A qualitative exploration of international students’ experience of a "top up" degree: a study of Cardiff School of Management the IBM Programme

Abstract

This thesis assumed a social constructionist, inductive approach to investigating the experiences of Direct-entry students at Cardiff Metropolitan University’s School of Management. The work utilized both semi-structured interviews and focus groups with regards to data collection, utilizing a sample of 12 students and 1 lecturer. The questions were centred on the key literature found in the literature review, and explored the experiences, and shared meanings of the sample group. The topics focused upon in the data collection were, acculturation, friendship, and stressors. As a consequence of this primary research 6 key themes emerged, these where, Reasons, Induction, Home students, Friendship Networks, Learning Environment, Stressors, Student and Staff Contact, and Recommendations. This was found to be in line with the main aim and objectives. It was established that directentry students have enjoyed their year in Cardiff and found it beneficial; however, there is a common feeling of lack of support that would help them in their studies and the formation of friendships. Subsequently, from this, the implications are that direct-entry students are not as acculturated to the host culture as they could be. Lecturers and host students need to be engaging in a deeper level of commitment towards direct-entry students as having direct-entry students enrolled in British universities is not only a benefit to themselves but also to the host students and the host culture as a whole.