Measuring the determinants of quality in UK higher education: a multinomial logit approach

Abstract

A large number of correlation analysis studies of UK data have suggested that there is a weak relationship between student input quality (for example, “A” level performance) and degree performance. This paper re‐examines this relationship using a different statistical method, namely, a multinomial logit analysis. Unlike the earlier studies, we find strong explanatory variables for degree performance. For example, it is found that an increase of one in average “A” points, other things being equal, increases the probability of a first or upper second‐class grade (a “good degree”) by 5.8 per cent, while student dissatisfaction with a course will reduce this probability by 15 per cent. Potential students should also note that taking subjects like geography and history, other things being equal, increases the probability of a “good degree”, while taking, for example, law, reduces it.

Citation

Rodgers, T. and Ghosh, D. (2001), "Measuring the determinants of quality in UK higher education: a multinomial logit approach", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 121-126. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880110399059