Causal Analysis of First-Year Course Approval Delays in a Engineering Major Through Inference Techniques

Abstract

The study addresses the problem of delays in the approval of first-year courses in the Civil Engineering Career at the National University of Tucumán, Argentina. Students take an average of 5 years to pass these subjects. Using the DoWhy and Causal Discovery Toolbox tools, we sought to identify the underlying causes of these delays. The analysis revealed that the regulatory structure of the program and the evaluation methods play a crucial role in this delay. Specifically, the accumulation of regular subjects without passing a final exam was identified as a key factor. These findings can guide interventions to improve student success rates and the effectiveness of the education system in general.