What Sort of Engineer Am I? Understanding First-years’ Identity and Belonging Within Engineering Major Selection

Abstract

This study investigates how first-year engineering students navigate the process of selecting an engineering major, framing the decision as an emergent and identity-informed process. Drawing on social cognitive career theory, journey mapping was embedded within a large first-year engineering subject to capture students’ reflections on influences shaping their disciplinary preferences. Analysis of 210 journey maps revealed that students most frequently articulated interests, goals and enacted experiences, while explicit self-efficacy statements were rare. Comparative analysis across civil, mechanical and electrical majors identified distinct patterns of alignment linked to practical exposure, aspirational goal setting and mathematics preparation. Findings suggest that major selection is influenced not only by competence beliefs but by perceptions of belonging and disciplinary culture.