2009 National Survey of Student Engagement
North Carolina State University
First-Year Students by Discipline
Frequency Distributions (Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Development Items)

Acquiring a broad general education	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	39.9%	54.5%	42.4%	48.7%	47.7%	34.4%	45.2%	42.1%	45.6%
Quite a bit	45.1%	36.4%	43.2%	39.8%	36.4%	48.9%	33.3%	36.8%	43.0%
Some	13.5%	6.8%	13.6%	11.5%	15.9%	14.1%	21.4%	21.1%	10.5%
Very little	1.5%	2.3%	0.8%			2.5%			0.9%
Total (N)	995	44	125	113	44	276	42	19	114

Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	29.5%	25.6%	27.2%	29.2%	25.0%	34.3%	28.6%	31.6%	21.1%
Quite a bit	40.7%	34.9%	32.8%	49.6%	47.7%	38.3%	38.1%	31.6%	50.0%
Some	24.2%	34.9%	32.0%	16.8%	22.7%	23.1%	23.8%	26.3%	22.8%
Very little	5.6%	4.7%	8.0%	4.4%	4.5%	4.3%	9.5%	10.5%	6.1%
Total (N)	994	43	125	113	44	277	42	19	114

Writing clearly and effectively	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	30.7%	34.1%	36.0%	34.5%	43.2%	24.3%	38.1%	47.4%	44.2%
Quite a bit	42.6%	43.2%	40.0%	47.8%	38.6%	41.7%	40.5%	21.1%	34.5%
Some	23.2%	20.5%	21.6%	17.7%	18.2%	28.3%	21.4%	21.1%	17.7%
Very little	3.5%	2.3%	2.4%			5.8%		10.5%	3.5%
Total (N)	993	44	125	113	44	276	42	19	113

Speaking clearly and effectively	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	23.0%	27.3%	25.6%	28.6%	31.8%	17.1%	28.6%	31.6%	30.1%
Quite a bit	37.6%	29.5%	43.2%	47.3%	40.9%	36.7%	26.2%	15.8%	36.3%
Some	30.7%	29.5%	23.2%	21.4%	22.7%	33.1%	33.3%	42.1%	28.3%
Very little	8.8%	13.6%	8.0%	2.7%	4.5%	13.1%	11.9%	10.5%	5.3%
Total (N)	991	44	125	112	44	275	42	19	113

Thinking critically and analytically	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	46.4%	60.5%	47.5%	44.2%	43.2%	49.5%	57.1%	68.4%	47.4%
Quite a bit	39.8%	27.9%	40.2%	42.5%	36.4%	37.8%	35.7%	21.1%	42.1%
Some	12.4%	9.3%	11.5%	13.3%	20.5%	9.5%	7.1%	10.5%	10.5%
Very little	1.4%	2.3%	0.8%			3.3%
Total (N)	989	43	122	113	44	275	42	19	114

Analyzing quantitative problems	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	41.2%	29.5%	40.3%	37.2%	36.4%	54.0%	57.1%	36.8%	30.1%
Quite a bit	40.2%	38.6%	45.2%	42.5%	29.5%	36.6%	35.7%	36.8%	39.8%
Some	16.8%	27.3%	13.7%	19.5%	31.8%	8.3%	7.1%	15.8%	28.3%
Very little	1.8%	4.5%	0.8%	0.9%	2.3%	1.1%		10.5%	1.8%
Total (N)	992	44	124	113	44	276	42	19	113

Using computing and information technology	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	48.9%	34.1%	46.4%	47.3%	52.3%	58.8%	59.5%	52.6%	41.2%
Quite a bit	33.4%	34.1%	36.0%	36.6%	29.5%	32.5%	16.7%	15.8%	33.3%
Some	15.8%	22.7%	16.8%	14.3%	18.2%	7.3%	21.4%	26.3%	23.7%
Very little	1.9%	9.1%	0.8%	1.8%		1.5%	2.4%	5.3%	1.8%
Total (N)	992	44	125	112	44	274	42	19	114

Working effectively with others	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	33.8%	36.4%	34.4%	39.8%	36.4%	35.5%	33.3%	47.4%	33.6%
Quite a bit	43.7%	36.4%	42.4%	41.6%	45.5%	46.7%	42.9%	42.1%	42.5%
Some	19.5%	20.5%	18.4%	15.0%	13.6%	16.3%	19.0%	10.5%	22.1%
Very little	3.0%	6.8%	4.8%	3.5%	4.5%	1.4%	4.8%		1.8%
Total (N)	994	44	125	113	44	276	42	19	113

Voting in local, state, or national elections	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	28.5%	34.1%	28.8%	41.6%	48.8%	21.1%	28.6%	26.3%	43.0%
Quite a bit	30.3%	31.8%	29.6%	34.5%	23.3%	31.3%	19.0%	26.3%	27.2%
Some	28.6%	18.2%	30.4%	19.5%	20.9%	29.8%	33.3%	31.6%	24.6%
Very little	12.7%	15.9%	11.2%	4.4%	7.0%	17.8%	19.0%	15.8%	5.3%
Total (N)	981	44	125	113	43	275	42	19	114

Learning effectively on your own	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	35.4%	43.2%	37.6%	42.0%	45.5%	35.3%	35.7%	47.4%	33.3%
Quite a bit	43.9%	36.4%	48.0%	36.6%	38.6%	46.9%	38.1%	36.8%	44.7%
Some	17.2%	15.9%	12.0%	17.9%	15.9%	13.5%	23.8%	15.8%	17.5%
Very little	3.5%	4.5%	2.4%	3.6%		4.4%	2.4%		4.4%
Total (N)	982	44	125	112	44	275	42	19	114

Understanding yourself	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	29.5%	36.4%	33.6%	39.8%	43.2%	24.1%	26.8%	31.6%	29.5%
Quite a bit	36.8%	29.5%	41.0%	35.4%	34.1%	36.9%	31.7%	42.1%	41.1%
Some	24.9%	25.0%	18.9%	19.5%	15.9%	29.2%	24.4%	26.3%	22.3%
Very little	8.8%	9.1%	6.6%	5.3%	6.8%	9.9%	17.1%		7.1%
Total (N)	976	44	122	113	44	274	41	19	112

Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	22.6%	29.5%	29.0%	29.2%	36.4%	16.4%	21.4%	26.3%	31.0%
Quite a bit	36.6%	27.3%	41.1%	40.7%	31.8%	36.9%	31.0%	26.3%	34.5%
Some	31.9%	38.6%	26.6%	27.4%	27.3%	32.5%	38.1%	36.8%	28.3%
Very little	8.9%	4.5%	3.2%	2.7%	4.5%	14.2%	9.5%	10.5%	6.2%
Total (N)	979	44	124	113	44	274	42	19	113

Solving complex real-world problems	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	27.0%	27.9%	22.4%	28.6%	27.3%	31.3%	28.6%	36.8%	28.1%
Quite a bit	37.9%	32.6%	44.0%	38.4%	36.4%	40.1%	23.8%	26.3%	33.3%
Some	29.6%	37.2%	27.2%	30.4%	31.8%	23.9%	47.6%	26.3%	30.7%
Very little	5.6%	2.3%	6.4%	2.7%	4.5%	4.8%		10.5%	7.9%
Total (N)	977	43	125	112	44	272	42	19	114

Developing a personal code of values and ethics	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	24.5%	27.3%	27.2%	39.3%	27.3%	19.0%	26.8%	36.8%	27.2%
Quite a bit	34.7%	29.5%	37.6%	33.0%	40.9%	35.2%	22.0%	26.3%	33.3%
Some	29.7%	31.8%	30.4%	25.0%	25.0%	30.0%	31.7%	31.6%	30.7%
Very little	11.2%	11.4%	4.8%	2.7%	6.8%	15.8%	19.5%	5.3%	8.8%
Total (N)	978	44	125	112	44	273	41	19	114

Contributing to the welfare of your community	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	20.3%	22.7%	21.8%	27.4%	25.0%	16.4%	23.8%	36.8%	23.9%
Quite a bit	31.6%	34.1%	32.3%	37.2%	34.1%	32.0%	26.2%	21.1%	31.9%
Some	36.2%	29.5%	37.9%	26.5%	36.4%	38.2%	35.7%	36.8%	31.9%
Very little	11.9%	13.6%	8.1%	8.8%	4.5%	13.5%	14.3%	5.3%	12.4%
Total (N)	979	44	124	113	44	275	42	19	113

Developing a deepened sense of spirituality	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	13.3%	25.0%	14.4%	17.7%	22.7%	7.7%	16.7%	21.1%	18.6%
Quite a bit	20.0%	2.3%	12.8%	27.4%	27.3%	22.6%	16.7%	5.3%	19.5%
Some	30.1%	27.3%	38.4%	29.2%	29.5%	28.5%	19.0%	31.6%	29.2%
Very little	36.5%	45.5%	34.4%	25.7%	20.5%	41.2%	47.6%	42.1%	32.7%
Total (N)	980	44	125	113	44	274	42	19	113

Return to Mean Ratings
Back to Top

Endnote:
1. "NCSU" results include a small number of students whose major did not fall into one of the eight fields or who did not indicate a major.

Download a Microsoft Word Version of this report.

Return to 2009 National Survey of Student Engagement Table of Contents Page

Return to OIRP Survey Page

Return to OIRP Home Page