Exploring Factors that Promote Successful Completion of Master’s Theses at University of Cape Coast

Abstract

Timely completion of postgraduate theses continues to be a concern in higher education, especially in subSaharan Africa where institutional constraints, supervision challenges, and financial limitations contribute to delayed graduation and attrition. This study explored the student-, supervisor-, and institution-related factors that promote the successful and timely completion of master’s theses at UCC. Guided by General Systems Theory, the study adopted a qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposefully selected master’s graduates who completed on time, their supervisors, and university administrators. Audio recordings were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis in ATLAS.ti.
Six student-level enablers were identified: supportive academic relationships, feasible and interesting research focus, financial preparedness, research skills, commitment and self-discipline, and effective time management. Supervisor-level support included accessibility, regular meetings, timely and constructive feedback, cordial professional relationships, autonomy-supportive guidance, and methodological expertise. Institution-level facilitators included provision of research resources, capacity-building workshops, small research grants, progress monitoring, and efficient administrative processes.
It was concluded that successful thesis completion results from the alignment of motivated students, responsive supervisory practices, and supportive institutional systems. The study recommends enhanced early-stage research skills training, clearer supervision standards, consistent progress tracking, and strengthened funding mechanisms. Further research should examine the predictive power of each factor using mixed-methods or multi-site approach.