Pathways to Work Self-Efficacy and Retention of Women in Undergraduate Engineering

Northeastern University (NU), Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (VT), and the University of Wyoming (UW) will partner in a research study titled: Pathways to Work Self-Efficacy and Retention of Women in Undergraduate Engineering (hereinafter referred to as the Pathways Project). The study is designed to investigate the hypothesis that women’s participation in formal undergraduate engineering programs that provide work experiences while enrolled (e.g., cooperative education or internships) leads to enhanced self-efficacy and an increased likelihood of retention through graduation. Although all four schools offer cooperative education (co-op) or internship programs, NU and RIT require them. This project will isolate the factors that contribute most to the development of positive self-efficacy beliefs and, ultimately, to the retention of women in undergraduate engineering programs.