The Impact of Undeclared Major Admission on Major Satisfaction: Focusing on the Initiative in Major Decision-Making

The Major Autonomy Selection System, announced by the Ministry of Education in 2024, allows university students to enter without declaring a major and later choose their major autonomously. One of the desirable educational effects expected from this system is that students will be able to choose majors that align with their interests and aptitudes. This study aims to examine whether expanding the opportunity to choose a major leads to increased satisfaction by enabling students to select a major that suits their interests and aptitudes. To this end, first, the study analyzes whether students who enter university without a declared major are more satisfied with their majors compared to those who enter with a declared major. Second, it examines whether students who enter without a major and take initiative in choosing their major experience greater satisfaction. Initiative in major decision-making refers to prioritizing the major when applying to university and considering personal aptitude when selecting a major. To achieve these objectives, the study conducts an ordered logit analysis using data from the Korea Employment Education PanelⅡ (KEEPII) survey (2017-2022) conducted by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET). The results of the study are as follows. First, there is no significant difference in major satisfaction two years after university entry between students who entered with and without a declared major. Second, among students who entered without a major, those who prioritized choosing a major during university admission show higher levels of major satisfaction compared to those who did not. Third, students who entered without a major and prioritized aptitude when selecting their major do not report higher satisfaction than those who did not prioritize aptitude. These findings suggest that while the undeclared major admission system may not significantly increase overall major satisfaction, it could benefit students who demonstrate initiative in choosing their majors. Finally, the study discusses policy measures necessary for the successful implementation of the undeclared major admission system.