Bayombong – Students may understand their Information Technology specialization options well, but awareness alone does not determine the academic track they choose or whether they intend to shift to another specialization. A study conducted by Lemuel C. Sanchez, Carmelo Alejo D. Bisquera, and Michael John R. Robles from Nueva Vizcaya State University found that first-year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) students demonstrated high awareness of available specializations, yet this awareness had no significant relationship with program choice or shifting intention. Published in 2026 in the East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR), the findings suggest that personal interests, competencies, career aspirations, and employment perceptions may have a greater influence on students' academic decisions.
Rapid advances in digital technology have transformed the Information Technology profession. Employers increasingly seek graduates with specialized competencies in network infrastructure, cybersecurity, software engineering, web technologies, and mobile application development. In response, universities have redesigned BSIT curricula by offering specialized academic tracks that prepare students for distinct professional careers.
Choosing a specialization, however, can be difficult for new college students. Some students enter university without a complete understanding of the curriculum, technical competencies, academic requirements, and employment opportunities associated with each specialization. Decisions may instead be influenced by personal interests, peer recommendations, family expectations, or perceptions of popular technology careers.
When students' expectations do not match the actual academic experience, uncertainty may emerge. Students can become dissatisfied with their specialization, struggle with course requirements, or consider moving to another academic track. Understanding how awareness affects these decisions is therefore important for universities seeking to improve academic advising and student retention.
Sanchez, Bisquera, and Robles examined this issue at the College of Information Technology Education of Nueva Vizcaya State University. The study involved 62 first-year BSIT students. Researchers collected information about students' selected specialization, their awareness of Network Design and Management (NDM) and Web and Mobile Application Development (WMAD), and their intention to shift to another BSIT specialization.
Students were almost evenly divided between the two available academic tracks. Web and Mobile Application Development was selected by 32 students, or 51.61 percent, while Network Design and Management was chosen by 30 students, or 48.39 percent. The results table on page 2587 shows only a small difference between the two groups, suggesting relatively balanced interest in software development and networking careers.
Awareness of the Network Design and Management specialization was high, with an overall mean score of 3.53. Students demonstrated the strongest understanding of the technical differences between NDM and WMAD, which received a mean score of 3.64. Knowledge of jobs and career pathways associated with Network Design and Management also received a high score of 3.60.
Students were relatively less familiar with the specific software, tools, and technologies used in NDM. This indicator recorded the lowest mean score of 3.42, although it remained within the high-awareness category. The finding suggests that students generally understand networking as an academic and professional field but may still need direct exposure to industry-standard networking platforms and technical applications.
Awareness of Web and Mobile Application Development was slightly higher. WMAD recorded an overall mean of 3.69, also interpreted as high awareness. Students showed the strongest understanding of the skills and competencies required in WMAD, with a mean score of 3.79. Awareness of the specialization's primary objectives reached 3.75, while knowledge of possible employment opportunities and career pathways received a mean of 3.74. The results presented on page 2589 indicate that students clearly recognize the academic and professional direction of web and mobile application development.
However, familiarity with programming languages, tools, and technologies used in WMAD received the lowest score of 3.56. Although still classified as high awareness, this result indicates that first-year students may need more exposure to actual programming frameworks, development environments, and software tools used in professional practice.
Overall, student awareness of both BSIT specializations reached a grand mean of 3.61, representing a high level of awareness. Students were slightly more familiar with WMAD than NDM. The visibility of software development, mobile applications, programming communities, online learning platforms, and digital technology careers may make WMAD easier for incoming students to recognize.
Another important finding concerned students' intention to shift specialization. A total of 52 students, or 83.87 percent, reported no intention to shift to another BSIT major. Only 10 students, or 16.13 percent, expressed an intention to change specialization. These results indicate a relatively high level of commitment to students' current academic tracks.
Students considering a shift identified several concerns. Their reasons included a mismatch between the specialization and personal interests or skills, difficult subjects, perceived better opportunities in another specialization, and insufficient awareness before enrollment. These responses suggest that academic decisions can continue to evolve as students gain direct experience with the requirements of their chosen field.
Despite students' high level of awareness, statistical analysis found no significant relationship between awareness and specialization choice. The analysis produced a p-value of 0.350, which exceeded the 0.05 significance threshold. This means that students' understanding of NDM and WMAD did not directly determine which specialization they selected.
Awareness also had no significant relationship with students' intention to shift. The Spearman correlation analysis produced a coefficient of -0.064 and a p-value of 0.620. The relationship was extremely weak. Although students with higher awareness showed a slightly lower tendency to shift, the pattern was not statistically meaningful.
According to Sanchez, Bisquera, and Robles from Nueva Vizcaya State University, the findings indicate that awareness alone cannot fully explain students' academic choices. Personal interests, self-perceived abilities, career goals, family expectations, peer influence, previous experiences, and perceptions of employment opportunities may also shape specialization decisions.
For universities, the findings highlight the importance of combining program information with personalized academic support. Specialization seminars, career counseling, alumni forums, industry engagement, and practical learning experiences can help students understand not only what a specialization offers but also whether its academic and professional demands match their individual strengths and career plans.
The study also presents an opportunity to use artificial intelligence in student academic guidance. Future AI-assisted recommendation systems could combine students' interests, competencies, academic profiles, and career aspirations to recommend suitable BSIT specializations. Such systems could provide more personalized academic guidance and help students make decisions based on a broader understanding of their capabilities and professional goals.
Author Profile
Research Source
Article Title: Students’ Awareness of BSIT Major Specializations and Its Influence on Program Choice and Shifting Intention
Journal: East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR), Vol. 5, No. 7, 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v5i7.246
Journal Link: https://journaleajmr.my.id/index.php/eajmr
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