The Effects of Academic Programs and Institutional Characteristics on Postgraduate Civic Engagement Behavior

While monetary benefits from higher education are extensive, there appears to be an absence of empirical evidence on how higher education contributes to civic engagement behavior after college. This study investigated the relationship between college characteristics of students completing a bachelor’s degree, such as academic programs and types of institutions, and their postgraduate civic engagement behavior. Coupled with hierarchical linear modeling, a sample of 2,443 college graduates drawn from a national database was used in this study. After controlling for collegiate volunteer behavior and other student demographic characteristics, study results suggest that students’ academic programs were found to significantly impact civic engagement after college.