Factors of Non-Humanities Students’ Tendency towards the Humanities

Abstract

This paper examined personal, educational, social and economic factors of students of non-humanities disciplines’ tendency to continue their higher education in the humanities. The mixed methodology (quantitative & qualitative) was employed in this research. Population consisted of all MA candidates in the humanities with an unrelated bachelor’s degree. The sample involved 138 MA candidates who referred to University of Isfahan for the entrance examination. To enrich data, 18 higher education students with non-humanities bachelor’s degree (medical sciences, science, and engineering) who were already studying the humanities in University of Isfahan were interviewed. Research tools included semi-structured interview and researcher-made questionnaire in terms of four educational, personal, social and economic factors. Questionnaire’s reliability was estimated at 89% according to Cronbach’s alpha and its validity was verified by professors. Results showed that “educational” and “personal” factors were relatively most influential in students’ tendency to the humanities. Several recommendations are presented at the end to encourage students, especially the talented, to gravitate towards the humanities and to reconsider curriculums of the humanities in order to make them more interesting for elite candidates.