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Learning English as a second language is a key factor to promote globalization, because the language has spread widely. Furthermore, learning English vocabulary for the fast-paced global business environment is highly dependent on the imagined future of a business major; he or she must imagine in what context the business career will take place: what sphere of activity will be involved, in which scenarios of language usage, and what lexical items will be needed. Vocabulary learning has long been characterized by the use of decontextualized vocabulary academic word lists. As an alternative, this project researches the use of an integrated language thematic mode--the theme being business communication-with a focus on incorporating various linguistics aspects of learning English. This research will emphasize the integrated linguistics approach to the acquisition of academic vocabulary. Additionally, the project explores the use of an individual’s imagined community in setting vocabulary goals and second-language-acquisition strategies. The study took place at the English Language Program and College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) at California State University, San Bernardino in the spring of 2016. International students were asked to participate in a survey; an interview questionnaire was designed to discover the students’ preferences strategies and in learning English with respect to their future career. The results varied based on students’ backgrounds, their specific majors, and their personalities and preferred ways of learning.

This Study examined issues related to persistence in higher education among African American students, using the prominent model proposed by Vincent Tinto. The intentions were to examine the growing gender gap among African American students. The study examines factors from the Tinto model such as high school GPA, College GPA, college social integration and academic integration to try and explain the effects of gender among African American students. This research also attempts to elaborate the Tinto model by considering high school extracurricular activities as a pre-entry attribute that has an effect on persistence in higher education. Use of the Tinto model, even in an elaborated state, did not explain the effects of gender among African American students. This research suggests that other factors not included in the model have some effect on student persistence; one such factor could be gender socialization which can lead to different patterns in educational achievement.