Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses
Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
First Advisor
Drew Moser
Second Advisor
Todd Ream
Third Advisor
Steve Bedi
Abstract
International students come from cultures different from the ones predominant in small colleges in the US. Overcoming the differences during the transition to college proves critical for integration, persistence, and, more importantly, involvement and engagement. To overcome the cultural differences, international students develop bicultural competence. Bicultural competence refers to someone’s internationalization of more than one culture in order to function effectively and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships in those cultures. For international students in transition, bicultural competence involves acquiring competency in the predominant American culture in college while maintaining their identity in their heritage culture. The present study uses a phenomenological approach to explore the factors facilitating or hindering the development of bicultural competence among international students. College offers space in which pre-arrival experiences, personality type, exposure and support, autonomy, and sense of purpose play a critical role in facilitating or hindering the development of bicultural competence among international students.
Recommended Citation
Bii, Kiplangat Cheruiyot, "A Phenomenological Study of Bicultural Competence Among International Students" (2015). Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses. 47.
https://pillars.taylor.edu/mahe/47