Study Choice, Gender and Ethnicity

This study aims to explore ethnic differences in gender specific study choice patterns. The central research question is: to what extent do ethnic minorities present different gender-specific choice patterns in mathematics, science and technology (MST) and what are the reasons for such differences?

The study is based on the premise that pupils with non-western ethnic backgrounds differ in their evaluation of MST-studies from pupils with native ethnic backgrounds as a result of the difference in cultural values. To explore this premise, we first examined the effects of gender, ethnicity and grade averages on school profile choices of 265 pupils in higher secondary education in two schools in the Netherlands. This was followed by semi-structured interviews with 45 individual pupils about their choices.

In our sample 59% of male and 42% of female pupils have chosen a MST-profile, of which 39% of both male and female pupils have chosen this profile in combination with a Health-profile. Moreover, the combined grade average for mathematics, physics and chemistry is shown to have the strongest effect on a positive choice for a MST-profile. Gender also has a significant effect, even after controlling for the combined grade average. Ethnicity however does not.  

The interviews reveal that female pupils who choose a MST-profile often did so because of interest in a health related career. The high share of pupils  and in particular female pupils with a MST-profile is partially also explained by the wish to keep options open for future educational choices since a MST-profile grants access to almost all fields of study in tertiary higher education. Ethnic background, despite not being significant, is thought to serve as a proxy for social class since pupils with non-western backgrounds have smaller social networks than pupils with native backgrounds through which they can acquire information about choices.