Adjustment of Muslim students in Korea

Abstract

This thesis examines the levels of cultural, personal, and academic adjustment of Muslim students in Korea, the main problems that they face, and recommends what can be done by educational institutions to facilitate this process. The study contains the theoretical background on Muslim students sojourn and its components including the U-curve theory, role of social contacts and training programs. The relationships found in this work showed the complexity of the issue. Some of the theoretical propositions were supported by the results of the survey and some were not. The U-curve pattern of adjustment was observed only for levels of depression, loneliness, and homesickness experienced by the students. Level of satisfaction with sojourn, frequency of problems and difficulties, and opinion concerning local people did not strictly follow the U-curve but did adjustment to make it more successful. The paper commences with the discussion of the theoretical background of the problem. This includes the notion of adjustment shock, its origins and stages, as well as cultural, personal, and academic aspects of this process. Then it examines how these issues can be applied in the present research. Research methodology is described in Chapter IV and the findings in Chapter V. The work proceeds with the analysis of whether the results of the conducted survey are congruent with the theoretical propositions. Chapter VI contains policy recommendations on how educational institutions can facilitate the process of adjustment of foreign students. The conclusion summarizes the findings and suggests directions for future research