Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication Studies

Committee Chairperson

Megan Schraedley, Phd

Committee Member

Edward Lordan, Phd

Committee Member

Adam Rainear, PhD

Abstract

Imagine a world where you are a student navigating a culture unlike your own. This is a constant issue that most international college students face during their US acculturative first year transition. International college students examined in existing research experience societal and cultural factors impacting their academic transition such as gaining English language proficiency and domestic student social support (Yan et al, 2018). Language proficiency is important for international college students as they enter their first year because they must use their language competencies to learn, navigate everyday life, and fully assimilate to the domestic culture. In comparison to US domestic college students, many US domestic college students already speak English fluently and have no problem understanding certain elaborate and complicated concepts in English while international college students need additional domestic support because of their language difference. Domestic student social support is equally important because international college students must build and strengthen relationships with domestic students to help guide and support them throughout their initial first year. It is clear from the literature that language proficiency and domestic student support are factors that help ease international college students social and cultural adjustment to US colleges. (Yan et al, 2018)

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