FACTORS INFLUENCING MAJOR SELECTION BY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS STUDENTS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine some of the factors that influence and impact business students when they select their major. Factors related to familiarity with possible career options and sources of information were examined. In addition, traditional factors, such as those related to career outcomes, characteristics of the profession itself, and referent groups, were also examined. Respondents were more knowledgeable about careers in management, marketing, accounting, and finance than they were about careers in other areas. Awareness of opportunities in information systems careers ranked particularly low. While the most significant sources of information used when selecting a major were not clearly identified in the findings of this study, the television or movie portrayal of the occupation, the information on the college/department web site, brochures about the major, newspaper articles and information on the Internet/web were ranked the most important from the list provided. Factors related to the profession itself, such as personal interest in the subject matter, long-term salary prospects, probability of working in the field after graduation, starting salary, and prestige of the profession, had great importance when selecting a major. However, student perceptions of various profession-related attributes may not align with reality.