This study explores the topic of academic clustering within the football and men's and women's basketball teams at the University of Arkansas. Given the prominence of collegiate sport in America, this paper examines a relatively understudied topic regarding student-athletes and education. Using a mixed methods approach, the topic of academic clustering is analyzed statistically, as well as through in-depth interviews with student-athletes and academic advisors in the athletic department. Statistical analysis shows significant over- and under-representation of student-athletes in certain University colleges (e.g., Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Walton College of Business, and College of Engineering), the presence of academic clustering within the women's basketball team, and a significant relationship between race and choice of major by college. Qualitative findings attempt to explain these statistical findings, as well as highlight a possible unwanted consequence of these findings.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study explores the topic of academic clustering within the football and men's and women's basketball teams at the University of Arkansas. Given the prominence of collegiate sport in America, this paper examines a relatively understudied topic regarding student-athletes and education. Using a mixed methods approach, the topic of academic clustering is analyzed statistically, as well as through in-depth interviews with student-athletes and academic advisors in the athletic department. Statistical analysis shows significant over- and under-representation of student-athletes in certain University colleges (e.g., Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Walton College of Business, and College of Engineering), the presence of academic clustering within the women's basketball team, and a significant relationship between race and choice of major by college. Qualitative findings attempt to explain these statistical findings, as well as highlight a possible unwanted consequence of these findings. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Rowland, Matthew Brett"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts in Sociology (MA)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Zajicek, Anna M.","Morimoto, Shauna A."],"advisors":["Yang, Song"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:49Z","subjects":["Academic Clustering","College Athletics","Student-athletes","Educational Sociology","Exercise Science","Health and Physical Education","Higher Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2150","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Zajicek, Anna M.","Morimoto, Shauna A."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Yang, Song"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Rowland, Matthew Brett"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2014"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-02-06T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts in Sociology (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Academic Clustering","College Athletics","Student-athletes","Educational Sociology","Exercise Science","Health and Physical Education","Higher Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2150"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study explores the topic of academic clustering within the football and men's and women's basketball teams at the University of Arkansas. Given the prominence of collegiate sport in America, this paper examines a relatively understudied topic regarding student-athletes and education. Using a mixed methods approach, the topic of academic clustering is analyzed statistically, as well as through in-depth interviews with student-athletes and academic advisors in the athletic department. Statistical analysis shows significant over- and under-representation of student-athletes in certain University colleges (e.g., Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Walton College of Business, and College of Engineering), the presence of academic clustering within the women's basketball team, and a significant relationship between race and choice of major by college. Qualitative findings attempt to explain these statistical findings, as well as highlight a possible unwanted consequence of these findings.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Academic Clustering of Student-Athletes: A Case Study of Football and Basketball Programs"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Zajicek, Anna M.","Morimoto, Shauna A."],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Yang, Song"],"dc:creator":["Rowland, Matthew Brett"],"dc:date":["2014"],"dc:date.available":["2024-02-06T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study explores the topic of academic clustering within the football and men's and women's basketball teams at the University of Arkansas. Given the prominence of collegiate sport in America, this paper examines a relatively understudied topic regarding student-athletes and education. Using a mixed methods approach, the topic of academic clustering is analyzed statistically, as well as through in-depth interviews with student-athletes and academic advisors in the athletic department. Statistical analysis shows significant over- and under-representation of student-athletes in certain University colleges (e.g., Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Walton College of Business, and College of Engineering), the presence of academic clustering within the women's basketball team, and a significant relationship between race and choice of major by college. Qualitative findings attempt to explain these statistical findings, as well as highlight a possible unwanted consequence of these findings.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/2150"],"dc:subject":["Academic Clustering","College Athletics","Student-athletes","Educational Sociology","Exercise Science","Health and Physical Education","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["Academic Clustering of Student-Athletes: A Case Study of Football and Basketball Programs"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts in Sociology (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:49Z"}