Date
12-7-2023
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Chair
Christopher Clark
Keywords
international students, Chinese alumni, undergraduate experiences, career imagination, career planning, social engagement
Disciplines
Educational Administration and Supervision | Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Reed, Lin, "A Phenomenological Study of the Linkage Between Chinese Students’ Undergraduate Experiences in the U.S. and Their Career Choices and Planning" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5025.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5025
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to discover Chinese alumni’s perceived learning and the impacts of their undergraduate studies in the United States on their career goals and preparation. Using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Knowles’ theory of andragogy as a theoretical framework, this study helped answer the central research question: How do Chinese students’ undergraduate experiences in the United States affect their career choices and planning? Sub-questions have further explored the participants’ relationship to academic and social engagement in college. The purposeful sampling included 10 Chinese students who have studied in the United States, received an undergraduate degree from the same U.S. institution, and were living and working globally. Data was collected through individual Zoom interviews with the participants, two focus groups, and artifact elicitation journaling, and was analyzed according to Moustakas’ phenomenological procedures. Collected data was synthesized following Moustakas’ four-step approach: epoché, phenomenological reduction, imagination variation, and meaning synthesis. All data collected was carefully reviewed and examined by the researcher for accuracy and quality control. The primary findings revealed that the values of a U.S. undergraduate degree to Chinese students were the expanded global career possibilities, clearer vision and direction for future career, and credibility that increases graduates’ future academic and career success. Implications from the study revealed the need for student-centered advising, industrial connections in academic programs and advising, and internship and campus jobs opportunities for international students.
