Changing preference of university students in subject selection at undergraduate level: A qualitative study in Peshawar, Pakistan

Subject choice of undergraduate students has shifted from the traditional ones to the market-oriented ones such as computer and allied health sciences. This trend is more felt in the recent years in many public sectors universities in Pakistan which are forced to close certain disciplines while opening market oriented courses and degrees to attract students. This study aimed to find out the factors responsible for this trend. A qualitative research design was used in which data was collected from 20 participants (10 students and 10 faculty members) purposively selected from different disciplines at University of Peshawar, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Thematic analysis was used as data analysis techniques, leading to the emergence of five themes: intrinsic motivation and aptitude; evolving subjects and marketability; social desirability, influence of family, peer, social media, and subject prestige; the purported neoliberalism; and the increasing marketability and importance of disciplines such as computer sciences and allied health sciences. These results show that students' choices of subjects are the result of various determinants including personal, social, economic, structural and technological. Students are more likely to study technology and health-related areas due to the improved marketability and employment opportunities, while the traditional disciplines of social sciences and humanities are seen as limiting their chances of employment and reducing their social standing.