The effects of term‐time employment on academic performance

Abstract

The article reports on a study which aimed to examine to what extent students’ academic performance is affected by their part‐time, term‐time employment and to explore individual perceptions of the phenomenon using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study was conducted during the academic year 1999/2000 and involved full‐time undergraduates from the BA in Business Studies programme at the University of Brighton. A total of 12 semi‐structured individual interviews were conducted and a quantitative dimension was included to provide a more objective picture to the student perceptions. The key findings are discussed under the following headings: issues for the students; issues for the academic staff; issues for employers; issues for the institution.