Date

11-11-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)

Chair

Ireremena FelixOtuorimuo

Keywords

soft skills, foreign language, multilingualism, employability, higher education

Disciplines

Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of the dynamic interplay between multilingualism and soft skill development among college students from a higher education institution in Washington, D.C. This study was guided by Larsen-Freeman's Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST), which explains how a foreign language develops over time and adapts to changing environments. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of foreign language learners in higher education regarding the development of soft skills for employability? This study employed a transcendental-phenomenological design to explore college students' lived experiences of the interplay between multilingualism and the development of soft skills. The sample included 10 participants who were at least 18 years of age at the time of the study and were enrolled in, or had completed, an intermediate-level or higher foreign language course at the selected institution within the previous three years. The institution was selected for its diverse student populations and varied institutional characteristics. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and focus groups, and analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenological approach, including horizontalization, clustering of meaning units, and the development of textural and structural descriptions to identify the essence of the participants' experiences. The findings indicated that learning a foreign language is a dynamic and interconnected process. This process helped students facilitate communication, collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, confidence, learner agency, and cultural awareness concurrently. Participants also described classroom experiences as contributors not only to soft skills development but also to enhanced career readiness and, more broadly, to the practical, real-world application of foreign languages. These findings support Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, the theoretical framework of this study. The findings show that language learning, soft skills, and employability all develop through ongoing interactions among cognitive, social, and experiential factors.

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