Perception of Undergraduate Female Mass Communication Students on Career Choice in Media and Related Industries

Choosing a career is crucial decision that every adult must make, as it plays a significant role in shaping ones future and overall happiness. This research was undertaken with the objectives of examining the most preferred career or specialization of female undergraduate mass communication students in Sokoto State, the factors influencing their career choice, and their perception concerning women in the field of journalism. A quantitative research survey method was adopted for the study. The population consists of 305 female undergraduate mass communication students. Using the Krejcie table for determining sample size, 169 undergraduate females formed the sample size. The questionnaires were proportionally distributed among the two tertiary institutions offering mass communication in the state. The key findings indicate that the majority of the females preferred to specialize in broadcast journalism upon graduation; the majority preferred the career they chose because of the opportunities available in their chosen field; also, their career choice is influenced by their environment and the discrimination female face in the field. Based on the findings of the research the study recommends among others that, it is important for religions, cultures, and society to eliminate discrimination against females or women in order to ensure that female journalists are valued equally to their male counterparts. Universities and media organizations should organize workshops and seminars to educate students about career opportunities in less chosen specialization like multimedia production, book publishing, print journalism and information and media studies.

Key Terms: Female undergraduate, Career choice, Mass communication.