Is this Degree for Me?Exploring computing students’ study decisions

Abstract

Academic course advice for computing students has changed and presents new challenges. It has become more complex due to an increasing number of specialised study pathways, and less personal as centralised enrolment systems have taken the place of academic advisors. To improve course advice practices for students in computing disciplines at our university, a series of interviews and an online questionnaire were conducted. We asked students where they seek information before and during their studies, what kind of information they value, and how confident they are with their study choices. We found that half of our students changed study subjects along the way and that students would like to have a higher-level view of career pathways to plan their studies. It was also highlighted that students value information provided by other students and that they prefer talking to academic staff members in person over online information. As a result of this study, we share recommendations on how to support students better when making decisions about their study subjects.