

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