Analysis of factors influencing students’ decisions in choosing a specialization in the Public Health Study Program, Faculty of Public Health, Halu Oleo University, 2024

Background: A glorious future for a country is determined by the quality of human resources, which are produced through effective education, not just by natural resources. In this context, higher education plays a crucial role in improving the competence and quality of human resources, as the main pillar of nation building. Data shows that Indonesia has 3,107 universities, of which 95.97% are private universities. In the field of public health, the Faculty of Public Health of Halu Oleo University (UHO), which was established in 2011, shows significant development with two study programs and six specializations relevant to the needs of the community. The increasing interest in the UHO Public Health Study Program, which is accredited B, reflects the high public interest in this field. Public health graduates have broad employment opportunities, thanks to the interdisciplinary skills they acquire. This study aims to analyze the factors that affect students' decisions in choosing a specialization in the UHO Public Health Study Program, which is expected to provide insights for curriculum development and strategies to increase learning interest in the field of public health. Methods: The research method uses a quantitative approach with an exploratory research type. The sample in this study is active students of each batch who have chosen to specialize in the public health study program, Faculty of Public Health, Halu Oleo University. The number of samples was 175 respondents. The sampling technique used Proportionated Stratified Random Sampling. The analysis used was multiple regression analysis, F test and t test. Results: The results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test showed that the significance value was 0.118>0 which means that the data was normally distributed. Partially, the regression results of the t-test showed that the variables of interest (p=0.015) and decisions with friends (p=0.019) had a significant effect on students' decisions while image, job availability, promotions, decisions with parents, and psychology did not have a significant effect on students' decisions in choosing a specialization in the Public Health study program, Faculty of Public Health, Halu Oleo University. Simultaneously, the results of the F test showed that there was an influence of interests, decisions with friends, image, job availability, promotions, decisions with parents and psychology with students' decisions in choosing a specialization in the Public Health study program, Faculty of Public Health, Halu Oleo University. Conclusion: Partially, there was asignificant influence on interests and decisions with friends and simultaneously on the influence of students' decisions in choosing a specialization in the Public Health Study Program at the Faculty of Public Health, Halu Oleo University. Therefore, the management of the study program needs to improve the quality of academic services and organizational development within the scope of FKM UHO by implementing various organizational development strategies through expanding academic access, providing infrastructure and facilities, and improving human resources. And the faculty needs to develop cross-sector cooperation to improve student competence so that the graduates produced are competent and ready to work.