What determines when undergraduates complete their theses? Evidence from two economics departments

Most economics students at Uppsala and Umea do not complete their undergrad uate thesis within the intended time. We find that coauthoring, compared to writing alone, increases the probability of completing a thesis. A second thesis is less likely to be completed than a first. The two departments als o differ in completion time. The probability of completing decreases over t ime. There is also some weaker evidence that students with high grades are more likely to complete and that women take a longer time to complete their theses. [JEL A22, 120]. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .