An American in Oslo : the motivations which lead American university students to study abroad in Norway

Abstract

The main objective of this thesis is to discover the motivations that lead American students to study abroad in Norway, but it also hopes to shed light on the importance of cross-cultural understanding and awareness in today’s world, particularly for Americans. Seven Americans currently studying at the University of Oslo were interviewed and it was determined that the decision to go abroad and to choose a destination country is a complex process that involves many motivations and influences and can be affected by many barriers. Key theories are used to conceptualize these elements which make up the decision-making process. The most important motivations for studying abroad present in all of the participants’ responses are personal rather than professional. The most important motivations for choosing Norway mentioned by all participants are related to family heritage and discovering aspects of the Norwegian culture. These can be described as country-specific motivations. The benefits and implications of this type of study for both the United States and Norway are also discussed.