TITLE:
Factors Influencing Cambodia’s Master’s Degree Students to Choose between Thesis and Coursework Program
AUTHORS:
Abdirahman H. Guleid
KEYWORDS:
Factors, Masters’ Degree, Thesis Program, Coursework Program, High Education
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.10 No.12,
November
25,
2022
ABSTRACT: The
educational sector in Cambodia has experienced significant growth over the
years, featuring increased number of higher institutions as well as greater
turn out of graduates from educational institutions of learning in the country.
However, what remains an ongoing concern is the inability of students to enroll for
courses which are highly demanded in the market. The absence of a requisite
agency to conduct effective restructuring and enforcement of higher education
policies, among other factors has significantly contributed to the restriction
of Master’s degree students in choosing between research-based and coursework
programs. Previous studies used theoretical frameworks such as social change as
a unifying model for explaining the choice for more engaging and rigorous
programs like research courses as opposed to coursework-based programs.
Therefore, this study aims at obtaining the motivations or de-motivation
amongst master’s degree students for either choosing research or coursework-based
approach to their program. Using a quantitative study design featuring the use
of a structured questionnaire, 187 students were enrolled for this study and
data collected was subjected to statistical analysis. 58% of participants are
enrolled in coursework-based type of masters while 42% are enrolled in
thesis-based masters’ degrees, and 59.5% of respondents answered that their
reason for choosing coursework over thesis was to balance between family and
education constraints. Results from this study show that lack of research
skills, time constraints, family factors, quality of education offered by
institutions, and lack of knowledgeable advisors leads to the choice of
coursework over thesis amongst the students.