Emotional intelligence, learning style, and academic performance of graduate students in professional schools of public administration

Empirical research has produced evidence suggesting that the ability to assess, regulate, and utilize emotions (i.e., emotional intelligence) is important to effective worker performance. Yet, few graduate professional program curriculums adequately address the emotional and interpersonal skills that prospective employers most want in their employees and/or practitioners find most useful in their work. The results from this study showed that these emotional capacities can be enhanced in the traditional graduate classroom. Furthermore, findings revealed a strong relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance. This finding suggests the need for educators in professional education to explore the role of emotional intelligence in the classroom.; This exploratory study addressed the relationship of three key variables in the graduate student learning process: emotional intelligence, learning style preference, and academic performance. The study comprised a sample (N = 150) of graduate professional students enrolled in a core management class in a representative school of public administration. Students in a section of a course that included an emotional intelligence component gained more in emotional intelligence than students in traditionally-taught sections. Although findings revealed positive relationships between initial and ending levels of emotional intelligence and academic performance, improvement in emotional intelligence was not a predictor of student academic success.; The evidence from this research was not sufficiently conclusive to confirm expected relationships between emotional intelligence and learning style preference. Pretest results revealed positive correlations between the Intrapersonal and General Mood composite scales of emotional intelligence and the learning style dimension of Active Experimentation. Pretest findings also revealed negative correlations between the Intrapersonal composite scale and the learning style dimension of Reflective Observation. Pretest results suggest that students who are more aware of their feelings (Intrapersonal-Emotional Self-Awareness), are able to express their feelings (Intrapersonal-Assertiveness), and are self-satisfied (Intrapersonal-Self Regard and General Mood-Happiness) prefer to learn by doing (Active Experimentation) rather than observing (Reflective Observation). Further studies should explore the concepts of emotional intelligence and learning style using multiple instruments to measure each construct and over a longer period of time.