CHANGE OF COURSE OF STUDY AS CORRELATE OF MOTIVATION FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING

Abstract

The research investigated the relationship between change of course of study and the motivation for academic excellence in higher institutions of learning. The objectives of the study investigated reasons why students accept changes to their course of study; examined the relationship between change of course of study and motivation for academic excellence in higher institutions of learning as well as proffer solutions to the problem associated with change of course of study. The design adopted was the survey method. A sample size of two hundred respondents was randomly selected. A self-designed and validated instrument titled “change of course of study and academic excellence in higher institutions of learning” was used to elicit data. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as simple percentages, mean and standard deviation. The result based on the research questions showed that students accept a change of course as a result of different reasons. In addition, a likely relationship was showed between the variables of interest using mean and standard deviation. None the least, allowing students to choose courses in line with their areas of strength was the most important solution proffered to problems associated with change of course of study (95% of the respondent were in agreement as opposed to 5% who expressed dissenting views). The only hypothesis was tested using Spearman's rank order correlation statistical test. The result recorded a strong positive and significant relationship between change of course of study and motivation for excellence in higher institutions of learning (rdf93=0.735, p = 0.000). Hence it was recommended that choice of change of course of study should be resident in the student. This will inspire students to excellence and Nigeria as a country will thus make greater progress.