Study Abroad and the Global Public Good: A Developmental Evaluation of the International Business Major

Study abroad, for any length of time and in any location, is widely recognized in higher education as a positive educational activity. While individual benefits of study abroad have been explored for decades, recent research has pushed the field to consider benefits for the local and global community. This program evaluation contributes to this line of inquiry by asking international business majors about the influences on their study abroad program choice process and the involvement of the university's mission to positively impact the public good. Using developmental program evaluation and UNESCO's global citizenship education theory, this study found that students are involved in a dynamic choice process that is influenced by three systems: the university, the personal network, and the societal system. While interacting with these systems, students develop meaningful study abroad goals, including participation in experiential learning and positively impacting the public good. These findings lead to a number of recommendations: faculty and staff should emphasize advising for first year students, sharing data with the study abroad office, and building a peer advising program and a faculty career advising structure. Study abroad administrators and leaders should evaluate their programs for their impact on the public good, which can be found in coursework, events, and marketing/advising. This program evaluation calls for further research on how Gen Z students make their study abroad program selections while considering their impact on the global public good. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]