Home⇛Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives⇛vol. 4 no. 6 (2026)

Perceived Effectiveness of the Externship Program in the College of Arts and Sciences: Inputs for Program Enhancement

John Cliford M Alvero | Nestor Jr. D. Malatag | Keith Ayrand R Titular | Mark I. Aguba

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

Externship programs are integral to work-integrated learning in higher education, providing students with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in authentic professional contexts. Despite the growing prominence of work-integrated learning, there is limited empirical evidence on how students perceive the effectiveness of externships in liberal arts and sciences contexts. This study addressed that gap by assessing the perceived effectiveness of the College of Arts and Sciences externship program across five domains: learning outcomes and professional exposure, alignment with academic discipline, communication and interpersonal skills, career awareness and readiness, and adherence to institutional policies and professional standards. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, 86 student participants completed a researcher-developed questionnaire and provided qualitative accounts of their externship experiences. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, while thematic analysis examined qualitative responses; the findings were subsequently integrated to ensure convergence and complementarity. Results revealed that the externship program was perceived as highly effective across key domains, including learning outcomes and professional exposure (M = 3.49), alignment with academic discipline (M = 3.47), communication and interpersonal skills (M = 3.49), career awareness and readiness (M = 3.48), adherence to professional standards (M = 3.61), and overall effectiveness (M = 3.53). Inferential analysis indicated no significant differences in perceived effectiveness when respondents were grouped by program/discipline and year level, suggesting consistency in student experiences across academic contexts. Qualitative findings corroborated these results, emphasizing the externship as an authentic and transformative learning experience that enhanced professional competence, confidence, and career clarity, despite challenges related to limited duration and supervision.



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