The Relationship between Religiosity and Academic Motivation among University Students

This study explores the relationship between religiosity and academic motivation among university students enrolled in statistics courses at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Perak Branch. A total of 145 diploma students from the Diploma in Mathematics and Diploma in Statistics programmes participated in the study. Two validated instruments were used: the Malay version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and the Religiosity Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, independent samples t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed a statistically significant but weak positive correlation between religiosity and academic motivation (r=0.317, p< .001), indicating a tendency for higher religiosity to be associated with greater academic motivation. Notably, students scored higher on belief-based aspects of religiosity than on practical religious activities. Motivation levels were also higher among students enrolled in the STA111 course (first semester), possibly due to initial enthusiasm or less demanding course content compared to STA210. The study concludes that while religiosity is not the sole predictor of academic motivation, it plays a meaningful role in supporting students’ academic engagement. These findings highlight the importance of integrating students’ spiritual and psychological dimensions into educational strategies. Future research should examine which specific components of religiosity—such as spiritual coping or communal support—most strongly influence motivation and learning outcomes. The results offer practical implications for educators and policy-makers in developing holistic approaches that address both the academic and spiritual aspects of student development.