Integrating part-time study with family, work and social obligations

This study examines the processes adult students use to integrate part-time study with existing family, work and social commitments. Evidence is drawn from interviews with students in three countries. A causal network is proposed with a positive category where social obligations are accommodated with study demands. The alternative category results in external attribution of the failure to accommodate demands. For each category the three environments of work, family and social lives are examined. Three mechanisms are discussed for facilitating integration, namely support, sacrifice and negotiating arrangements. Negotiating sanctuaries of time or space for study are seen as important. The three mechanisms for accommodating part-time study mean that students with adverse circumstances are not pre-destined to fail and that there is a role for universities in counselling and assisting students in adapting to part-time study.