The Relationship among Maritime University Students’ College Choice Motivation, Career Identity, and Academic Achievement

This study examined the effects of maritime students’ college choice motivation on career identity and academic achievement, focusing on the mediating role of career identity. Data were collected from 215 undergraduates at a national maritime university in Korea and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, multiple and hierarchical regression, and bootstrapping mediation (PROCESS Model 4). Results showed that intrinsic motivation significantly enhanced career identity and academic achievement, while extrinsic motivation had limited effects mainly on academic satisfaction. Career preparation behavior and career decision certainty were confirmed as key mediators linking motivation to self-efficacy, engagement, and satisfaction. These findings suggest that fostering students’ career identity during their studies is essential to translating initial motivation into academic success. To enhance learning outcomes, maritime educators should strengthen intrinsic motivation through autonomy-supportive and experience-based learning, thereby promoting sustainable development of competent maritime professionals.