Interaction between professional expectations and study programme choice

Vykstanti aukštojo mokslo reforma, universitetų tarpusavio konkurencija reikalauja vis didesnio dėmesio esamoms ir rengiamoms studijų programoms. Rengiant ir siūlant naujas studijų programas svarbu žinoti, kas ir kodėl ateina studijuoti. Straipsnyje analizuojama Viešojo saugumo fakulteto studentų profesinių lūkesčių ir studijų programos pasirinkimo sąveika, jų pasirinkimo motyvacija. Gauti rezultatai atskleidžia, kokie studentai renkasi VSF siūlomas studijų programas, išryškina ir leidžia kiekybiniu aspektu įvertinti studijų programos pasirinkimo veiksnius, palyginti mokančių ir nemokančių už studijas studentų prioritetus. Atliktas tyrimas leidžia daryti išvadą, kad studijų programa gali būti patraukli jauniems žmonėms net ir tuo atveju, jei už studijas tenka mokėti.The current reform of higher education and increased competition among universities are demanding more and more attention to the study programmes which are being updated or prepared. When preparing and offering programmes it is important to know who is going to study and why. A variety of factors influence future students to choose study programmes: the evaluative orientation of young people, their individual needs, possibilities offered by social sense, etc. The paper deals with interaction between students‘ professional expectations, the choice of study programme and how motivated the choice of profession is. The paper analyzes the problem of young people selfdetermination to acquire academic background in a chosen particular study programme and recognition that their option is purposive and reasoned. Internecine dynamics of expectation of profession choice and correlation together with motivation of study programme choice have been analyzed in the investigation. The total of 104 first-year and second-year students from Mykolas Romeris Universitety the Faculty of Public Security took part in the investigation. The average age of the respondents is 19.1 years , among them 47 females and 57 males. The analysis of the results is based on the generalization methods of rational reconstruction of bibliography and statistical and logical analysis. For the analysis of database SPSS 16.0 for Window, a popular statistical software was used. The data from the questionnaire show which young people choose the study programmes offered by the Faculty of Public Security. The investigation has developed particular tendencies in choosing study programmes. Firstly, students who pay for studies are much more motivated. Some of them have had the alternative of free studies; however, they have chosen paid studies which are of high priority. The fact speaks for itself: students‘ professional motivation is highly developed. Secondly, expectations connected with future profit in favour of society, prestige and forward planning also influence the choice of a study programme. Thirdly, shorter duration of studies (3.5 instead of 4 years) has not been a significant and determinant factor to a person of our study. The above mentioned facts should not be ignored in preparation of new study programmes. Neither a shorter way leading to a desirable diploma nor less monetary contribution to their studies is a decisive factor to young self-determined people in acquiring the study programme. The fulfilled investigation lets to conclude that marketable and adequate study programme can be desirable even in the case of payment