Stay or Leave: What Factors Are Necessary to Persist in Mathematics Doctoral Programs in the U.S.? Perspectives from International Students

摘要

Introduction The mathematical community has recently become concerned about enrolling and keeping more students in doctoral programs. In particular, the attrition rate of students in Ph.D. programs in mathematics is alarmingly high and continues to increase. A. H. Herzig stated, "Despite the growing of scientific and quantitative needs of the twenty-first century, relatively small numbers of U.S. students develop and maintain an interest in studying science and mathematics" [6, p. 171]. In institutions of higher education in the United States, doctoral candidates in mathematics typically include American and international students with diverse backgrounds. The graduate students who had completed their college education at U.S. institutions often felt they were at a disadvantage compared to international students whose undergraduate training in mathematics was more advanced [5]. Given the increasing number of international students enrolled in doctoral programs, a companion question is, "What do international students in a Ph.D. program in mathematics experience?"