| The purpose of this research was to examine whether possible factors influence an ethnic minority student's choice of college major and intention to pursue a career in geological sciences. A qualitative approach was used to observe three variables: subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and attitudes toward geological sciences. A total of 31 geology and non-geology students from California State University, Long Beach participated in 4 focus groups. Participants in each focus group were asked a set of structured open-ended questions. Attitudes toward geological sciences for ethnic minority students were typically negative, as were subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. For geology students, these 3 variables were much more positive. The responses to these research questions indicate that all 3 variables have an impact on an ethnic minority student's choice of major and desire to pursue a career in the geological sciences. |
