Title: Universal-diverse orientation of business, education, and social work students in a north-eastern comprehensive university

Authors: Hermeet K. Kohli; Flynn Ross; Amarpreet S. Kohli; Cheng Peng

Addresses: School of Social Work, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04104, USA ' Teacher Education Department, School of Education, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04104, USA ' School of Business, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04104, USA ' Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME 04104, USA

Abstract: Purpose of this interdisciplinary research was to measure the level of multicultural awareness, sensitivity to and understanding of difference, and intercultural competence when working in diverse environments in the undergraduate and graduate Business, Education and Human Development, and Social Work students using the Universal-Diverse Orientation (UDO) (MGUDS-S survey). Convenient purposive sampling was utilised to invite students enrolled in these three schools to participate in web-based descriptive survey research. Students in Social Work had the greatest UDO, followed by students in Education and Human Development, and the Business students. Interdisciplinary differences in context of variables, such as degree, number of prior diversity courses, exposure to diverse cultures, gender, spirituality, and political affiliation, are discussed, along with recommendations for education and practice.

Keywords: business education; multicultural awareness; intercultural competence; sensitivity to difference; diversity curriculum; human development; graduates; interdisciplinary differences; UDO; universal-diverse orientation; undergraduates; higher education; social work students; USA; United States; cultural diversity; gender; spirituality; political affiliation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2016.075554

International Journal of Management in Education, 2016 Vol.10 No.2, pp.111 - 130

Received: 19 Aug 2014
Accepted: 24 May 2015
Published online: 28 Mar 2016 *

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