The Relationship Between Life Purpose Behind Career Goals and Achievement Motivations Among Engineering College Students

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Motivational Trajectories, Patterns, and Profiles (Table 4)

Abstract

Engineering students face rigorous academic demands and complex career paths requiring technical proficiency and a clear sense of purpose. While many are driven by intrinsic motivations, there is limited research on their perceptions of the larger purpose behind their career choices. This mixed-methods study examines the perceived career purposes of engineering undergraduates, focusing on prosocial and self-focused career motivations. We identified common patterns of career purposes among first and fourth-year engineering students and investigated how achievement motivations—expectancy, values, and costs—vary across these purposes. Understanding the reasons behind engineering students’ career goals and their relation to achievement motivations is crucial for developing effective educational strategies and support systems.

Authors

• Garam A. Lee, Michigan State University

• Goun Choi, Michigan State University

• S. Patrick Walton, Michigan State University

• Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia, Michigan State University