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Science students face specific challenges associated with their field of study. The purpose of this study was to assess science students’ use of support services and programs, identify barriers to use and group differences, determine professors’ and staff’s familiarity with programs and solicit ideas from all participants about what programming changes should be made. Survey questions were completed by 308 students and 40 staff and professors in our institution’s Faculty of Science. Students’ participation rates and professors’ and staff’s familiarity with programs ranged significantly but most services were rated as helpful by both groups. Few demographic group differences emerged in program use. Participants recommended a number of improvements to the Faculty of Science including strengthening mental health awareness and support services, fostering student engagement in science, building students’ relationships with professors and cultivating a healthy learning environment. Implications for program development in science faculties are considered.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience and management of stress in science students and to evaluate concordance with faculty/staff members’ appraisal of student stress. A survey was completed by 308 students and by 40 staff and faculty members. Students’ stress levels were high but there were no differences based on demographic groups. Students’ top stressors included workload, grades, career, time management, and anxiety. Faculty and staff members accurately estimated the level of undergraduate student stress but underestimated graduate student stress. They also demonstrated a good understanding of the role of specific academic stressors, but consistently overestimated the contribution of stress from other sources. Students described using a variety of different coping strategies, including social support, self-care, hobbies, and problem-solving. L’objectif de cette étude était d’explorer l’expérience et la gestion du stress parmi les étudiants et les étudiantes en sciences et d’évaluer leur concordance avec l’évaluation du stress des étudiants et des étudiantes par les professeurs, les professeures et les membres du personnel. Un sondage a été mené auprès de 308 étudiants et étudiantes ainsi que 40 professeurs, professeures et membres du personnel. Les niveaux de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes étaient élevés mais il n’y avait aucune différence basée sur les groupes démographiques. Les principaux facteurs de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes étaient la charge de travail, les notes, les carrières, la gestion du temps et l’anxiété. Les professeurs, les professeures et les membres du personnel avaient estimé avec exactitude le niveau de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes de premier cycle mais avaient sous-estimé le niveau de stress ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes des cycles supérieurs. Ils avaient également montré une bonne compréhension du rôle des divers facteurs de stress spécifiques à l’université, mais avaient systématiquement surestimé la contribution du stress causé par d’autres sources. Les étudiants et les étudiantes ont expliqué qu’ils faisaient appel à toute une variété de stratégies différentes pour gérer le stress, y compris le soutien social, les soins personnels, les passe-temps et la résolution de problèmes.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience and management of stress in science students and to evaluate concordance with faculty/staff members’ appraisal of student stress. A survey was completed by 308 students and by 40 staff and faculty members. Students’ stress levels were high but there were no differences based on demographic groups. Students’ top stressors included workload, grades, career, time management, and anxiety. Faculty and staff members accurately estimated the level of undergraduate student stress but underestimated graduate student stress. They also demonstrated a good understanding of the role of specific academic stressors, but consistently overestimated the contribution of stress from other sources. Students described using a variety of different coping strategies, including social support, self-care, hobbies, and problem-solving.