The BAME awarding gap: understanding student perspectives

A gap exists between the proportion of White British students receiving top degree classifications (first and 2:1) and students from minority ethnic groups. In the literature this gap is called the ‘BAME awarding gap’ or the ‘awarding gap’. The awarding gap has a deleterious effect on students from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups (BAME) because there is a market premium on ‘good grades’. This research is aimed at generating knowledge about the issues and factors that impact the awarding gap between BAME students and White students of a module at a UK university. One risk factor that the research hypothesises is the relative reluctance of BAME students to seek help and support from the tutoring team when faced with academic challenges. A sample was drawn from a master’s level module using a convenience sampling strategy. In total, 10 students volunteered for the study. Focus group interviews were used to frame the perspectives of participants relating to the academic space, and their attitudes towards help seeking and factors that influence their decision whether to seek help or not. The results showed a complexity of factors, including heightened impostor syndrome in the academic space, allied to an unfavourable sense of belonging and stigma in relation to help seeking. To better understand the issues faced by BAME students, it is essential to actively seek their perspectives within the academic environment. BAME students must be involved in designing interventions and support systems. The study makes a valuable contribution to knowledge about some factors that impact the awarding gap and how they might be mitigated.