NSF Project Finds Online Course Availability Shapes Degree Progress for STEM Students
Dr. Alyse C. Hachey (Chair, Teacher Education, College of Education, UTEP), along with colleagues Claire Wladis and Katherine M. Conway (BMCC, City University of New York), conclude a 6-year NSF grant funded project (Award #: 1920599; $2,466,374; 2019-2025) investigating whether online course offerings support STEM degree progress.
Results suggest that limited access to preferred course formats—particularly online courses—can slow degree progress for STEM majors. Across multiple data sources, including those from waitlists and a simulation enrollment system, the project showed that students who were unable to enroll in their desired courses often took fewer credits and experienced delayed progress toward completing their degrees.
The effects were strongest for students seeking asynchronous online courses, which offer greater flexibility for those balancing work, family responsibilities, or health needs. The project highlights that students with less available time or energy for college (i.e., less time and/or body capital)—often due to work, caregiving, disability, or health conditions—were both more likely to rely on online courses and more vulnerable to reduced credit accumulation. While many of these students ultimately earned their degrees, they frequently reported high personal costs, including stress, burnout, and negative impacts on physical and mental health.
However, students pursuing in‑person or synchronous online courses also faced setbacks when class meeting times conflicted with their schedules. Overall, results indicated that students unable to access their preferred course format were significantly more likely to make slower academic progress.
Findings from the project suggest that colleges seeking to improve STEM retention and completion should offer required courses in a wider range of formats and meeting times, including asynchronous online options, to meet the needs of “non-traditional” students who work and have caretaking responsibilities. Improved access to financial aid, childcare, and clearer communication about student support services could further help reduce time-related barriers.
The project also introduced the Holistic Capital Model (see https://doi-org.utep.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/23328584241255626), a new framework for understanding how students’ time and physical capacity affect degree completion. By better aligning course structures with the realities of modern students’ lives, institutions can expand STEM degree attainment and strengthen the future STEM workforce.
By the conclusion of this NSF project, the research team produced 19 peer‑reviewed publications, 26 national and international conference presentations, and a Best Paper Award at the European Distance and E‑Learning Network (EDEN) Annual Conference.
