Two paths in persistence: Course and career motivations develop distinctly and relate to different precursors to...

In trying to motivate college students toward career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), many scholars and policy-makers focus on promoting students' course- or field-related motivation. However, STEM fields each contain dozens of careers, the nuances of which are not often discussed during STEM coursework itself. Further, many students change career plans while remaining highly motivated for studying particular STEM courses or fields. In order to understand career plan development, it may be important to understand the development of college students' career-specific motivation and how career motivational beliefs uniquely relate to STEM participation. The present study examined the development of course and career-related motivation, side by side across one semester, in a group of 738 college physics students. Results showed that (a) course and career motivation were empirically distinct, (b) course and career motivation developed mostly separately from one another across one semester of college, (c) course motivation was more strongly associated with students' final physics grades, whereas career motivation was more strongly associated with career satisfaction and certainty, and (d) there were unique gender differences in career motivation compared to course motivation. Together, findings suggest that course motivation and career motivation likely develop along separate, though interrelated, pathways during college, each of which uniquely contributes to different aspects of STEM career persistence (foundational knowledge and skills, vs. career-specific exploration). In order to foster STEM participation and equity, scholars and educators should complement course-focused motivational supports with supports for career motivational development across college. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).