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An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613734772408320 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Lucas, Rouchelle |
| author2 | Bailey, Lisa |
| author_browse | Bailey, Lisa Lucas, Rouchelle |
| author_facet | Bailey, Lisa Lucas, Rouchelle |
| author_sort | Lucas, Rouchelle |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134683 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:40:51.455Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134683 An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence Lucas, Rouchelle Bailey, Lisa Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. College student retention -- South Africa Academic achievement -- South Africa Students -- Economic conditions -- South Africa Vocational interests -- South Africa Peer group influence -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Lucas, R. 2025. An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/024c68ad-59f9-400e-8384-1b9351b1827b ENGLISH SUMMARY: Tertiary education is seen as a path to improved employability. However, low student persistence rates remain a challenge in South Africa and globally. These low persistence rates are often driven by factors such as limited support, financial constraints, and poor alignment between students' interests and their study programmes. Research shows that a better alignment between a student’s interests and environment can improve satisfaction and persistence. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between student persistence, academic performance, congruence, student engagement, peer support, and socio-economic status among undergraduate students in the Economic Management Sciences (EMS) faculty at Stellenbosch University (n = 490). Additionally, the research sought to understand how the person-environment fit impacts academic performance and student persistence. A quantitative research design was employed using surveys to measure the variables. PLS-SEM was used to test the structural model and examine causal relationships. Profile-based Analysis was used to explore the congruence between students’ dominant RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional) code and academic environment, assessing person-environment fit. The analysis identified Social–Enterprising–Conventional as the dominant RIASEC code, suggesting a strong alignment between the student’s interests and environment. The results indicated statistically significant positive relationships, although weak in strength, between peer support and student engagement, student engagement and academic performance, congruence with the academic programme and student persistence, and academic performance with student persistence. Additionally, peer support indirectly positively influenced academic performance and student persistence through student engagement. These results underscore the importance of fostering peer relationships to enhance academic success and retention. The results also emphasise the value of career counselling in helping students make well-informed and appropriate career choices, which can contribute to greater job satisfaction and timely graduation. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoer onderwys word gesien as ’n pad na beter indiensneembaarheid. Tog bly lae studentevolhardingsyfers ’n uitdaging in Suid-Afrika en wereldwyd. Hierdie lae volhardingsyfers word onder meer veroorsaak deur faktore soos beperkte ondersteuning, finansiele beperkings, en swak belyning tussen studente se belangstellings en hul studierigtings. Navorsing toon dat ’n beter belyning tussen ’n student se belangstellings en omgewing tevredenheid en volharding kan verbeter. Die studie het die verwantskappe tussen studentvolharding, akademiese prestasie, ooreenstemming, studentbetrokkenheid, portuurgroep-ondersteuning en sosio-ekonomiese status onder voorgraadse studente aan die Fakulteit Ekonomiese Bestuurswetenskappe (EBW) aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch (n = 490) ondersoek. Daarby is die impak van die persoon-omgewing-ooreenstemming op akademiese prestasie en volharding ondersoek. ‘n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik waar data ingesamel is deur middel van ‘n navorsingsvraelys en waar PLS-SEM aangewend is vir die statistiese ontleding van die data. Profiel-gebaseerde analise het die ooreenstemming tussen die studente se dominante RIASEC kode en akademiese omgewing verken. Die bevindings dui op 'n sterk ooreenstemming tussen die student se belangstellings (Sosiaal–Ondernemend–Konvensioneel) en omgewing. Die resultate het 'n statistiese beduidende positiewe, alhoewel swak, verband tussen portuurgroep-ondersteuning, studentbetrokkenheid, akademiese prestasie en studentvolharding getoon. Daarby het portuurgroep-ondersteuning ook indirek die akademiese prestasie en volharding van studente beinvloed deur middel van studentbetrokkenheid. Die resultate beklemtoon die waarde van portuurgroep-ondersteuning en loopbaanberading in die bevordering van akademiese sukses en retensie. Masters 2025-12-23T10:16:03Z 2025-12-23T10:16:03Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134683 en Stellenbosch University x, 139 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | College student retention -- South Africa Academic achievement -- South Africa Students -- Economic conditions -- South Africa Vocational interests -- South Africa Peer group influence -- South Africa UCTD Lucas, Rouchelle An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence |
| title | An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence |
| title_full | An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence |
| title_fullStr | An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence |
| title_full_unstemmed | An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence |
| title_short | An investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students’ academic performance and persistence |
| title_sort | investigation into the effect of vocational interest and environmental factors on university students academic performance and persistence |
| topic | College student retention -- South Africa Academic achievement -- South Africa Students -- Economic conditions -- South Africa Vocational interests -- South Africa Peer group influence -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134683 |
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