Factors Influencing a Student’s Decision to Pursue a Communications Degree in Spain

Abstract

This paper describes empirical research on the sources of information that future communication sciences students utilise to weigh their higher education options and the factors that influence their choices of universities and degree programmes. We begin by identifying the academic, cultural and sociodemographic characteristics of students who choose communication sciences as a university career and then move on to explore the information sources they consult to learn about universities and the programmes they offer, the factors that influence their choices, and the roles that friends and family play in their decision to pursue a degree in the communication sciences. Research data for this study was gathered using a quantitative methodology that incorporated a survey of first-year undergraduate communication sciences students throughout Spain. Results emphatically demonstrate that a student’s decision where to study communication sciences is most influenced by the quality and excellence of a university’s programmes and its reputation. The study also revealed that students seeking information on universities and degree programmes placed the highest value on direct and experiential sources and channels.