Study Abroad: Enabling Employment at Home from Experiences Afar
College
College of Business Administration
Department
Management & Marketing
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Barbara Burgess-Wilkerson
Abstract
More students are electing to study abroad than has been the case in years past and with this changing trend, certain shortcomings in the programs are being brought to light. The intentions of the international scholars and those of their program directors are beginning to vary more starkly: the former hoping to explore international boundaries as a path toward maturity and independence, while the latter is viewing the experience in terms of language competency and as a path toward a specific career goal. An opinion survey will be distributed to test this claim and to obtain a consensus on what the current expectations are and the extent to which they are being met. From the responses, conclusions may be drawn with respect to the study’s primary research questions: 1) Do study abroad programs adequately emphasize professional tools and opportunities? 2) If students do not feel their experience was organized optimally, what should be changed? 3) Lastly, if these programs do fulfill their designated roles effectively, what professional alternatives should be considered? The survey will be distributed to a population of approximately 50 individuals from college-level institutions who have studied abroad at least once. Preliminary results suggest that while chances to develop one’s self professionally are often made available, they fail to meet expectations and are inadequate for establishing a career path toward a specific goal; though, in comparison, they do provide rich cultural encounters that lead to maturity and independence.
Honors Thesis Committee
Barbara Burgess-Wilkerson, Ph.D.; Keith Robbins, Ph.D.; Emma Riddle, Ph.D.
Course Assignment
Thesis Research, HONR450H, Barbara Burgess-Wilkerson
Start Date
22-4-2016 1:10 PM
End Date
22-4-2016 1:25 PM
Study Abroad: Enabling Employment at Home from Experiences Afar
West Center,Room 217
More students are electing to study abroad than has been the case in years past and with this changing trend, certain shortcomings in the programs are being brought to light. The intentions of the international scholars and those of their program directors are beginning to vary more starkly: the former hoping to explore international boundaries as a path toward maturity and independence, while the latter is viewing the experience in terms of language competency and as a path toward a specific career goal. An opinion survey will be distributed to test this claim and to obtain a consensus on what the current expectations are and the extent to which they are being met. From the responses, conclusions may be drawn with respect to the study’s primary research questions: 1) Do study abroad programs adequately emphasize professional tools and opportunities? 2) If students do not feel their experience was organized optimally, what should be changed? 3) Lastly, if these programs do fulfill their designated roles effectively, what professional alternatives should be considered? The survey will be distributed to a population of approximately 50 individuals from college-level institutions who have studied abroad at least once. Preliminary results suggest that while chances to develop one’s self professionally are often made available, they fail to meet expectations and are inadequate for establishing a career path toward a specific goal; though, in comparison, they do provide rich cultural encounters that lead to maturity and independence.
