Between Interest, Career Risk, and Learning Experience: Explaining Students' Reluctance to Choose a History Education Program - A Case Study of Students at MA Mu'allimat NWDI Pancor

Siti Hurul Asmayani (Universitas Hamzanwadi)
B. Fitri Rahmawati (Universitas Hamzanwadi)
Zidni Zidni (Universitas Hamzanwadi)

DISCOURSE : Indonesian Journal of Social Studies and Education
Vol. 3 No. 3 (2026): July

Low interest in History Education cannot be adequately explained as students' dislike of the past. Degree choice emerges from the intersection of personal interest, perceived competence, career expectations, family influence, access to higher education information, and prior classroom experience. This study explores the internal and external factors shaping students' interest in choosing a History Education program, examines their perceptions of the program and its graduates' career prospects, and analyses how school history learning contributes to those preferences. An exploratory-descriptive qualitative case study was conducted at MA Mu'allimat NWDI Pancor. Data were generated through three days of participant observation, an open-ended questionnaire distributed to 59 eleventh-grade social science students, of whom 40 provided complete responses, semi-structured interviews with three students representing different levels of interest, an informal conversation with a history teacher, and documentary materials. Data were analysed interactively through collection, condensation, display, conclusion drawing, and verification. The findings reveal four interconnected mechanisms: alignment among personal interest, perceived ability, and future aspirations; assessment of utility and economic risk; family mediation and program image; and learning experiences dominated by teacher-centred explanation and memorisation. Students recognised the moral and civic value of history but did not necessarily enjoy learning it. Limited information also narrowed their understanding of graduate careers to teaching, lecturing, and research. A shift in interest following an information session suggests that preferences were not fully fixed; however, it should not be interpreted causally because the session was embedded in the research process. The study calls for coordinated interventions involving contextual and inquiry-oriented history teaching, systematic career guidance, and evidence-based program communication.