Factors Influencing the Choice of Music Studies in Malaysian Public Universities

Abstract

Introducing music in the early childhood can help influence students to have a positive attitude in pursuing music in a higher level of education. Examining the developmental aspects of the decision to continue music studies among undergraduate music students is necessary in order to determine which factors had the most influences. This study investigates factors influencing choice of music studies among undergraduate music students in Malaysian public universities namely institutional factors, academic factors, financial factors, and personal/social factors. A survey method was adopted, and 489 respondents were chosen using proportionate stratified random sampling to answer the questionnaire. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The finding showed that academic factors was ranked as the most influential factor on choice of music studies among music students. The results on inferential statistical analysis using independent-samples t-test and the One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test showed that there were significant differences on factors influencing choice of music studies between ethnicities, universities attended, and instruments played. It is hoped that the findings will be beneficial to students, educators, and the university music programmes. Educators will also have access to the most up-to-date information in order to come up with strategies in encouraging students to study music.