Gender differences in grit and programming experience across course levels and their relationship to undergraduate students’ intention to complete a computer science degree

Background and Context Despite the growing demand for computing professionals, high dropout rates and pronounced gender disparities persist in CS programs. While factors such as grit and programming experience influence student retention and success and may differ by gender, how these differences shape retention remains unclear.Objective This paper employs the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to study how gender differences in grit and programming experience across the introductory computing curriculum affect students’ intention to complete their computer science (CS) degree.Method We collected survey data from 303 undergraduate CS major students enrolled in CS1, CS2, and CS3 at an engineering-focused university in the southeastern United States.Findings Results showed differences between men and women at different course levels in terms of grit and programming experience, which in turn influenced their self-efficacy to study CS, outcome expectations, attitude toward computing, and consequently their intention to continue studying CS as their major.Implications The study highlights the need for intervention strategies to enhance retention and provide tailored, gender-inclusive support for computer science students.