Abstract

The article analyzes educational strategies of the graduates who are planning to enter a master programme after completion of their bachelor programme. The research sets the goals to establish the main reasons for getting education in a master programme and factors defining their readiness to pay for this education. The research was carried out on the basis of Astrakhan State University (the Russian Federation). The research suggests a simple econometric model of component analysis. The result shows that most of the students consider a master programme to be a feasible educational trajectory, however only a minor part of them are ready to study on a commercial basis. Formation of a particular educational strategy is directly connected with the expected future income. It is characteristic that those bachelor degree graduates who are career-oriented display willingness to pay for their education, and those who see their professional future in enhancement their knowledge and being engaged in some research work expect to continue their education at the expense of the state. The results of the research confirm the existence of the investment, signaling and consumer functions of education that influence the preferences of the students and the choice of their further educational strategy.

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