Understanding Sense of Belonging Among Undergraduate Marketing Majors

Abstract

A strong sense of belonging can meaningfully enrich students’ academic and social experiences. This study investigates the key academic and social factors that contribute to marketing students’ sense of belonging and examines how that sense of belonging affects critical academic outcomes, focusing primarily on the mediating role played by sense of belonging. Based on survey data from 526 undergraduate marketing majors, results show that faculty support, peer support, institutional support, and perceived fit significantly strengthen students’ sense of belonging. In turn, sense of belonging functions as a mediating mechanism that reduces dropout intentions and increases students’ likelihood of recommending their major and college. These findings highlight the processes through which support and fit shape critical academic and behavioral outcomes. They also offer actionable recommendations for improving retention and support by activating on-campus stakeholder groups that contribute uniquely to marketing students’ sense of belonging.