Individual Characteristics as Predictors of Program Completion of Ph.D. Students in Makerere University

The long time to obtain a Ph.D. degree has been a source of contention, and graduate schools worldwide are working to reduce the long time to degree. This study examined individual characteristics as predictors of program completion of Ph.D. students at Makerere University. Anchoring in Tinto’s Model of persistence, individual characteristics included socioeconomic status (SES), quality of relationship with family, studies-family balance, expectations, self-efficacy, grit, writing, and prior experiences. Using a mixed methods approach, both cross-sectional and phenomenological designs were used to collect data from 104 Ph.D. graduates through self-administered questionnaires while seven participants were interviewed. The results revealed that individual characteristics, namely SES and prior experiences, positively and significantly predicted program completion. However, the quality of relationship with family, study-family balance, expectations, self-efficacy, grit, and writing did not.