Individual and study-related factors influencing the satisfaction of Bachelor students

Which factors influence the satisfaction level of Bachelor students? Hypotheses on the influence of study-related factors on student satisfaction will be drawn from previous findings and a theoretical model. These will be tested on the basis of a survey of Bachelor students at the Free University Berlin (n = 2591) using multi-level analysis. On the first level (students), individual characteristics (e.g. subject interest) and subjective assessment of study process (e.g. quality of teaching and supervision) will be investigated. On the second level (study program), the influence of structural program characteristics will be tested: configuration and structure (subjective assessment) and average class size (objective variable). This procedure makes it possible to assess and compare the relative influence of the predictors. The results show that the variables which are directly related to the learning process (quality of teaching, study atmosphere, individual motivation for learning and acquired subject knowledge) display the strongest link to student satisfaction levels. In relation to study program, the configuration of the study program also has a highly significant effect on student satisfaction, whilst average class size is only relevant, if the subjective assessment of study process characteristics (quality of teaching and supervision and study atmosphere) are not used as predictors. The findings are used in the final section to provide starting points for an improvement in student satisfaction levels.