European Journal of Service Management

The main aim of this article is to present factors behind a choice of the academic major – management with the field of study – management in the public and non-governmental sector at the Institute of Public Affairs of the Jagiellonian University (IPA JU). The article presents motives which may be a basis of a decision on undertaking higher education at any major and at the major – management with the field of study – management in the public and non-governmental sector. An attempt was made to compare motives behind a choice of various majors. The following questions were asked: What motives are the students beginning higher education guided with? Do the students starting their education at the IPA JU have the same motives as students starting education at other majors? The article was written based on the literature review, widely available research and analyses of research carried out among students who began studies at the IPA JU in 2008–2016.