Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Anne E. Mulder
Committee Member
Susan A. Torbenson
Committee Member
Joan B. Murry
Keywords
annual evaluation, benchmarking, budget guidelines, Catholic colleges, college revenue, development methodology, evaluation, faculty, financial stability, handbook, implementation, international education, international experience, interviews, Italy, journals, literature review, mission statement, Mount Mary College, program development, program evaluation, quantitative methodology, research questions, Rome, self-supporting program, spring program, study abroad, study abroad handbook, study abroad program, tuition, women's colleges
Abstract
The problem addressed in this project was that although Mount Mary College wants enrolled students to have an international experience, the college seeks also to prevent the loss of tuition when students study abroad. The mission of the all women Catholic college was committed to the development of the whole woman. The vision of the college was to educate women to transform the world.
The conflict between the president of the college wanting students to study abroad and the loss of revenue when students leave to study abroad was serious and problematic. The purpose of the project was to provide students with a study abroad experience that would also yield increased revenue for the college. A solution needed to be found that would satisfy both the desire of the president to permit unlimited numbers of students to study abroad, which at the same time would be financially sound and not lose revenue for the college.
There were six research questions for this study. First, "What did Mount Mary College students want in a study abroad program in Rome, Italy?" Second, "What were the 'best practices' elements of the benchmarking data obtained from other Catholic all women's colleges who own and operate a study abroad program?" Third, "What were the appropriate and valid criteria to develop a study abroad program in Rome?" Fourth, "What were the appropriate and valid components for a study abroad program in Rome?" Fifth, "Does the program meet the financial stability expected by the president?" Sixth, "How would the program be implemented and evaluated?" There were three different methodologies used for this project. The quantitative, development, and evaluative problem solving methodologies were used to complete this study.
There were three procedural phases for this project: The data gathering phase, the product development phase and the implementation phase. Procedures included review of the literature, a review of books and journal articles on benchmarking, interviews with colleagues, a review of newspapers, Internet search, dissertations, and research results of similar study abroad programs. The review also included a search of study abroad handbooks from similar colleges, a search of budget guidelines, and a search of guidelines from national and international organizations that provide study abroad programs.
The focus of the project was the development of a study abroad program in Rome, Italy. As a result of employing the principles and process of the development methodology, a beneficial study abroad program was created for Mount Mary College.
The study concluded that a college owned study abroad program in Rome, Italy needed to be developed for Mount Mary College. Study recommendations included that the study abroad program should be a four weeks long spring experience, with no more than 15 students earning six credits and taught by two faculty members. It was also recommended that the cost of the program should be self-supporting, and a review and evaluation of the program should be conducted annually. It was further recommended that a study abroad mission statement and handbook be developed.