The Effect of Field of Study Evaluation on Academic Satisfaction of Agricultural Students, With Explaining the Mediating Role of Academic Motivation in University of Mohaghegh Ardabili

the main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of evaluation of major on academic satisfaction and mediating role of academic motivation, among agricultural students. The statistical population of study consisted of all undergraduate students in 2016-2017 academic years, in the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili (N=740). In This causal-correlation study according to Cochran formula, sample size obtained 275 people (n= 275) which were accessed through random stratified sampling method. The research instrument was a questionnaire consisted of 3 sections of evaluation of major, academic satisfaction and Academic Motivation Scale (Vallerand, 1992). Construct validity and composite reliability of the research instrument were tested by estimating the measurement model and sustained after making necessary corrections. The data were processed using SPSSwin20 and LISREL, then analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings revealed that among the academic achievement (GPA) with academic satisfaction, academic motivation and field of study evaluation, there was a significant positive correlation among students. Structural equation modeling results showed the effect of evaluation of major on students’ academic satisfaction, 64% (directly); and by effectiveness of academic motivation (mediator variable) in the model (25%) was confirmed. Among the indicators of student's evaluation about field and academic satisfaction of field, respectively, the amount of importance to field in society (coefficient of determination: 0.3041) and tend to be employed (as main job) in field of study (coefficient of determination: 0.2601), accounted the major parts in study model.