Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
First Advisor
Sikapokoo, Grace
Degree Name
M.A. (Master of Arts)
Legacy Department
Department of Communication
Abstract
This thesis explores how Generation Z college students at Northern Illinois University (NIU) understand, negotiate, and express academic expectations and experiences, particularly concerning their sense of academic entitlement. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 20 full-time undergraduate students across diverse academic disciplines, this qualitative study employed Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis approach to identify patterns in students’ perspectives on grades, effort, and faculty relationships. The findings reveal detailed tensions between students’ desire for recognition of effort and their awareness of institutional standards of academic merit. Participants shared insights into classroom interactions, grading policies, use of campus resources, and the emotional labor involved in managing academic disappointment. This study contributes to ongoing conversations in instructional communication and higher education policy by providing a deeper understanding of how Gen Z students define success, fairness, and engagement in an evolving academic environment.
Recommended Citation
Mawusi, Clinton Stephen, "Academic Entitlement: Why Gen Z Students Believe They Deserve Good Grades for Academic Success Regardless of their Performance" (2025). Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations. 8124.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-thesesdissertations/8124
Extent
74 pages
Language
en
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.
Media Type
Text
