Submitted Fall, 2003
Surveys were sent to all international studies majors during the first week of the Fall semester 2003. 12 surveys were returned. The survey was designed to seek attitudes and to look at the program objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 8. The survey reports the following.
- The majority of the students are not aware of the job possibilities for students who major in international studies.
- Globalization is a concept about which students have a vague idea but they are still unsure of it. They seem to agree that they are part of a global society but not sure what that means.
- Students recognize the interrelatedness of culture and how cultures interact. In other aspects of interrelatedness they have more problems seeing how it works.
- When it comes to relationships, students seem to be comfortable around people of other cultures and go out of their way to learn about new things. However, when asked if they have close friends who are foreign, students range all over the scale.
- Students are not sure about cultural bias and are not able to see it in either in local or national press.
- Most students appear to be tolerant and are confused about the events of September 11. When asked a question about tolerance and development, they were very definite about their opinion.
- 9 of 12 strongly agreed that travel was important.
- In second language use, students reported no discomfort in speaking it and see no consequences in correction. Interesting.
The most disturbing aspect of this first survey is that they students are unable to articulate anything about globalism. The second disturbing aspect of the survey is that there are a couple of students who do not like to travel, are very intolerant of others, and uncomfortable with foreigners and don't see to be interested. One wonders about their selection of majors.
Knowledge
| Objective 1 - |
Students in survey did not know what jobs that were available for international studies majors. This information needs to be disseminated in a handout early in the students' career and later in the last year of studies. |
| Objective 2 - |
Students have a working knowledge of culture. Meets objective. |
Skills
| Objective 3 - |
Students seem to have learned about a global society but are unaware of the wide range of the term globalism and what it implies. There needs to be a review of the required courses to see where the concept of globalism can be expanded. |
| Objective 4 - |
Student are comfortable with the term interrelatedness. Meets objectives. |
| Objective 6 - |
Bias is something students are not able to recognize very well. A review of the required courses need to be conducted to see where bias is addressed. |
Values
| Objective 7 - |
Students seem to be curious about learning about other cultures. Meets objective. |
| Objective 8 - |
Students report themselves to be tolerant and accepting of peoples of different cultures. Meets objective. |
Survey Results