The community college pathway to computer science and other STEM bachelor's degrees

Abstract

Community colleges may represent an important component of strategies that aim to increase the quantity and diversity of computer science bachelor's degree earners. This study examines a national cohort of bachelor's recipients who began at community colleges, and finds limited evidence that these students can follow a “well-trodden pathway” in computer science. To entice more students to CS bachelor's degrees, 4-year colleges may need to work more closely with 2-year colleges to create structured pre-transfer pathways in CS.