FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ SUBJECT SELECTION IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Subject selection is a critical decision for undergraduate students as it has a significant impact on their personal development and future careers. A mixed method approach was used to investigate the decision-making process and the factors that influence subject selection of undergraduate students at Khulna University. Quantitative data were collected from 300 participants using an online survey questionnaire, and qualitative data was gathered from four focus group discussions. The study found that in selecting academic subjects, students typically go through nine steps: identifying desire subjects; anxiety about desired subjects; seeking information from sources; assessing the influence of sources; comparing and depending on sources; understanding own motivations; comparison between subjects; making a decision; and conducting post-decision evaluations. The quantitative results show that family members and teachers were the most influential factors in choosing academic subjects. Additionally, students mentioned that they relied on a variety of human and electronic sources to gather information during their decision-making process. They relied on human sources like senior students and friends for better understanding regarding future career of a subject. They also used electronic sources like Google search, social media, and university websites in enhancing their information-gathering process. The qualitative findings suggest that in the process of selecting major students often experience mental stress due to a lack of information about desired subjects, challenges in getting preferred subject, and the pressure from families to take their preferred subject. The study offers a systematic understanding of the factors and decision-makers that shape the subject selection process of undergraduate students.