A Phenomenological Study of International Students in a Florida University Ph.D. Program.

International Doctoral Students 2 Shifts in demographics of the international graduate student population in the United States since 2002 suggest universities should analyze and evaluate the academic, social, and cultural elements of their doctoral programs, to ensure students from previously underrepresented global regions experience needed adjustment support. The Investigator followed the journeys of 3 female Asian doctoral students enrolled in a doctoral program over a 2 year period and discovered challenges and obstacles faced beyond what was previously known. The phenomenological study highlights the students’ perspectives of academic and social experiences affecting their adjustment and concludes with a list of questions to consider. A Phenomenological Study of International Students in a Florida University Ph.D. Program International Doctoral Students 3 The purpose of this study is to learn more about the adversities international students face when enrolled in U.S. doctoral programs and the adjustments they must make to succeed academically and socially. A shift is taking place in the attributes of the United States’ higher education international student population. Prior to 2001, students from the Middle East were a substantial population in doctoral programs. Now, for several reasons, doctoral students from Asia represent 55% of the international student population in U.S. higher education (Altbach, 2004). International students contribute 12 billion dollars a year to U.S. higher education and attracting them to particular programs is high-stakes. Prior research has warranted the potential economic value of attracting international students to such programs and confirmed steady growth in international student enrollment numbers since the 1950’s (Zikopoulos, 1986; Paige, 1990; Snyder, Hoffman & Deddes, 1996). Now, universities hosting international students face the most significant challenges ever (Kuh, 1990). Best practice insists upon the emergence of a multicultural imperative (Grieger, 1996). The U.S. has enjoyed the distinction of being first in the world in hosting international students (Paige, 1990). If U.S. universities want to maintain this distinction, they must meet the needs of doctoral students who represent the new majority of international students. This phenomenological study explores the academic, social, and cultural experiences of three female Asian doctoral students, from one country, across two years in a U.S. university doctor of philosophy program, with ancillary data sought from their larger international student group. Prior studies have concluded that international students from different places have different needs (Hanassab & Tidwell, 2002). Additionally, female international students International Doctoral Students 4 encounter more obstacles in adjusting to U.S. higher education than males (Lee, Abd-Ella & Burke, 1981). Shifts in the attributes of international student populations invite higher education institutions in the U.S. to examine and evaluate their attempts at accommodating students from cultures new to their graduate programs. Historically, quantitative needs assessments of international students have been utilized to measure international student adjustment, but the literature contains nothing regarding knowing the challenges faced by these students qualitatively (Hanassah & Tidwell, 2002). Items needing further study that come to mind after reviewing the research regarding international students include: What kinds of challenges do international students face and how do these challenges vary among students within particular groups from different regions of the world? Also, is there really a gender difference in the types of problems faced by international students and the intensity of these challenges? Prior studies have asserted that Asian students keep problems they face largely to themselves (Cheng, 2001; Futa, Hsu, & Hansen, 2001; Parker, Gladstone & Tsee Chee, 2001). This should concern researchers when it comes to measuring this particular student group’s adjustment in traditional ways. If a specific group of international students are reluctant to share problems they face with others, will they be complete in their disclosures on surveys? Or, will they keep some things to themselves and not fully disclose? Relative to data potentially received, what differences are there between survey results and long term observations of the students? Are the greatest challenges faced by these students really visa and immigration issues? (Hanassab & Tidwell, 2002). International Doctoral Students 5 How can we best know how particular groups of international students adjust to U.S. higher education? To be sure, there are many ways to measure international student adjustment to U.S. doctoral programs. Although Asian students experience less stereotyping and discrimination when compared to other international student groups (Sodowsky & Plake, 1992), their adjustment to U.S. higher education has been documented as being among student regional groups requiring the greatest adjustments (Hanassab & Tidwell, 2002). Why are Asian students among those groups facing the greatest adjustments to U.S. higher education and how do these adjustments impact the students and the institutions? Data like these have become vital since Asian students now represent the majority of international students in U.S. higher education doctoral programs. Entrance into a U.S. higher education program by an international student can be extremely stressful and anxiety-filled to the point that problems faced can be overwhelming (Selvadurai, 1992). What kinds of problems do these students face? Which problems are overwhelming? How can we best discover the problems? What can we do to reduce the problems and ease the adjustment of these students? Can a phenomenological study, over the life of doctoral course work by a few female Asian students, shed light on some of the problems faced? Will a qualitative study contribute to the literature regarding challenges faced by international students? Stress experienced by international graduate students is substantial and real. Cultural distance, students' social support networks, and their role competencies vary greatly (Biggs, Chapman, and Wan, 1992). The literature suggests Asian students are among the global region groups possessing the greatest cultural distance (Wehrly, 1988). International Doctoral Students 6 International students can contribute much to U.S. degree programs beyond added revenue (Barnes, 1991). Perhaps through the eyes of particular Asian students in a doctoral program we can capture some perceptions of international student higher education experiences that cannot be gained in other ways. The data can be gathered and then placed aside the existing literature for comparison sake. We can affirm or discount prior assumptions about particular challenges faced by international students, and their importance, or perhaps affirm or discount the merit of the findings in this study. Study Design and Methodology The Investigator followed the journeys of three female Asian students in a doctoral program over a two year period. During the study, the students completed their course work and gained candidacy to the doctor of philosophy degree. The students were enrolled in a doctoral program at a university located in the southeastern region of the United States. The sample is one of convenience. Names of the students, university, locations, etc. are replaced with fictional ones to protect the privacy of all concerned. Additionally, the Investigator is not an employee of the university studied. The study is descriptive in nature and qualitative. It utilizes the phenomenological approach. The phenomenological approach strives to seek perspectives free from hypotheses or preconceptions (Husserl, 1970). Although the Investigator did develop questions prior to the study, based on the literature review, no plan was devised to deviate from the open-ended study participant perspective approach. The Investigator contends qualitative studies should not be generalized beyond particular students in groups per se, but there are ways to enhance inferential possibilities. Having multiple International Doctoral Students 7 students in the study enhances inferential opportunities (Myles & Huberman, 1994). Still, there is no attempt to promote inferences and generalizations beyond the individuals studied. However, the multiple-participant approach does enhance opportunities for making inferences regarding the academic, social, and cultural needs of the students in the particular doctoral program. It is important to acknowledge differences between, and within, qualitative and statistical validity (Eisner, 1981). While phenomenological research can shed light on program elements and participants’ perceptions therein, such findings may or may not be relative to the larger international student population across U.S. universities. Triangulation of data was utilized in the study. The merit of triangulating data in education studies has been validated through a variety of sources (Hossler & Vesper, 1993; Miles & Huberman, 1994; Foster, 2002; Seabrook, 2003). One prior study in particular with a focus on gaining perspectives from students, families, and teachers in urban school settings, attracted the interest of the Investigator when contemplating this study’s design (McDermott & Rothenberg, 2000). Thus, data in this study were gathered through formal and informal student observations in program courses and various social settings, program instructors, and other program students. Multiple student interviews were completed, as were analyses of student produced work for program courses.