The motivations of adult learners who were not admitted to college degree programs but who chose to take credit courses on a part-time basis were studied, with attention to the relationship of motivational orientations and sociodemographic variables (sex, race, age, and family income level). The study population of 464 part-time students 25 years and older were enrolled at North Carolina State University in fall 1985. Questionnaires completed by the students included 16 reasons for taking credit courses. These reasons were entered into a principal components factor analysis, and the factors were subjected to a varimax rotation. Multivariate analysis was also employed. From the 16 reasons for enrolling, four factors were extracted: job change, job enhancement, self-improvement, and social contact. For the job change scale, gender, age, and income were statistically significant. Higher mean scores on the job change scale were obtained by females than by males and by adults under age 40 than by those age 40 and over. Adults with incomes below $35,000 had higher mean job change scores than those with family incomes of $35,000 and over. Implications of the results for administrators of college programs for adults are addressed. (SW)