Investigating the Relationship Between the Thesis Score and Grade Point Average of Master of Science Graduates of Rehabilitation Faculty From 2008 to 2019

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Choosing a thesis subject is one of the critical concerns of master’s students because a student’s graduation depends on defending the thesis. The main research question was whether students with a lower grade point average (GPA) also require a lower score and spend more time and vice versa whether students with a higher GPA perform better for the thesis or not. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all master’s graduates of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences between 2008 and 2019 who had been recorded in a computer system were enrolled. Using the stratified sampling method, at least one sample was assigned to each stratum (field year), and the sample size was calculated to be 128 people. The data were analyzed by SPSS software, version 19 via correlation and regression analysis with a chi-square test. Results: In this study, the correlation coefficient between the duration of the study and thesis score was significant and obtained as -0.289 (P=0.001), while the correlation coefficient between the duration of the study and the student’s GPA was only significant (P=0.047) and equal to -0.176. The estimated Pearson correlation coefficient between the thesis score and GPA for all graduates was r=0.352 (r=0.338 for men and r=0.284 for women). Conclusion: Although the GPA of female students was better, the statistical analysis indicated that the student gender was not an effective factor in getting a thesis score. Considering the constancy of academic courses across all groups, the correlation between the duration of the study and the thesis score was negative. It seems that most students spend more time at university due to the delay in defending the thesis.