Abstract:

The choice of the field of study, made by secondary school graduates, is one of the most important life decisions faced by young adults. The profession provides not only the financial means necessary to support oneself, but also allows implementation of plans and dreams, thus contributing to achievement of satisfaction and happiness with one’s life. The effects of a decision regarding the field of study, as such, reach far into the future, while the cost of a wrong choice of the field of study can be very high.

In this context, answering the following questions gains significance:
1. What factors influenced the choice of the bachelor studies on the part of the “Finance and Accounting” students at the University of Gdansk?
2. After two years of study, would the young adults’ decision on the choice of the field of study be the same?
3. Are there any differences in the factors affecting the choice of the field of study between the part-time and the full-time undergraduate students?

The article presents the results obtained from a survey research carried out among the persons studying at full-time and the part-time undergraduate “Finance and Accounting” programs at the University of Gdansk. In total, 122 full-time and 50 part-time students, i.e. 57.33% of all research subjects, were surveyed. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions, divided into 2 parts. The first part included questions referring to the respondents themselves, allowing assessment of the advisability of the study-major selection made. The second part contained questions on the factors influencing the choice of the undergraduate (bachelor’s degree) studies.

The survey answers received indicate, that the decision on the study major made by the young adults graduating from secondary schools resulted from the possibility of obtaining an attractive and well-paid job, preferably immediately after university graduation (this was indicated by over 90% of all the respondents in full-time studies). Nevertheless, an important factor influencing the choice of the “Finance and Accounting” study major is the better opportunities for further development in future (as indicated by over 40% of the respondents). In particular, the part-time students associate their professional careers with the field of finance and accounting, while studying the “Finance and Accounting” major enables them to acquire the knowledge useful at accounting and finance specialist positions.

The observation covered the students at the “Finance and Accounting” programs at the University of Gdansk. Therefore, the results obtained only apply to this group of the respondents. In future, research should also be carried out on the students of other undergraduate studies, such as: “Management” and “Tax Advisory”. Additionally, the research should cover the graduate (master’s degree) students as well as the post-graduate, who are facing the choice of expanding and deepening their knowledge, in accordance with the educational policy adopted in the European Union, which assumes lifelong learning.

The study carried out allows adjustment of the University’s educational offer to the expectations of the persons who want to make a right decision allowing them not only to obtain attractive and well-paid jobs, but also that is in line with their interests.

Keywords:

Students, factors, choice of study, University of Gdansk, Poland.