Gender and graduate school: Engineering students confront life after the B. Eng.

Journal of Engineering Education, Jan 2002 by Baker, Sarah, Tancred, Peta, Whitesides, Sue

ABSTRACT

In an exploratory questionnaire study at McGill University, we examine the reasons given by top women and men engineering students for deciding whether or not to continue their studies. Women are significantly less likely than men to plan on graduate school; they encounter hurdles such as limited personalized information, difficulties in obtaining reference letters, a low level of encouragement, and the discomfort of the engineering academic environment. We conclude with seven specific recommendations designed to encourage women, in particular, and also men to pursue graduate work.

I. INTRODUCTION*

In the final year of undergraduate studies, academically strong engineering students decide whether to continue for an advanced degree, enter the job market, or combine work with study. How they make this decision has become a vital issue. One major concern is that there will not be enough highly-trained engineering professionals to meet the demands of business and higher education in a competitive global economy (see, for example, reference 1, although reference 2, p. 36, expresses some disagreement with this view).

the renewal of the engineering professoriate requires that some top engineering students, both women and men, pursue graduate studies. The presence of women is particularly important, not only to widen viewpoints, but also to provide professional role models to attract women into engineering, including its professoriate.

Despite a growing literature on women in engineering, we found minimal research directed towards explaining why women (and men) engineering undergraduates do, or do not, plan to attend graduate school. Much existing work (e.g., [6-8]) neglects gender differences, thus masking any means of encouraging women, in particular, to pursue graduate work. Other studies (e.g., [9-15]) address a variety of related topics, but fail to uncover how women might be encouraged into graduate school. Our goal here is not to address the general engineering undergraduate climate and culture, but rather, the specific concerns of the academically strongest students, both men and women, about applying to graduate school.

We mention two papers that focus on the reasons women and/or men decide to pursue graduate studies. Widnall's presidential address to the AAAS reflects on a "leaky pipeline" and suggests a lack of self-confidence, family concerns, and lack of female role models as possible reasons for qualified women not choosing to continue to graduate school [16]. A study of chemical engineering students partially supports Widnall's suggestions, reporting that a much higher proportion of the men (54 percent) in its sample than of the women (18 percent) planned to attend graduate school. This is due, it suggests, to a loss of academic self-confidence on the part of the women as their studies progress [17].

A second problem embedded in the literature is the tendency to conflate a variety of fields of study under the headings of "science" or "science and engineering." One work defines both of these terms as usually including "the natural and social sciences, mathematics and engineering" [18]. Indeed, some studies (e.g., [19-20]) include just such a range of scientists. We find it extremely difficult to believe that such a wide gamut of disciplines can be researched under one rubric with profit, as dear-cut differences emerge when the sponge rubric is broken down into components.* In particular, if one is interested in gender issues-as we are-the gender context of various disciplines becomes an important factor and, obviously, this differs widely, for example, between the social sciences and engineering.

to write open-ended comments; thus, we have both quantitative and qualitative data. We deliberately chose to survey precisely those students whose grade point averages would make them likely candidates for graduate school admission.

We recognize that many aspects of an undergraduate's experience are highly dependent on the school the student attends and, indeed, on the students department within engineering. Nevertheless, data from one university can suggest some key general issues.

II. THE GENDERED ROAD TO GRADUATE SCHOOL

the engineering school environment, and 7) a higher proportion of them have considered leaving engineering.

To elaborate on these points, both women and men rate "pull" factors quite highly, such as the utility of graduate studies in obtaining either a better job or salary, or in relocating, and intrinsic motivation; the women, however, are more drawn towards graduate studies for intrinsically motivating reasons (the highest rating accorded any factor by either group), whereas the men are more interested in the utility of such a program (Table 1).

The results with respect to intrinsic motivation are particularly interesting. A wide-ranging recent literature review emphasizes that negative feedback diminishes intrinsic motivation [22]. It appears that such discouragement is less significant for those who are motivated by external factors, such as either a good job or salary. In this context, while intrinsic motivation might contribute to women's academic success, it may at the same time make women particularly vulnerable to discouraging feedback.*