Date of Award
12-2016
Degree Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Department
School of Professional Studies
Chief Instructor
Mary Piecewicz
Keywords
MPA, Inclusion and diversity, International students, adjustment problems, transition experiences, graduate school
Abstract
In the last decade, the School of Professional Studies at Clark University has witnessed a sharp increase in international students. More and more international students in the millennial generation have entered the School of Professional Studies pursuing one of the two-year graduate programs: Master of Science in Professional Studies, Master of Science in Public Administration, and Master of Science in Information Technology. In the past, working adult student dominant the program. These students already had a career outside the classrooms before them came to study. The millennial international students have generated new adjustment problems. Some of the transition issues of international students have been described in the literature, and these issues can be categorized into three types: academic challenges, social isolation, and cultural adjustment. In response to these new trends, the School of Professional Studies has been providing departmental support services for international students since the 2016 fall semester. This Capstone project researched strategies offered by other American universities in dealing with international students’ transition issues and suggested a series of practical solutions for the School of Professional Studies. These practices include the School of Professional Studies International Students Page, Buddy Program, Academic Training Program, and American Survival Program. We hope these strategies will help the School Professional Students to improve inclusion and the environment for international students.
Recommended Citation
Huang, Xuesong; Lian, Mingyang; Trung, Dang; Sheth, Jay; Yang, Yuwei; and Klimenko, Irina, "The Transition Experiences of International Graduate Students in Clark University School of Professional Studies" (2016). School of Professional Studies. 16.
https://commons.clarku.edu/sps_masters_papers/16
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