Wybór kierunku studiów – mechanizm segregacji
Sex segregation in the choice of field of study in higher education

Summary/Abstract: The paper examines the level and the sources of gender segregation in the choice of the field of study in higher education in Poland. To explain the differences in men’s and women’s choices of higher education fields of study, the analysis uses socialisation and rational choice theories. The results obtained with data from the survey Social and economic determinants of higher education choices among people aged 19–30 show that women are more likely than men to choose education, health and welfare, as well as the arts and humanities; men in turn dominate in technical fields – particularly in information and communication technologies, engineering, manufacturing and construction. The results obtained from the estimation of the multinomial logit model reveal that in line with the theoretical predictions, the choice of the field of study with respect to segregation level is determined both by the level and the field of parents’ education, as well as individual education achievements.

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