Common Perceptions of the Church among Graduate Students: A Quantitative Analysis of Faith and Institutional Meaning

Abstract

This study examined the common perceptions of graduate students enrolled in the Master in Curriculum and Instruction (MCI) and Master of Arts in Physical Education (MAPE) programs regarding the Church as a religious and moral institution. Guided by a descriptive-correlational research design, the investigation sought to determine whether respondents’ perceptions were significantly related to demographic variables—program, sex, and age—and whether significant differences existed across these categories. Data were collected from 12 graduate students using a structured survey questionnaire, and analyzed through descriptive statistics, t-tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Findings revealed that the majority of participants were female (66.67%) and aged 26–30 (75%), with MAPE students comprising 58.33% of the sample. Perceptual data yielded a composite mean of 3.35 (SD = 0.83), interpreted as Strongly Agree, indicating that respondents held consistently positive views of the Church as a sacred space of worship, divine connection, and emotional refuge. Inferential results demonstrated no statistically significant relationships between perceptions of the Church and demographic profiles (age: ρ = 0.214, p = .301; sex: r = 0.147, p = .472; program: ρ = 0.182, p = .367), nor significant differences by gender (t = 0.61, p = .553) or age (F = 0.423, p = .663). These findings suggest a homogeneity of perception across demographic lines, implying that attitudes toward the Church among postgraduate students are shaped more by shared academic culture and sociocultural exposure than by age, gender, or field of study. The study concludes that the Church continues to serve as a locus of moral formation, psychosocial refuge, and spiritual engagement among educated Filipinos. Recommendations include integrating spiritual literacy into graduate curricula, enhancing Church–academia partnerships, and developing gender-responsive and age-sensitive pastoral programs.