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Major Selection as Iteration: Observing Gendered Patterns of Major Selection under Elective Curriculums

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Title: Major Selection as Iteration: Observing Gendered Patterns of Major Selection under Elective Curriculums
Language: English
Authors: Tobias Dalberg (ORCID 0000-0002-0438-7463), Kalena E. Cortes, Mitchell L. Stevens
Source: AERA Open. 2024 10(1).
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Majors (Students), Decision Making, Gender Differences, Course Selection (Students), Elective Courses, Research Universities, Human Capital
ISSN: 2332-8584
Abstract: Social scientists have long recognized field of study as an important mechanism of gender differentiation and stratification in U.S. higher education, but they have rarely attended to how elective curriculums mediate gender differentiation in major selection. Under elective curriculums, major selection is an iterative process, in which students select courses in stepwise fashion at the beginning of each academic term, and are able to change majors early in their undergraduate careers. We observe how an elective curriculum mediates gendered patterns of major selection, using a novel data set describing 11,730 students at a large public research university. We find (a) gender and intended major are strongly correlated upon college entry; (b) large proportions of students change majors between entry and declaration; (c) because most changes are to academically adjacent fields, gendered patterns in field of study persist through the undergraduate career. Findings suggest the value of an iterative conception of major selection and offer tractable means for intervening in the process through which students select majors.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://doi.org/10.3886/E198821V1
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1455360
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Major Selection as Iteration: Observing Gendered Patterns of Major Selection under Elective Curriculums
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tobias+Dalberg%22">Tobias Dalberg</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0438-7463">0000-0002-0438-7463</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kalena+E%2E+Cortes%22">Kalena E. Cortes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mitchell+L%2E+Stevens%22">Mitchell L. Stevens</searchLink>
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  Data: Social scientists have long recognized field of study as an important mechanism of gender differentiation and stratification in U.S. higher education, but they have rarely attended to how elective curriculums mediate gender differentiation in major selection. Under elective curriculums, major selection is an iterative process, in which students select courses in stepwise fashion at the beginning of each academic term, and are able to change majors early in their undergraduate careers. We observe how an elective curriculum mediates gendered patterns of major selection, using a novel data set describing 11,730 students at a large public research university. We find (a) gender and intended major are strongly correlated upon college entry; (b) large proportions of students change majors between entry and declaration; (c) because most changes are to academically adjacent fields, gendered patterns in field of study persist through the undergraduate career. Findings suggest the value of an iterative conception of major selection and offer tractable means for intervening in the process through which students select majors.
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Majors (Students)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Decision Making
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Course Selection (Students)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elective Courses
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      – SubjectFull: Research Universities
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      – SubjectFull: Human Capital
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      – TitleFull: Major Selection as Iteration: Observing Gendered Patterns of Major Selection under Elective Curriculums
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            NameFull: Kalena E. Cortes
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            NameFull: Mitchell L. Stevens
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