Motivations for Enrolling in Post-graduate Studies among Different Specializations Students of Faculty of Education, Al-Azhar University

Results of previous scientific studies indicated that possessing prior knowledge - regarding selecting own choices- is of more important than anything else.  Prior knowledge prepares the individual to make the appropriate choice for a profession or study in any field. Prior knowledge can be obtained from research and consultation. Other methods for prior knowledge about educational and career choices include motivations and social contact with people in the profession that interest them. With regard to cognitive factors, most of the studies, that have been conducted, focused on the question: What motivates people to join a job or to enroll in a specific field of study? Among the most important motives, that psychologists have found, were self-actualization, need for self-independence, social recognition, status, the tendency to take risks, as well as the need for learning and acquiring experience and the need for self-advancement. Participants consisted of (150) fourth year students from the faculty of education, Al-AzharUniversity. The researcher designed and utilized Motivations for Enrolling in Post-graduate Studies Scale (MOEPSS). By analyzing data, the results revealed the following: There were statistically significant differences at (0.01) significance level  between the assessed mean scores and the actual mean scores of the sample in the total score of MOEPSS and its sub-scales (personal motivation, intrinsic motivation, self-control, time management & responsibilities, academic readiness, motivation for scientific research, computing skills & information gathering, conviction to continue  with postgraduate studies) in favor of the higher mean i.e.; for the actual mean scores.  This indicated the presence of high level of (MOEPSS) among the fourth-year students from the faculty of education, Al-AzharUniversity. In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the literary section students and those of the scientific section, attributed to the academic specialization variable, in the total score of MOEPSS and its sub-scales, except for the subscale of computing skills & information gathering in favor of the scientific section students.