Graduates’ experience of their final year : academic stress and coping

Abstract

This study retrospectively and qualitatively explores the lived experience of graduates in relation to the academic stress they experienced in their undergraduate final year of studies at the University of Malta. It also explores the coping strategies they have utilised to cope with such stress. The experiences of male and female alumni were compared. Six graduates from the University of Malta were invited to participate via purposive sampling. Self designed semi- structured interviews were then carried out with the participants and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The findings from this research suggest that pressure to succeed and uncertainty about the future were the most significant stressors cited by the graduates in relation to their final year academic experience. Conversely social support and break time were the most cited coping strategies adopted by these alumni at the time. This study suggests that despite similarities between the students’ experiences, the final year at university is lived in distinct and unique ways. More efforts should also be made by academic staff to engage with the students more often so they will be able to offer support and guidance.