Factors Influencing Students’ Choice of Academic Program: A Survey of Hotel Management Students in Kathmandu

Abstract

Students have to make academic program choices after high school. The choice of an academic program can be a major dilemma and challenge. The same is true of students’ choice of the Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) in Nepal. There are very limited studies in this area. Thus, this study was designed to explore the factors that influence students’ choices of BHM. The study featured a quantitative approach with an exploratory design. Using a contextualized questionnaire, 251 third-year students were surveyed. Exploratory Factor Analysis, descriptive statistics, logistic regression, t-test, and ANOVA were used for data analysis. Relevant reliability, validity, and ethical measures were ensured. The result revealed four components influencing students’ choice of hotel management: i) personal interest, ii) career development perception, iii) outcome expectations, and iv) social pressure. The most important factors in students’ choice were their personal interest in hotel management and the hotel industry, followed by perceptions of career development and outcome expectations. Among the factors, social pressure was less influential in their choice. The findings of this study suggested that social pressure had a significant negative influence on choosing universities. Consequently, peers and teachers are crucial in choosing a university. In addition, there was a difference in perceptions of career development across types of universities. Thus, career opportunities may differ across universities. The findings of this research can be helpful to students considering BHM and their parents in understanding whether the program is right for them. Furthermore, results can be helpful to academic institutions in counseling students and in their marketing mix. The findings can also be useful to policymakers in designing a course that connects students’ choice factors to the industry.