Discourse to the Factors of Decision-making of Students in Choosing a University Major

Abstract

The purpose of this paper to investigate the factors that influence students' choice of major, by conducting a literature review and identifying research gaps. There was adopted a methodical approach PRISMA that included a systematic literature review based on the Scopus database. The results of this study indicate a noteworthy trend in the literature related to major choice within the Scopus Database. The number of papers on this topic has exhibited consistent growth since 2008, reaching a peak in 2021, albeit with an annual publication count not exceeding 12 articles. Prominent authors have primarily contributed to discussions surrounding major choice, with a focus on the medical and engineering fields, while engagement with business-related disciplines, such as marketing, management, remains limited. Notably, most retrieved documents were articles (85%), with a minority being reviews (15%), some of which did not directly align with the research question. The affiliations of these documents were predominantly associated with research centers and universities in the United States, underscoring a gap in contextualizing major choice within the Kazakhstani and broader Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. In summary, this study underscores a growing interest in major choice research since 2008, predominantly concentrated in specific disciplines and geographic regions, with notable disparities in representation among academic fields. Key factors that play a pivotal role in shaping students' decisions regarding their majors were identified. This paper emphasizes the foundation for the empirical research related to customers in roles of students and stakeholders in higher education institutions based on CIS countries.