APPLICATION OF THE ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS (AHP) IN STUDENT DECISION-MAKING BETWEEN COOPERATIVE EDUCATION AND SENIOR PROJECT TRACKS: A DECISION FRAMEWORK FOR GENERATION Z LEARNERS AND STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE FISHERIES SCIENCE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
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Abstract
This study aims to develop a decision-making model for selecting between cooperative education and senior project tracks in a Bachelor of Science Program in Fisheries Science, using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as the primary analytical framework. The research adopts a literature-informed conceptual modeling approach, integrating a systematic synthesis of academic studies with evidence-informed academic judgment, without relying on primary survey data.
The findings indicate that the decision criteria can be structured into five key dimensions: career and financial outcomes, practical skills and experiential learning, academic interest and meaning of learning, quality of life and workload, and social and family context. Under the baseline scenario, the model suggests that the cooperative education track demonstrates higher relative suitability, reflecting the strong influence of work readiness and practical experience. However, the sensitivity analysis reveals that the relative preference between the alternatives is contingent upon the weighting structure of the criteria, particularly when greater emphasis is placed on academic meaning and quality of life.
These findings suggest that cooperative education and senior project tracks should not be regarded as inherently superior or inferior to one another, but rather as distinct learning pathways aligned with different student value structures. The study highlights the potential of AHP as a structured decision-support tool for academic advising and strategic curriculum management, enabling more transparent and context-sensitive educational planning.
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