Do Nondomestic Undergraduates Choose a Major Field In Order to Maximize Grade Point Averages?

Authors

  • Matthew E. Bergman University of California, San Diego
  • Barry Fass-Holmes University of California, San Diego

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v6i1.571

Keywords:

academic success, English writing, grade point average, international undergraduate, major field, nondomestic undergraduate, permanent resident

Abstract

The authors investigated whether undergraduates attending an American West Coast public university who were not U.S. citizens (nondomestic) maximized their grade point averages (GPA) through their choice of major field. Multiple regression hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed that major field’s effect size was small for these undergraduates’ academic marks in mandatory English writing classes and their term GPAs in the five most recent academic years. Engineering and economics, but not science, were significant predictors of writing marks. Economics, but not engineering or science, was a significant predictor of GPAs.

Author Biographies

  • Matthew E. Bergman, University of California, San Diego

    MATTHEW E. BERGMAN, is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Science. His research interests include comparative institutions, comparative politics, international relations, and student achievement.

  • Barry Fass-Holmes, University of California, San Diego

    BARRY FASS-HOLMES, PhD, is the Analytical Studies Coordinator for the International Students & Programs Office in the International Center at the University of California, San Diego. He studies international students’ academic achievement. 

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Published

2016-01-01

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2016)

Section

Research in Briefs (English)

License

All published articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 Unported License.

How to Cite

Do Nondomestic Undergraduates Choose a Major Field In Order to Maximize Grade Point Averages?. (2016). Journal of International Students, 6(1), 308-313. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v6i1.571