Dropout from the Faculties of Theology: A Phenomenological Study on those who withdrew from the Faculties of Theology

Abstract
In this study, people who dropout their registration voluntarily and therefore are not likely to continue their theology education were determined as participants. In this context, it is aimed to discuss the school dropout experience of the people who canceled their registration from the Fa-culty of Theology. In other words, within the framework of the experiences of those who withdrew the Faculty of Theology, it is aimed to reveal the specific aspects of the Faculty of Theology of school dropouts in higher education.
The study was carried out based on the phenomenological approach, which is among the qualita-tive research approaches. Participants were determined using criterion sampling, one of the pur-poseful sampling methods. In this framework, the criterion was determined as canceling the re-gistration from any Theology faculty. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview technique in order to provide flexibility in interviews. The obtained data were analyzed using the descriptive analysis technique. As a result of the analysis of the findings, three themes that are thought to contribute to the understanding of the drop out experience of the participants were reached. These are the reasons for choosing the Faculty of Theology, the reason for cancellation of registration from the Faculty of Theology, and the feelings after deregistration from the Faculty of Theology.
The reasons of the participants to choose the faculty; family request (can also be expressed as in-sistence), high employment opportunities after graduation, university entrance score not suffici-ent for the desired department, personal interest and self-improvement thought. Those reasons other than personal interest and self-improvement suggest that the participants came to the Fa-culty of Theology against their will. It was determined that the reasons for the participants to dro-pout their registration were the difficulty of the courses, not finding the employment areas sui-table for themself, problems caused by the faculty members, inability to adapt to the social envi-ronment, and not accepting the expectations of the society from the Faculty of Theology and its members. Participants especially highlight Arabic and Preparatory education with the “difficulty of the lessons” among the reasons for dropout. Considering that except one of the participants graduated from high schools other than Imam Hatip High School, it is seen that Arabic Preparatory Education is an important factor in dropping out of school. In addition, the participants’ opinions stating that those coming from outside Imam Hatip High School gather in a classroom in Arabic preparation show that this situation is a reason for dropping out of the faculty, because negative statements about the faculty support each other’s thought. Another reason for the school dropout is that theology graduates do not find the employment fields suitable for themselves. According to this, the participants stated that when they graduated from the Faculty of Theology, they thought that the professions that they might have were not suitable for them, so they canceled their re-gistration in order to turn to the professions they wanted.
Sosyal ortama uyum sağlayamama şeklinde ifade edilen nedenlerde ise İlahiyat Fakültesinin ken-dine özgü ortamına yabancılık çektiklerini belirten katılımcılar, kız-erkek ilişkileri ve bunun ders-lik ve kantin gibi yerlere yansımalarına dikkat çekmektedir. Katılımcılar toplumun İlahiyat Fakül-tesi ve mensuplarından beklentilerini kabul etmedikleri dolayısıyla İlahiyat Fakültesini terk ettik-lerini belirtmektedir. Toplumun veya çevrenin İlahiyat fakültesinde öğrenim görenlerden bekle-diği, belirli davranış kalıpları, giyim kuşam özellikleri gibi çeşitli beklentilerin olduğu bu durumun kendilerinde rahatsızlığa neden olduğu gerekçesini ileri sürmektedir.
Problems caused by the faculty members were also mentioned among the reasons for dropout. This situation has been expressed in several different dimensions. The first is that the lectures are not explained more clearly, the second is that the faculty members reflect their negative opinions about each other, and the third is reflecting their political thoughts to the lessons. Participants who stated that they were strangers to the unique environment of the Faculty of Theology due to the reasons expressed as inability to adapt to the social environment draw attention to the relati-onship between girls and boys and their reflections in places such as classrooms and canteens. The participants stated that they did not accept the expectations of the society from the Faculty of Theology and its members and therefore they left the Faculty of Theology. They put forward the justification that this situation, which the society has various expectations from the students such as certain behavioral patterns and clothing features, causes them discomfort. Finally, it was determined that the feelings of the participants after leaving the Faculty of Theology were always positive.