PTThe value of a degree is decided by the experience of those who study
Why does a student feel a degree is worth what it costs? The thesis listened to 15 students of Psychology, Nutrition, Nursing and Speech Therapy at a private university center in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, about what motivates them and what gives value to their undergraduate course. Explained in 12 screens.
More than half of those who enter college in Brazil never finish the course
The author starts from a figure in the 2024 Map of Higher Education in Brazil, by the Semesp Institute. If students drop out, they never receive the whole service. How can we understand the value of a course that many never finish?
Thesis introduction, with data from the Semesp Institute (2024 Map of Higher Education in Brazil). The thesis does not report the dropout rate of the institution studied. The 15 interviewees were regularly enrolled: the research heard those who were still in the course.
Students are driven by reasons from within and from outside
Intrinsic motivation comes from within: interest, curiosity, vocation, enjoying a challenge. Extrinsic motivation comes from outside: grades, a diploma, money, recognition. The five reasons below were cited by the 15 students when they talked about their own performance. Sort each one:
Tables 15 to 17 and section 4.1.5 (personal performance), one answer per student. Sorting into "from within" and "from outside" is our reading, using the thesis definitions; the author concludes that motivation from within (learning, helping, making a difference) weighed more than external rewards.
For the thesis, the value of a course shows up in use, throughout the experience
The author reviewed 261 articles from the Web of Science (out of 519 found), seven theories of motivation and 21 theories of learning, and built a model: the student is seen as the client of a service, and value comes from what they live through at college. Tap each part:
Figure 3 (the research’s conceptual model), sections 2.1 to 2.8 and Table 12, redrawn by us. It is the model that guided the interviews; it was not tested with numbers.
Fifteen students from four health courses told their story
In August and September 2024, the author interviewed in person 15 students enrolled at a private university center in Foz do Iguaçu, with 37 open questions on motivation, life in the course and the value of the service. The conversations were recorded and transcribed. See the group by:
Table 13 and chapter 3. Groupings, median and total minutes are our calculations. The cubes change place with each view, without linking course, age and length for the same person.
All 15 value practice outside the classroom, but 5 find the environment discouraging
The author summarized each student’s answer on four topics. In the grid, each column is a person (E1 to E15) and each row a topic; colour shows the kind of answer. Pick a topic and tap a group:
Tables 15 to 17 and sections 4.1.1 to 4.1.4. Where the text and the table put a student in different groups, we follow the table. Group names shortened and colours (favourable or critical) by us.
Internships, outreach and hands-on classes connect the classroom to the profession
Thirteen of the 15 described good hands-on experiences. Courses were more divisive: most described a mixed or challenging experience. Compare:
diverse realities, which brought a more empathetic and human view of the professionE2, on the internship (section 4.1.3)
Sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.4 and Tables 18 and 19. The tables omit E6; for that person we follow the text.
Nine of the 15 think what they pay is fair for what they learn
Before you look: how many of the 15 think the fees paid to the college match what they learn?
Tables 20 to 23 and sections 4.3.1, 4.3.2 and 4.3.4. The scale tips by the number of people on each side (our illustration, not a satisfaction measure). Where text and table differ we follow the table, except one cell in the teachers’ column copied from another column (E13), where we follow the text.
Twelve of the 15 gave something up in order to study
In the perceived-value literature, students weigh what they gain against everything they sacrifice, not just tuition. The interviewees spoke of extra spending and of sacrifices: four cited money and work sacrifices, such as adjusting the family budget or leaving a job. Choose and tap a column:
Tables 20 to 23 and sections 4.3.5 and 4.3.6, one answer per student. "12 of 15" is our count (15 minus the 3 with no major sacrifice). Where text and table differ, we follow the table.
For 6 of the 15, their view of teaching quality changed during the course
The thesis points to a gap: perceived value may change over the course. The last interview question asked whether the perception of quality had changed. Your guess:
And before: why did they choose this college?
Sections 4.3.7 and 4.3.8 and Tables 20 to 23. The change is what each student recalls at the end, not something measured at the start and end of the course.
When effort does not come back as reward, motivation and the value of the course fall together
The main conclusion: reasons from within and from outside mix, and students lose heart when what they put into the course does not come back as learning, facilities or career prospects. Build an experience and watch the scale:
What the student puts in
What comes back
The thesis’s four propositions:
Chapters 5 (propositions) and 6 (conclusion). The scale is our illustration: the thesis does not measure weights; here each item counts as one block only to show the logic.
A course’s value depends on what it gives back for the effort of those who study
For the author, perceived value is complex: it weighs what you can touch (facilities, total cost) and what you cannot (teachers, reputation), and it changes over time.
For colleges
- Invest in real-world experience: internships, labs, clinics and site visits.
- Look after facilities and technology (rooms, equipment, internet).
- Monitor the student experience with ongoing evaluations and adjust quickly.
For teachers and coordinators
- Active learning, group work and hands-on exercises.
- Closeness: answer questions, give feedback, recognize effort.
- Training in educational technology, asked for by a third of the students.
For students and families
- Count the costs beyond tuition: books, copies, transport, events. (our reading)
- Ask about internships, labs and the routine for those who work during the day. (our reading)
- The thesis suggests subsidies, bundles and flexibility to lower financial barriers.
What this research does not say
- Rules for all students. These are 15 students aged 24 to 39, from four health courses, at a single institution. · according to the author
- Why students drop out. All were enrolled; those who left the course were not heard. · our observation
- The size of each effect. It is an exploratory study: the groups describe what people said and do not measure how much motivation weighs on value. · our observation
- A change tracked over time. The change in opinion on quality was recalled at the end, not measured at two moments. · our observation
Credits
SANTOS, Vinícius Gustavo Coelho dos. Fatores motivacionais e percepção do valor do Ensino Superior: um estudo exploratório na perspectiva dos alunos da área da saúde. Doctoral thesis (Business Administration) · Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, 2025. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Dimária Silva e Meirelles.
Thesis approved on 5 February 2025. Interviews carried out with informed consent; students appear only by the thesis codes (E1 to E15). Simplified version for the general public.