Bridging the gap: an empirical study on learning motivation, pathways, and outcomes in China’s 3 + 4 integrated vocational-bachelor education program

Introduction China’s ongoing vocational education reform has highlighted the “3 + 4” integrated vocational–bachelor model as a key pathway for cultivating technical and skilled talent. Using Zhejiang University of Science and Technology as a case, this study examines students’ learning motivation, self-efficacy, career planning, stage transitions, and transfer examinations from the perspective of educational psychology. Methods A mixed-methods design was adopted, combining questionnaire surveys with factor, path, and neural network analyses to capture both linear and nonlinear relationships, supplemented by ANOVA to test differences across majors and grade levels. Results The results reveal that the transfer examination mechanism is the starting point of students’ learning trajectories: lenient standards reduce motivation in the vocational stage and exacerbate misalignment with undergraduate learning. Career and learning planning emerge as the strongest predictors of positive learning outcomes, supporting career construction theory by demonstrating the role of clear vocational identity in sustaining engagement. Effective stage transitions also interact with academic motivation to influence learning states, consistent with self-efficacy theory. Differences across majors and grades are significant, while gender and place of origin exert weaker effects. Discussion The study concludes that optimizing transfer examinations, strengthening curriculum integration, embedding career planning throughout training, and providing differentiated support are essential to improving the “3 + 4” model. Beyond Zhejiang, these findings offer insights for similar reforms in other Chinese provinces and for international systems such as Germany’s dual education model and Singapore’s polytechnic–university pathway. By linking empirical evidence with educational psychology and vocational education theory, the study contributes to both the theoretical understanding and practical improvement of integrated vocational–bachelor education globally.