Factors Affecting the Duration Time of Study and Success in Graduation of the Postgraduate Students: A Case of the Postgraduate students in the Linguistics Program, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University

The primary objective of this study was to examine the factors affecting the duration time of study of the postgraduate students in the Linguistics program of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. The population of this research were the second to the forth batches of students in the program. The respondents were 18 students. A quantitative research approach was employed in this study. The data collection was conducted between February and September 2017. A questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The collected data were then analyzed with descriptive statistics including percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and F-test with a .05 level of statistical significance. The research findings revealed that factors influencing the duration time of study and success in graduation of the students were overall rated at the highest level. These factors, sorted in a descending order, included the thesis advisors (being rated at the highest level), the program content and teaching and learning activities (being rated at the highest level); and characteristics of the students (being rated at a high level). Moreover, the students? demographic data including students? gender, status, and average income per month were also found to affect their duration time of study and the success in graduation. Specifically, students aged between 20-40 years old were likely to be graduated with a shorter period of time, as compared to those aged between 41-60 years. Additionally, students who worked in universities in the Rajabhat system were likely to be graduated with a shorter period of time than those who worked in schools.