Why study non-vocationally-oriented subjects in higher education? : a case study of HKU philosophy students

Abstract

The PI successfully completed a dissertation for a master’s degree at another university more than ten years ago with the title “An investigation of the factors that influence students in selecting non-vocationally-oriented subjects in their Higher Education: a case study of HKU Philosophy students” (Chu, 2005). Collection of data took place in 2004. One of the findings was that many parents and peer friends would label Philosophy as an “impractical” subject and “cannot make a living”. However, students’ interest in Philosophy would outweigh important issues such as the difficulty of the subject, GPA factors, career prospects. At the same time, some respondents found the analytical and critical thinking skills acquired through the study of Philosophy turned out to be very useful in their work life. In 2017, the researcher decided to pursue the topic further and to explore the views of the current generation of students and recent graduates on why they study philosophy, and through them, the attitude of their parents. For comparative purposes, similar quantitative and qualitative methods were used. The 2017 study also looked briefly the implications of human capital theory and the Chinese filial piety in connection with students’ choice of study. Both studies showed that students’ interest in the subject was the biggest motivation, and that taking Philosophy was students’ own choice, not influenced by the parents. The 2017 survey highlighted more: students appreciated the training gained in philosophy classes as highly beneficial not only for personal growth but also for the society and civilization.