Assessment of Selection Motives of Business Education Programmes among Business Education Students in Tertiary Institutions in Niger State

Abstract

The research was driven by the growing need to understand the factors influencing students’ choice of Business Education programmes. This paper assessed the selection motives ofusiness Education students in all tertiary institutions in Niger State. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a sample of Business Education students randomly selected from tertiary institutions in Niger State. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using mean, standard deviation. The findings revealed that career and employability factors such as labour market demand, clear career opportunities, and prospects for professional certification were the strongest motives for students’ selection of Business Education (cluster mean = 3.00, SD = 0.89). Entrepreneurial motives, including the desire for self-employment, independence, and acquisition of business start-up skills, also recorded high influence (cluster mean = 3.10, SD = 0.88). In contrast, family background and peer pressure exerted only a moderate influence on students’ programme selection (cluster mean = 2.78, SD = 0.94). The study concludes that Business Education remains attractive to undergraduates primarily because of its potential to enhance employability and entrepreneurial capabilities. It recommends continuous curriculum updates to align with market trends, expansion of entrepreneurship training, and strengthened career counseling to guide students toward informed and self-driven programme choices.