Predicting undergraduate students’ intentions to enrol in postgraduate studies: a test of the theory of planned behaviour
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59645/abr.v12i1%20&%202.7Keywords:
Career development, Decision making, Education management, Higher education, Student enrolment, TanzaniaAbstract
Upon graduation from undergraduate studies, students are faced with two options: to enrol in higher studies or to join the job market. However, little is known as to what influence undergraduate students’ decisions to progress to postgraduate studies. This study uses the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine the intention of undergraduate students to enrol in postgraduate programs. The study surveyed 397 undergraduate students in their final year of business and education programs from three universities in Tanzania. The results supported the use of the model in predicting postgraduate enrolment intentions. In particular, the study shows that perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and attitude toward enrolment have a statistically significant positive effect on students’ intentions to enrol in postgraduate studies. Further, the study reveals that subjective norms exert the strongest effect on enrolment intentions. Some wider implications from theoretical and practical points of view for Higher Education administrators were also derived
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