I.

  Introduction: Problem Statement, Conceptual Framework and Justification

For our senior thesis research proposal, we were asked to study the effects that COVID-19 has

had on the quality of life for UNC Charlotte students. COVID-19 has brought many

complications for students all across the world, physically, emotionally, and mentally. One major

complication that students have faced due to COVID-19 is financial instability. The problem that

I chose to address in my research proposal is the relationship between COVID-19, and its effects

on educational attainment of students via the mechanism of financial resources. The study of the

relationship between COVID-19 and the attainment of an education for students via financial

resources will be an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. The study is characterized by

an initial qualitative phase of data collection and analysis, followed by a phase of quantitative

data collection and analysis, with a final phase of integration of data from all of the factors in

order to reach a final conclusion of the study. This research will further allow us to understand

how COVID-19 has affected the obtainment of an education of students via their financial

resources.

II. Research Objectives and Specific Research Questions and/or Hypothesis

Throughout this study I will be focusing on the relationship between COVID-19 and how

financial resources have impacted the obtainment for education of students. COVID-19 has

affected hundreds of thousands of students in many different ways financially. The factors being

analyzed between COVID-19 and the educational attainment of students via financial resources

are education, work, finances, family support, student loans. We can break this main research

topic down into several subtopics which we will analyze:            

  How has COVID-19 affected students' ability to receive financial aid or grants to

receive an education?

- This study will allow us to understand how COVID-19 has affected students'

ability to receive financial aid or grants to receive an education after the dramatic

loss of funding and revenue to Universities.

 How has COVID-19 affected financial stability within families with enrolled students?

- This study will allow us to understand how the obtainment of an

education for students has been affected by COVID-19 due to payroll

cuts or job losses within families.

 How has COVID-19 job loss affected student’s ability to obtain an education?

- This study will allow us to understand how COVID-19 has affected students

ability to obtain an education due to job loss, payroll cuts, and not working as

many hours weekly.

 How has COVID-19 affected students' previously planned path of education?

- This study will allow us to understand how COVID-19 has affected students

previously planned paths of education such as the change of majors,

dropping out or taking a semester off.

These sub questions will allow us to further and more in-depth understand how COVID-19 has affected

the educational attainment of students via financial resources.

III. Background and Significance

When it comes to addressing the effects that COVID-19 has on students’ ability to obtain an

education via financial resources, this is something that needs to be studied, as hundreds of
thousands of students have been affected by this. This research is important due to the fact that

this COVID-19 pandemic has brought distress upon many students. Finances drive an education

in America. Without financial stability, many students would not be enrolled in Universities.

This pandemic has brought job loss and payroll cuts upon many students and their families as

well as sabotaged the educational plans that were already in place for many students.

Understanding how COVID-19 has affected financial stability in order to obtain an education is

very significant as it allows us to find ways to cope with and change preexisting costs and

conditions in order to allow an education to be obtained for students.

When it comes to limitations or ethical concerns about this study, there could be some questions

within each subtopic that some individuals could be uncomfortable answering. Many individuals

and students are not comfortable or feel embarrassed discussing the loss of jobs or the amount of

income that they are receiving. Others might not feel comfortable answering questions about

receiving financial aid or grants.

This research adds to our understanding of COVID-19 and the College student life as it shows

the way students have had to transition and cope with such a sporadic epidemic. It allows us to

further understand the methods that students have exercised in response to COVID-19 and

continuing their education despite financial distress.

IV. Research Design

The study of the relationship between COVID-19 and the attainment of an education for students

via financial resources will be an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. The study is
characterized by an initial qualitative phase of data collection and analysis, followed by a phase

of quantitative data collection and analysis, with a final phase of integration of data from all of

the factors in order to reach a final conclusion of the study. The study will contain both open

ended and fixed choice questions to assess the key domains such as education, work, finances,

family supports, and student loans / grants.

For this study I plan on starting with a sample size of 100 students from the University of North

Carolina at Charlotte. As previously mentioned, I will start by collecting qualitative data and

analyzing it, then transitioning into quantitative data, and finally linking it all at the end to

analyze out how COVID-19 has affected the educational attainment of students via financial

resources. We will start off by addressing all 100 respondents with a quantitative question,

asking a simple yes / no if the study has affected them. For each sub question, the respondents

will be presented with a slip of paper and asked to circle whether or not the study affects or

relates to them. If circled yes, we will go into more depth qualitative questions, if circled no, the

student is implying that they have not had their education affected by COVID-19 financially and

therefore will be asked to withdrawal from the study. I am analyzing the students that have been

affected, so those that are not affected will not benefit the study. Out of the students that have

been affected by COVID-19, we will ask them if the sub question relates to them in any sort of

manner, if so they will be asked the qualitative question part, which is in what manner has that

factor affected them. They will be asked to give a brief one sentence explanation on how the

topic has affected them. The number of correspondents left after the 100 original sample size will

then be placed into each category that their answer corresponds with. At the end of the study, we

will be able to see how many students were affected by each category; financial resources are
education, work, finances, family support, student loans, and how they were affected. In

conclusion we will see how students have had their ability to obtain an education via financial

resources jeopardized by COVID-19.