Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
the other hand, has a different profile. It ranks among the top 20 out of 39 tertiary
institutions in Australia (Australian Education Network,
2013
) and is the largest
university in its region. It is an internationally focused institution with 30-50 %
international students. In the USA, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement
of Teaching classifies institution characteristics, including students
prior academic
preparation and selectivity of undergraduate admissions. SE is categorized as
selective (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching,
2010
). This
category locates at roughly the middle two-fifths of baccalaureate institutions in
the USA. As compared to the other two institutions, due to the relatively high
ranking and selectivity of KU within Saudi Arabia, its students likely have good
academic records, which may be associated with more positive attitudes (e.g.,
Brandriet, Xu, Bretz, & Lewis,
2012
; Osborne et al.,
2003
, Xu, Villafane, &
Lewis,
2013
).
Additional distinctions between the institutions also are worth consideration. KU
offers courses in the college of engineering, sciences, and industry management.
The first major choice for most students is engineering. It is possible for students to
change majors; however, few students do so. Social science or liberal arts programs
are not available at the university, so there is not a diverse set of options. Since
Saudi Arabian high school students are taught in different tracks (e.g., science/
engineering vs. social science) starting in 11th grade, the KU students who enter the
engineering major are mostly from the science/engineering track. Based on their
high school experiences and institutional choice, entering KU students tend to have
a good idea of chemistry and the importance of chemistry for their major when they
take their first college chemistry course.
At WU, students are accepted for admission at university with a major; however,
it is not unusual for students to consider changing their enrollment major or course
of study. WU offers over 850 undergraduate and postgraduate courses in business,
engineering, health sciences, humanities, science, mining, and agriculture. Students
can change a major or add a second major at the beginning of semester at any point
during their enrollment. Portability of courses between majors is encouraged
through an established credit transfer system, and the commonality of chemistry
as a first year course in many science-related majors means it is often taken by
students in preparation for transfer to more competitive majors, such as Engineering
or Pharmacy.
At SE, all students must officially declare a major or pre-major before they
register for more than 36 credits, usually by the end of the second year. SE offers a
balanced arts and sciences/professions undergraduate instructional program. Dur-
ing the first 2 years, students usually take general college courses that are applicable
to all majors as they develop their knowledge of and perceptions about various
major programs. A college general chemistry course, for example, can serve as a
general course for both science and nonscience majors, meaning that students who
may have been considering a science major can change their minds without penalty
after taking chemistry. After the first 2 years, students enroll in the specific courses
that apply toward completion of degree requirements for the chosen major. As
compared to KU and WU, SE students may have a relatively vague idea about their
'
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