Citation
Amelink, C., & Creamer, E. (2010). Gender differences in elements of the undergraduate experience that influence satisfaction with the engineering major and the intent to pursue engineering as a career. Journal of Engineering Education, 99(1), 81-92.
Highlights
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- The authors investigated aspects of the undergraduate college environment associated with satisfaction with engineering as a major and students’ intent to pursue a career in engineering in the next 10 years, emphasizing gender differences.
- The authors designed a comprehensive survey comprising sections on demographic information, factors affecting career choice, self-reported scientific ability, classroom experience, academic community, curricular and extracurricular engagement, and family and academic background. Participating institutions administered the survey to undergraduate engineering majors. After collecting the data, the authors examined correlations between a set of student, faculty, and general factors and satisfaction with the decision to major in engineering or intent to work as an engineer in 10 years.
- Although male and female students were equally likely to express satisfaction with their decision to major in engineering, significantly and substantially fewer female students expected to work in an engineering career in 10 years than male students.
- Similar factors were associated with male and female students’ intent to pursue a career in engineering. Perceptions of faculty engagement with students struck a notable contrast; higher levels of agreement with the statement “in general, engineering professors care about student learning” were significantly and positively correlated with female students’ interest in long-term engineering careers, but the correlation with male students’ career intent was not significant.
Reviewed by CLEAR
February 2016