Retention of Graduate Students in Social Work: An Issue of Enrollment Management for the Nineties

Abstract

The retention of graduate students in social work is a key issue of management of enrollment for the decade of the nineties due to the anticipated enrollment shortage as well as the changing demographic characteristics of graduate students. In light of this issue, a study was conducted to assess the presence and structure of formal mechanisms to monitor students who “drop out” and/or “stop out” of graduate programs. Also, an attempt was made to document and identify the numbers and types of students who are especially vulnerable to interruption in programs. Analysis indicates that, although formal mechanisms to track students are in place in schools of social work, there is little evidence of interruption of students' programs. While respondents suggested that they monitor especially vulnerable students, they did not provide specific information on identifying that group. These results raise further questions about management of enrollment in general and how the issue of retention in particular may be important to survival and/or development of graduate programs.