DECISIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: STUDENTS' MOTIVATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS

There are several factors that influence the specific choice of higher education studies; these include students' own preferences and skills, family, social environment, future employment expectations, and expected earnings. The importance given by the students to these factors is especially relevant when attempting to understand what makes a bachelor degree attractive; this assessment helps to establish strategies of student recruitment, as well as to improve the quality of the educational offer. A comparative analysis has been carried out regarding the motivations and perceptions the students have when they choose a degree from one of two different fields of study: Social Sciences and Health Sciences. A questionnaire was produced for this research; this included the definition of a short scale of motivations and perceptions. The scale has been proved valid and reliable. Responses of a sample of 1231 first year students from the University of the Balearic Islands allowed the researchers to contrast the differences within and between the two groups of degrees considered: Social Sciences (Law, Economics, Business, and Tourism degrees) on one hand, and Health Sciences (Nursing, Physiotherapy and Psychology degrees), on the other. Results show that motivation types related to vocational interests and expected economic returns are considered to be the most important ones by students, with the two groups studied being internally quite homogeneous. On the other hand, the comparison between the groups shows that there are significant differences in almost all types of motivation. There are also gender differences, which are particularly significant in assessing the importance of the vocational interest; this latter is much more important for women.