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Abstract
The three studies that comprise this dissertation examine the role of study abroad within a stratified U.S. higher education system, testing theoretical propositions related to both institutions and the students that attend them. These studies speak to the following two theoretical propositions concerning study abroad participation among institutions of higher education:P1: At the institution level, study abroad is most likely among students attending institutions with greater access to resources, such as human and financial resources, that is, already-prestigious institutions.P2: At the institution level, study abroad is most likely among students attending institutions that are striving for greater access to resources and prestige and as such will be correlated with other indicators of striving.Among students attending higher education institutions, these studies explore the following proposition:P3: At the student level, study abroad is most likely among students with greater individual access to resources, including economic, social, and cultural capitals.Results of the first study suggest that study abroad participation rates correlate with indicators of institutional striving, such as higher admissions rates, rather than indicators of prestige, such as higher amounts of grant funding. The second study indicates that students attending research institutions are less likely to study abroad compared to their non-research counterparts, offering additional evidence in favor of study abroad as an activity related to institutional striving. Among students, results of both the second and third studies indicate that, even among students enrolled at a community college, those most likely to participate in education abroad activities demonstrate higher levels of resources including not only financial capital, but also social and cultural capitals. Moreover, results of the second study indicate that students attending research-focused institutions likely have access to a wider variety of higher quality study abroad opportunities compare to those attending non-research institutions. The last chapter of this dissertation discusses the implications of these findings for theory, policy, practice, and future research.