Learning Abroad Center

Evaluation & Statistics of Curriculum Integration

Assessment of the effectiveness and impact of Curriculum Integration is built into our initiative. Information from online surveys and focus groups is gathered to better understand students’ barriers to study abroad and to better assist faculty and advisers as they address these issues.

Study Abroad Enrollment Data

University of Minnesota—System Wide Enrollment Data

Total Undergraduate Degrees Granted in 2012–13 was 10,145
Total Undergraduate study abroad enrollment in 2012–13 was 2,497
Study abroad as a percentage of degrees granted = 24.6%

University of Minnesota—Campus Enrollment Data

Time to Graduation Data

When we started study abroad curriculum integration, we had identified several perceived and real barriers to study abroad. One of the barriers was that study abroad was perceived to delay graduation. The CI team enlisted the Institutional Research and Reporting unit for the University to run an initial set of data to determine how long it took students who studied abroad to graduate versus those who did not study abroad. When the first data report arrived, we were stunned. The data showed that students who studied abroad actually graduate in a more timely manner than those who did not!  This data point held true across disciplines and demographics such as race and gender.  

For example, 86% of students in the Carlson School of Management who studied abroad graduated within 4 years of starting their degree at the University, whereas 73% of students who did not study abroad graduated in 4 years.  98% of Carlson students who studied abroad graduated within 6 years, whereas 86% of Carlson students who did not study abroad had graduated within 6 years.

Within the College of Biological Sciences, 68% of students who studied abroad graduated within 4 years while only 50% of those who did not study abroad had graduated within 4 years.  95% of College of Biological Sciences students who had studied abroad graduated within 6 years, whereas 71% of those students who did not study abroad had graduated within 6 years. (Gayle Woodruff, Director, Curriculum and Campus Internationalization, February 2021)

Data Analysis, 2009

Data from the University's Office of Institutional Research show the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities study abroad graduate (by AAR rating and college) and retention data.

Data Analysis, 2001

Data from the University's Institutional Research and Reporting showing study abroad graduation
rates by GPA, college, ethnicity, and academic readiness:

Surveys

Surveys help us obtain data from academic advisers, faculty, and undergraduate students, giving us the opportunity to identify issues regarding study abroad. The web-based surveys determine openness to study abroad, perceptions about the role of study abroad in higher education and careers, and barriers to study abroad. The surveys are also be used to evaluate the progress of the Curriculum Integration initiative.

Focus Groups

Focus groups are also being used as part of the evaluation methodology. Focus group questions have been piloted in order to collect qualitative data from students who have studied abroad, students who have not studied abroad, and students of color.

Grant Reports

Read about reports submitted to FIPSE (US Department of Education) or the Archibald Bush Foundation.

Product Assessment

There is an ongoing assessment of new advising tools and methods.

Workshop Evaluation

Throughout our initiative, evaluations were conducted for various events held for faculty and advisers. An overview of 2002–03 event evaluations (pdf) provides an example of these event evaluations.