Journal
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDUCATION
Volume 21, Issue 4, Pages 575-594Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/15236803.2015.12002221
Keywords
Public administration; government career interest; career preferences; graduate degree programs; socialization
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study explores the predictors of government career preferences using a higher education socialization framework. Existing research suggests that students' interest in government careers declines over the course of training in public administration graduate programs. This study investigates the extent to which characteristics of degree program, individual background, professional community, and personal community could explain this downward trend. One hundred public affairs master's degree programs were randomly selected for involvement in this study. From the programs invited, 26 programs agreed to participate, and 552 master's degreeseeking students responded to a survey. While the findings confirmed that career interest in government is related to a number of factors, such as gender, work experience, interaction with professionals, and involvement in a professional association, these findings did not fully explain the declining interest among students in graduate programs in public administration. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available