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Vocational Identity and Students' College Degree Choices: A Preliminary Study

Authors :
Pizzolitto, Elia
Source :
British Journal of Guidance & Counselling. 2023 51(2):322-334.
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

Students' degree choices are often made without an achieved vocational identity. In fact, some students perceive a discrepancy between their ambitions and their university course choices. In this preliminary study, I employed the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to study the experiences of two master's degree economics students enrolled in two Italian universities. The aim was to understand the students' perception of emotional costs associated with the discrepancy between their vocational identity and their university degree choices. Five themes, regret, disappointment, selfishness, the influence of family/teachers and job opportunities emerged from the interpretation. The emotional cost of wrong degree choices hindered the students' process of overcoming their psychosocial crises. Finally, recommendations were made for providing counselling services in secondary schools.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0306-9885 and 1469-3534
Volume :
51
Issue :
2
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
British Journal of Guidance & Counselling
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ1390041
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2021.1918326