In a new research line, we have begun to study retention of STEM majors. We use a combination of university course data (2.5M records), in-class performance data (10,000 records), and the results of surveys given over the past 3 years (3000 records).
Physics Retention
The plot below shows the retention of physics majors by semester. WVU serves an academically diverse population and we lose 40% of our majors before they even take a physics class.
The Role of Mathematics
Physics retention cannot be studied in isolation. The math-readiness of the student and his or her success in early math classes play a crucial role. The figure below plots the flow of physics students through their early math class and shows how students are retained or leave the major.
