Career decision self-efficacy: the influence of film and television business coursework on young film/TV professionals

ABSTRACT Previous research in film and television (film/TV) has shown that the field has grown considerably in the past century, though most college programs lack substantial content on the business side of the industry. Literature regarding career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) noted that various forms of academic support could lead to increased CDSE. Despite the knowledge accumulated in both fields, no prior researchers had tackled whether completing film/TV business coursework resulted in a statistically significant difference in CDSE. By giving 267 young film/TV professionals the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CDSES-SF), the authors measured the CDSE of subjects who had either taken or not taken film/TV business coursework, finding that there was not a significant difference in CDSE between the two groups. This result may indicate the need for collegiate programs to re-examine their offerings, curricula, and instructional practices for film/TV students in an effort to bolster the career confidence of graduates as they enter the industry.