Personas and customer journey maps are design thinking tools widely used in the business world to identify customer needs and achieve product–market-fit. This methodology aims to profile customers and then map the stages, goals, touchpoints, and emotions they experience on their journey towards the product or service of their interest. Despite their proven effectiveness in entrepreneurial contexts, these tools have received limited attention in academia, particularly, in the area of student recruitment.

This paper presents a qualitative study conducted in response to declining student enrollment in a master’s program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Armenia, a post-soviet country in the Caucasus region. The study involved interviews with 31 current students and recent graduates of the program carried out over the past two years. The interview data were used to construct personas and map the participants’ decision-making journeys towards their desired career goals.

As a result of the findings, the program was restructured to reduce its duration and intensity, thus lowering its cost and time required to completion. Recruitment strategies were also adjusted to prioritize more targeted outreach and messaging. An increase in applicant numbers following these changes suggest the adjustments have been effective.

Methodologically, this study offers a replicable approach for educational contexts where student recruitment is a pressing concern. Practically, this example shows how a deeper understanding of prospective applicants’ concerns and experiences can help programs become more agile and responsive without significant budgetary investments.

Keywords: Design thinking, persona, customer journey map, student recruitment.