Pathways to completion: Patterns of progression through a university degree

This paper outlines a technique for identifying and representing pathways of student progression through a degree course. Considerable attention over the last decade in developing performance indicators of student progress, retention and completion in higher education, has neglected indicators of individual student progression. Common student outcome performance indicators are based on cohort or census-like counts. A new technique is proposed for longitudinal analysis of individual student enrolment and unit of study completions, to create pathways at the student level. The frequency of individual pathways indicate the common patterns of student progression at the course level. Pathway patterns convey important information about changes in programs of study, and associations with student characteristics. Pathway patterns complement current student outcome performance indicators. The pathway technique is simple, accurate, practical and applicable not only to staff and students in making informed decisions regarding the teaching and learning environment but also to universities and governments in planning and policy development.