The influence of curriculum structure on retention of science majors

This study considers the role of curriculum structure in the retention of biology and physics majors during the years 1990--1997. Biology majors experienced a decrease in retention when a chemistry prerequisite was added in 1996. Prior to this prerequisite, the most successful students, that is, those with the highest grades, took biology and chemistry during the same semester. The most unsuccessful students took either biology prior to chemistry or chemistry prior to biology. Factors that determined success through graduation included the introductory sequence the students took and the amount of AP credit received. Physics majors have a relatively rigid curriculum structure, but in the introductory sequence, there is some variation. Some students take a physics course before entering the standard curriculum. There were no differences in grades in the second course of the sequence between students who took the prerequisite or those who entered the introductory sequence immediately. Curriculum sequence does make a difference in the retention of science majors. In both biology and physics, the correct prerequisite can either help a student move through to more advanced courses, or it can lead to higher attrition within a major.