International Students in Undergraduate Electrical and Information Engineering Programs in the USA

This research quantitatively analyzes undergraduate EEIE majors (Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science). Metrics used are major at university entrance, major at graduation, six-year graduation rate, and stickiness. We examine the data by origin (domestic or international), sex (female or male), and EEIE discipline. Analyses show that males enroll in EEIE disciplines in greater numbers than females, particularly higher for international students. International students graduate at higher rates in EEIE than domestic students by 14.5%. Both female and male international students have much higher stickiness than female and male domestic students. Graduation rates and stickiness are higher in Electrical Engineering than in Computer Engineering or Computer Science. These insights suggest that international students can be included in U.S. classrooms, enriching their educational experience and that of domestic students, while remaining confident that their experience is likely to result in positive academic outcomes.