Beyond graduation: The educational and employment experiences of graduates of an elective studies degree program

Abstract

This study describes the results of a questionnaire follow-up study of the employment and educational experiences of the graduates of a nontraditional elective studies degree program. Graduates of the experimental Bachelor of Elected Studies (BES) program at the University of Minnesota were compared with regular liberal arts graduates in terms of their postgraduation educational and employment experiences as well as their attitudes toward their undergraduate education. Results showed that although there were some differences between BES and regular liberal arts graduates in their attendance at graduate school, job history, and attitudes, goals, and expectations toward their undergraduate education, there were many similarities between the two groups. In most cases, BES graduates compare rather favorably with regular liberal arts graduates on most of the indicators examined in this study.