A Landscape of Choices: The Academic Journeys of 15 University Students

This thesis describes the life experiences of 15 young people as they transitioned from being students in K–12 schools into university and college-level studies. The research was conducted at a regional university located in British Columbia, Canada. The thesis focuses on how the study and career plans of the participants changed directions from high school into university. Specific attention was paid to understanding the various factors that were perceived by the participants as having been significant influences on their plans for academic studies and for future careers. The participants in the study were recruited because they had initially intended to major or focus their studies in fields of science or science-related professions. The interview conversations also explored why some participants had persisted in their pursuit of sciences after entering university while others had decided to change emphasis from science to non-science programs. The interview conversations reveal the complex life spaces through which the students navigate as they developed their university programs and experiences. The interview data also demonstrates that many students currently enrolled in university also engage in significant part-time work and that they have various forms of engagement with their families and communities outside campus life.