Career Choice Motives and Anticipatory Socialisation among Undergraduate Recreation Management Students in Kenya

Career choice and anticipatory socialisation are shaped by a combination of intrinsic, extrinsic, and altruistic factors. However, limited empirical evidence exists on why students choose recreation management as a field of study, particularly within the African higher education context. This study investigated career choice motives and anticipatory socialisation of undergraduate recreation management students in Kenyan public university. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 85 undergraduate students using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. At the same time, independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to examine differences based on gender and year of study at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the main reasons for choosing recreation management were opportunities for academic and personal development, influence from significant others, and interest in the field. Satisfaction with the programme was largely derived from the activity-based nature of the course, opportunities for social interaction, and perceived employment conditions. Significant gender differences were observed in the love for the area of study and satisfaction of intrinsic and extrinsic values, while year of study influenced perceptions of knowledge and skills acquisition. The study concludes that students’ choice of recreation management is influenced by personal motivation and social factors. The findings underscore the importance of continuous curriculum review, structured career guidance, and enhanced industry exposure to support effective anticipatory socialisation and career satisfaction among recreation management students.