A Calling Towards a Major? The Effect of Religious Belief on Educational Decisions

• In Event: 3483 - Open Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 10. Religion and Religiosity: Culture, Context, and Impact on Life-choices

Abstract

Religious beliefs can have a profound impact on people’s lives, and this effect extends to how
they view their career. Given that the choice of career often starts with the selection of a college major, it would make sense for religion to have an impact on what major students select. This project studies the impact religion has on college major selection--specifically with an eye towards how that decision is shaped by a Weberian personal calling. Quantitative analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen (NLSF) find that religion has little impact on the types of major students select, but there is some evidence of some elements of a traditional
Weberian-style calling in students’ decision of major.

Author

• Joseph Roso, Duke University