What influences students’ academic career choices?

Women are more likely than men to perceive systemic barriers including parenting and mobility issues that deter them from pursuing academic careers.

In comparison to men, women remain underrepresented in academic faculty positions. A recent study explored this issue by examining the impact of systemic barriers on women’s career choices.

Results from an online survey of graduate students showed that more men planned to pursue academic careers compared to women. There were no gender differences in the influence of factors such as research interests, competence or teaching on the students’ career choices. However, women are more influenced by plans for parenthood, and mobility which act as deterrents to joining the professoriate. This is despite the fact that there was no statistical difference between genders in the desire to become parents. The study thus supports the hypothesis that women opt out of academic careers due to their negative perceptions of structural barriers associated with parenthood. The authors recommend that institutions should develop and implement policies that address these systemic barriers and promote equity in the academic workplace.

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Study Details

Sample size(s): n=643 (only 458 included in analyses)

Participants: Graduate students (men and women) from University of Western Ontario

Design: Quantitative, survey

Reference:

van Anders, S. (2004). Why the Academic Pipeline Leaks: Fewer Men than Women Perceive Barriers to Becoming Professors. Sex Roles, 51(9–10), 511–521. DOI 10.1007/s11199–004–5461–9

Summarized by WinSights team members: Emily Ana Butler, Bianca Dreyer, Catherine Palm & Calandra Li