2009 National Survey of Student Engagement
North Carolina State University
Seniors 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	44.6%	48.7%	51.2%	50.4%	54.5%	33.6%	38.1%	46.2%	47.2%
Quite a bit	37.2%	38.5%	38.2%	36.4%	31.8%	37.7%	33.3%	46.2%	40.6%
Some	14.9%	10.3%	8.9%	13.2%	9.1%	22.0%	23.8%	7.7%	8.5%
Very little	3.3%	2.6%	1.6%		4.5%	6.7%	4.8%		3.8%
Total (N)	916	78	123	129	22	223	42	13	106

Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	42.4%	26.9%	35.8%	48.8%	73.9%	48.9%	38.1%	53.8%	29.2%
Quite a bit	33.7%	39.7%	43.9%	32.6%	21.7%	31.4%	31.0%	23.1%	34.9%
Some	19.7%	28.2%	17.9%	16.3%	4.3%	17.0%	26.2%	23.1%	25.5%
Very little	4.2%	5.1%	2.4%	2.3%		2.7%	4.8%		10.4%
Total (N)	918	78	123	129	23	223	42	13	106

Writing clearly and effectively	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	33.0%	57.7%	30.1%	34.1%	52.2%	22.5%	31.0%	23.1%	41.0%
Quite a bit	40.4%	25.6%	39.8%	45.0%	39.1%	41.4%	31.0%	38.5%	41.9%
Some	22.2%	14.1%	27.6%	16.3%		29.7%	31.0%	30.8%	14.3%
Very little	4.4%	2.6%	2.4%	4.7%	8.7%	6.3%	7.1%	7.7%	2.9%
Total (N)	915	78	123	129	23	222	42	13	105

Speaking clearly and effectively	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	30.3%	34.6%	29.3%	37.2%	43.5%	23.1%	26.8%	23.1%	28.8%
Quite a bit	38.8%	43.6%	39.0%	38.8%	39.1%	38.0%	26.8%	38.5%	43.3%
Some	25.0%	19.2%	26.8%	20.9%	17.4%	30.8%	31.7%	30.8%	20.2%
Very little	5.8%	2.6%	4.9%	3.1%		8.1%	14.6%	7.7%	7.7%
Total (N)	912	78	123	129	23	221	41	13	104

Thinking critically and analytically	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	54.4%	51.3%	49.6%	51.2%	82.6%	60.5%	69.0%	58.3%	52.4%
Quite a bit	35.5%	42.3%	38.2%	39.5%	8.7%	29.6%	21.4%	33.3%	36.2%
Some	7.9%	3.8%	12.2%	7.8%	8.7%	6.3%	7.1%	8.3%	8.6%
Very little	2.2%	2.6%		1.6%		3.6%	2.4%		2.9%
Total (N)	915	78	123	129	23	223	42	12	105

Analyzing quantitative problems	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	46.3%	22.1%	41.8%	36.7%	43.5%	70.6%	71.4%	30.8%	26.0%
Quite a bit	35.5%	35.1%	41.8%	50.8%	34.8%	23.9%	19.0%	38.5%	40.4%
Some	15.3%	35.1%	15.6%	9.4%	13.0%	4.6%	9.5%	30.8%	27.9%
Very little	3.0%	7.8%	0.8%	3.1%	8.7%	0.9%			5.8%
Total (N)	908	77	122	128	23	218	42	13	104

Using computing and information technology	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	54.3%	33.8%	55.3%	50.8%	60.9%	64.6%	69.0%	69.2%	40.6%
Quite a bit	31.4%	36.4%	26.0%	39.8%	26.1%	27.4%	19.0%	23.1%	40.6%
Some	12.3%	26.0%	18.7%	9.4%	13.0%	7.2%	7.1%	7.7%	12.3%
Very little	2.1%	3.9%				0.9%	4.8%		6.6%
Total (N)	914	77	123	128	23	223	42	13	106

Working effectively with others	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	46.9%	34.6%	43.1%	54.3%	73.9%	50.7%	40.5%	69.2%	40.6%
Quite a bit	37.4%	43.6%	39.8%	33.3%	26.1%	36.8%	35.7%	23.1%	41.5%
Some	12.9%	15.4%	16.3%	11.6%		9.4%	19.0%	7.7%	13.2%
Very little	2.7%	6.4%	0.8%	0.8%		3.1%	4.8%		4.7%
Total (N)	918	78	123	129	23	223	42	13	106

Voting in local, state, or national elections	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	19.3%	27.3%	22.1%	24.0%	36.4%	8.8%	2.4%	15.4%	38.1%
Quite a bit	24.3%	15.6%	33.6%	28.7%	13.6%	20.4%	14.3%	23.1%	28.6%
Some	29.7%	32.5%	22.1%	24.8%	31.8%	31.4%	52.4%	38.5%	21.9%
Very little	26.8%	24.7%	22.1%	22.5%	18.2%	39.4%	31.0%	23.1%	11.4%
Total (N)	909	77	122	129	22	226	42	13	105

Learning effectively on your own	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	38.6%	37.2%	47.1%	36.7%	59.1%	34.7%	34.9%	53.8%	47.6%
Quite a bit	38.7%	34.6%	35.5%	39.8%	31.8%	40.9%	37.2%	30.8%	32.4%
Some	18.0%	23.1%	13.2%	18.8%		19.1%	23.3%	7.7%	16.2%
Very little	4.7%	5.1%	4.1%	4.7%	9.1%	5.3%	4.7%	7.7%	3.8%
Total (N)	908	78	121	128	22	225	43	13	105

Understanding yourself	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	30.4%	35.5%	32.8%	36.4%	68.2%	23.5%	19.0%	46.2%	40.0%
Quite a bit	33.2%	27.6%	32.8%	27.1%	13.6%	30.5%	38.1%	38.5%	31.4%
Some	23.7%	26.3%	25.4%	24.8%	9.1%	27.0%	28.6%		19.0%
Very little	12.7%	10.5%	9.0%	11.6%	9.1%	19.0%	14.3%	15.4%	9.5%
Total (N)	907	76	122	129	22	226	42	13	105

Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	19.1%	21.8%	20.0%	26.4%	45.5%	12.0%	7.0%	33.3%	32.4%
Quite a bit	32.9%	33.3%	35.8%	34.9%	31.8%	28.4%	32.6%	25.0%	32.4%
Some	34.1%	32.1%	34.2%	27.9%	22.7%	38.2%	44.2%	25.0%	26.7%
Very little	13.9%	12.8%	10.0%	10.9%		21.3%	16.3%	16.7%	8.6%
Total (N)	908	78	120	129	22	225	43	12	105

Solving complex real-world problems	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	31.5%	14.1%	23.8%	35.9%	45.5%	38.1%	30.2%	53.8%	27.9%
Quite a bit	38.5%	38.5%	43.4%	42.2%	36.4%	36.7%	34.9%	38.5%	36.5%
Some	23.8%	42.3%	24.6%	14.1%	9.1%	19.5%	27.9%		27.9%
Very little	6.2%	5.1%	8.2%	7.8%	9.1%	5.8%	7.0%	7.7%	7.7%
Total (N)	909	78	122	128	22	226	43	13	104

Developing a personal code of values and ethics	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	22.2%	23.1%	23.0%	28.3%	45.5%	17.9%	9.3%	30.8%	24.0%
Quite a bit	32.3%	28.2%	35.2%	37.0%	36.4%	30.0%	34.9%	23.1%	35.6%
Some	28.1%	25.6%	27.0%	22.8%	13.6%	30.5%	37.2%	30.8%	26.9%
Very little	17.4%	23.1%	14.8%	11.8%	4.5%	21.5%	18.6%	15.4%	13.5%
Total (N)	905	78	122	127	22	223	43	13	104

Contributing to the welfare of your community	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	18.3%	20.5%	21.5%	20.9%	40.9%	12.4%	4.7%	30.8%	28.6%
Quite a bit	28.7%	25.6%	33.9%	29.5%	36.4%	24.8%	27.9%	15.4%	27.6%
Some	34.3%	37.2%	28.9%	31.8%	9.1%	38.9%	51.2%	38.5%	32.4%
Very little	18.7%	16.7%	15.7%	17.8%	13.6%	23.9%	16.3%	15.4%	11.4%
Total (N)	909	78	121	129	22	226	43	13	105

Developing a deepened sense of spirituality	NCSU1	Arts	Biological Sciences	Business	Education	Engineering	Physical Sciences	Professional	Social Sciences
Very much	8.8%	5.1%	8.3%	17.1%	22.7%	6.6%	4.7%	7.7%	10.5%
Quite a bit	12.8%	16.7%	11.6%	14.0%	18.2%	11.5%	4.7%		11.4%
Some	23.6%	25.6%	20.7%	24.0%	13.6%	21.7%	27.9%	46.2%	24.8%
Very little	54.8%	52.6%	59.5%	45.0%	45.5%	60.2%	62.8%	46.2%	53.3%
Total (N)	910	78	121	129	22	226	43	13	105

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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.

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