Abstract:

Higher education can be a demanding and rigorous journey for students. However, failure in higher education is a prevalent issue that has significant implications for students and the educational system as a whole. This paper is a literature review about all the challenges faced by students at a master degree level, the contributing factors and the consequences of their failure, the consequences for the educational system and the solutions currently advocated.

This paper describes the challenges faced by students in higher education, focusing in master students. Among the challenges faced by students in Higher Education, it can be selected the academic pressure; lack of time management; financial constraints; limited support systems; or work-life balance. One can also enhance some contributing factors to their failure, such as unrealistic expectations since students may enter master's programs with unrealistic expectations about the level of difficulty, workload, or outcomes; insufficient undergraduate education or inadequate academic skills can stop students' success in master's programs; when students lack clear goals or intrinsic motivation for pursuing a master's degree, they may struggle to stay engaged and committed; ineffective learning strategies; and also students may face personal hardships such as mental health issues, family responsibilities, or major life events that can significantly impact their ability to perform well in their master's program.

It also explores the implications for the educational system regarding these failures, since they affect not only the students but also the educational system. Among the consequences one can enhance the wasted resources since when students fail to complete their higher education, substantial resources invested in their education, including financial aid, infrastructure, faculty time, and institutional support, go to waste; failure in higher education also leads to a loss of potential talent and skills in the workforce; a need for pedagogical reforms since high failure rates necessitate a re-evaluation of pedagogical approaches within higher education; and finally the focus of the institution on a holistic student support, institutions should prioritize mental health services, career counselling, financial aid resources, and academic advising to assist students in overcoming challenges.

Finally, the approaches sustained by literature that can prevent or reduce the failure are explored. Addressing failure in master's level higher education requires a multifaceted approach. By strengthening academic support, fostering a supportive learning environment,implementing new learning methodologies, and enhancing program design, institutions can empower master's students to succeed, improve completion rates, and contribute to a skilled and competent workforce.

Keywords:

Higher education, master students' failure, students'' challenges, educational system.