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Gender and Graduate School: Engineering Students Confront Life after the B. Eng.
Author(s) -
Baker Sarah,
Tancred Peta,
Whitesides Sue
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of engineering education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.896
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 2168-9830
pISSN - 1069-4730
DOI - 10.1002/j.2168-9830.2002.tb00671.x
Subject(s) - graduate students , plan (archaeology) , exploratory research , work (physics) , medical education , psychology , engineering education , gerontology , pedagogy , engineering , sociology , medicine , engineering management , social science , mechanical engineering , archaeology , history
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.