Research report 134
RECRUITMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF
FEMALE AND MALE STUDENTS IN
SCIENCE
Julia Dain
(RR134)
We present comparative figures for the recruiunent of male and femaie students on university
degree courses in scientific disciplines in the United Kingdom and at the University of
Warwick. We also present comparative figures for the performance of male and female
science students at the Universitv of Warwick.
Department of Computer Science
University of Warwick
Coventry CV47AL
United Kinedom
December 1988
Recruitment and Performance of Female and Male Students in
Science
JuliaDain
Dept of Computer Science
University of Warwick
Covenbry
CV47AL
ABSTRACT
We present comparative figures for the iecnritment of maie
and
femaie students on university degee courses in scientific disciplines in the
United Kingdom and at the University of Warwick. We also present compa-rative figures for the performance of male and female science students
at the University of Warwick.
December 16.1988
Recruitment and Performance of Female and Male Students in
Science
JuliaDain
Dept of Computer Science
University of Warwick
Coventrv CV47AL
The tables in this report present comparative figures for the recruitrnent and perfonnance
of maie and femaie undergladuate students in scientific disciplines.
The first two tables give figures for national undergraduate recruitment to universities
through the Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA). The data are taken
from the UCCA Reports for 1982-3 to 1985-6 inclusive (tll - [4]). Table I gives the
numbers of students (home and overseas) admitted to universities in different science
subject groups. Table 2 gives total numbers of students applying to UCCA for ali subject
groups and total numbers of students accepted for university entry. To give some international contexr, according to a recent article in The Times [5], in Western Europe 3Vo of
university science and engineering places are filled by women; in Eastern Europe the
figure is 30Vo, and in Asia benveen 10 and l5vo.
The remaining tables relate to the University of Warwick. Tables 3 - 7 g1ve figures for
the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering,
Mathematics and Physics. Table 3 gives figures for admissions. Table 4 gives the
numbers of marure students in the undergraduate intake. Table 5 shows the numbers of
students transferring out or withdrawing from their degree course. Table 6 shows the
average A-level points scores of the undergraduate intake. Table 7 shows the total
numbers of each class of degree awarded for the five-year period L983-87 in the different
departments. Table 8 shows the percentage of women in the undergraduate intake and
the percentage of good degrees which are obtained by women. Table 9, the data for
which are taken from the Universiry of Warwick Academic Database 1987/88 [6], gives
the registration figures for undergraduates, postgraduates and in-service snldents in the
different facuities. as at the end of October 1987.
-2Table
I
- Undergraduate Admissions through UCCA
Biol Sci
M
1983
1984
1985
1986
F
952 (45.6Vo) 1,138
1,038 (48.l%o) l,l2l
2,674 (46.3Vo) 3,104
2,633 (46.4Vo) 3,038
Comp Sci
M
1983
1984
1985
1986
Chem
M
(54.4Vo)
(5L.9Vo)
(53.7Vo)
(53.6Vo)
1,794
1,820
1,704
1,693
(7L.7Vo)
(69.7Vo)
(69.3Vo)
(69.3Vo)
F
1,554 (80.3Vo) 381 (L9.7Vo)
I,728 (83.5Vo) 342 (L6.5Vo)
1,585 (86.l%o) 243 (l3.2%o)
1,639 (86.3Vo) 26t (13.7Vo)
1984
1985
1986
F
(66.4Vo)
(66.380)
1,018
L,025
904
832
(68.l%o)
(67.67a)
M
9,975
10,368
10,542
10,916
(90.1Vo)
(88.7Vo)
(89.9Vo)
(89.4Vo)
(33.6Vo)
(33.77o)
(3l.9Vo)
(32.4Vo)
M
2,343
2,332
2,206
2,014
Appiications
1983
1984
1985
1986
F
Total
101,666 (58.97o) 71,072 (4L.lVo) 172,738
101,013 (58.2Vo) 72,661 (4l.8Eo) 173,674
101,443 (57 .SVo) 75,110 (42.5Vo) 176,553
98,638 (56.8Vo) 75,14I (43.2Vo) 173,779
Acceptances
M
1983
1984
1985
1986
40,356
41,431
43,842
43,995
(30.7Vo)
(30.7Vo)
F
1,092 ( 9.9Vo)
1,317 (1I.3Vo)
1,187 (l0.LVo)
L,299 (10.6%o)
(84.9V0)
(85.8Vo)
(84.4Vo)
(82.5Vo)
Table 2 - UCCA Appiications and Acceptances (all subjects)
M
(28.3Vo)
(30.3Vo)
Physics
M
2,013
2,A20
1,932
1,738
709
791
755
750
Eng
Maths
1983
F
F
Total
(58.0Vo) 29,275 (42.0V0) 69,631
(57.7Vo) 30,337 (423qo) 71,768
(57.SVo) 32,339 (42.5Va) 76,181
(57.2Vo) 32,901 (42.8Eo) 76,896
F
418 (l5.1%a)
387 (14.27o)
407 (15.6%o)
426 (l7.5Vo)
-3Table 3 - Undergraduate Admissions in the Science Faculty, University of Warwick
Biol Sci
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
total
as
Vo
MF
56
46
50
s0
47
249
56.7
M
F
32
36
16
4l
28
15
3r
22
32
36
t3
39
47
190
43.3
MF
464
598
807
65
103
L4
t6
t54 74
67.5 32.5
1l
14
I 1.1
Physics
MF
MF
874
94 13
t24 t7
140 2r
193 2r
638 76
89.4 10.6
M
353
88.9
Maths
Eng
Comp Sci
Chem
MF
63
3s
96
80
79
106
424
73.2
l7
34
36
33
155
26.8
Table 4 - Mature Students in the Undergraduate Intake
Biol Sci
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
total
as
Vo
MF
l4
22
64
45
10
14
48.3
Chem
MF
15
10
10
Eng
Comp Sci
M
F
6
I
6
1
MF
2t0
244
442
380
330
160
96.4
51.7
Physics
Maths
MF
MF
3T
20
43
30
t24
75 25
6
3.6
Table 5 - Undergraduate Transfers and Withdrawals
Biol Sci
1983
t984
1985
1986
1987
total
as
Vo
MF
11
11
123
174
54
56
72.7
Chem
MF
5
5
2l
27.3
10
82
47
21
00
15
60
Comp Sci
M
F
1
0
3
7
0
0
10
40
)
4
0
I
10 11
47.6 524
MF
21
t24
17
223
30
759
89.3
Physics
Maths
Eng
1
I
t0.7
MF
86
11
65
11
00
26
MF
3
15
63.4 36.6
-4Table 6 - Average A-level Points Score for the Undergraduate Intake
Biol Sci
1987
MF
10.9 10.8
10.1 10.6
10.3 r0.4
10.8 10.4
10.6 11.3
all
10.5
1983
1984
1985
1986
r0.7
MF
10.6
8.6
8.5
8.9
8.7
9.1
Eng
Comp Sci
Chem
9.8
8.4
9.0
9.3
9.1
9.1
MF
t4.1
tt.1
rt.1
rr.9
t2.4
MF
12.7
r4.0
Maths
MF
13.5
13.9
t3.7
11.0
r 1.6
13.5
13.6
13.6
12.3
MF
13.8
12.8
r3.4
r3.4
13.5
r3.4
Table 7 -Degree Classifications 1983-1987
Bioi Sci
MF
1
2.1
2.2
a
J
P
Chem
MF
226
37
62 7L 22 16
87 7r 29 2l
22 13 289
80
52
Comp Sci
MF
33
757
557
344
10
Eng
MF
I
2
J
10
7
I
Maths
Physics
MF
57 14
49 20
66 16
308
193
MF
170
4t 10
84 2r
569
2t4
(Note: the figures for Maths are for the years 1983, 1986, 1987 only)
Table 8 - Comparison of Women in Intake with Women obtaining 1 or 2.I Degrees
Dept
Biol Sci
Chem
Comp Sci
Eng
Maths
Physics
Women in Intake
Womeninl+2.1
43.3Vo
54.5Vo
32.5Vo
33.3Vo
ll.lVo
6.9Vo
I0.6Vo
26.\Vo
24.3Vo
Physics
-5Table 9 - Student Registrations for October 1987
Arts
undergrad
postgrad
in-service
all
as
Vo
MF
438
4t
00
479
35Vo
Ed. Studies
MF
t07
to4
50
490
160
887
279
773
65Vo
27Vo
73Vo
835
52
Science
MF
r23
78Vo
M
M
821
F
672
2723
305
r45
7tl
F
2489
422
0
50
r23
M9
0
L126
907
22Vo
55Vo
45Vo
t357 402
229 47
00
1586
Total
Soc. Studies
3484
53Vo
(Note: the Total column includes 14 male and 18 female non-matrix postgraduate student
registrations which do not appear in any of the faculty registrations)
Discussion
It can be seen from Table 2 that the numbers accepted for university entrance nationally
are still rising, for both men and women. However the number of applications received
has declined for men and increased for women. The percentage of men accepted compared to women has remained fairly stable, with the percentage of women showing a
small but steady rise from 42.0Vo in 1983 to 42.8Vo in 1986. M.6Vo of men who apply are
accepted compared with 43.8Vo of women. Looking at national admissions in the science
subjects considered here, Biological Sciences has good female recruitrnent at just over
hatf; Mattrematics and Chemistry come next at just under one third; and Physics, Computer Science and Engineering have poor female recruitment. Perhaps the most startling
aspect is the drop in numbers of women admitted to Computer Science courses, both in
actual numbers and in percentage terms, from 381 (19.77o) in 1983 to 261 (l3.7%o) in
1986.
The percentages of women admined at the University of Warwick can be compared with
the national percentages using Tables 1 and 3. Biological Sciences are well below the
national figure, Mathematics and Computer Science are slightly below, Engineering
equal and Chemistry slightly above. The lower percentage in Biological Sciences probably reflects the nature of these degrees at Warwick, which all require a good Chemisury
A-level. Comparing the percentages of transfers and withdrawals in Table 5 with the
admissions in Table 3 shows that in Biotogical Sciences women are less likely to drop
out than men, in Mathematics more likely and in Computer Science much more likely. It
should be borne in mind that these figures include transfers to other courses; the Computer Science figures thus reflect the popularity of the Computer and Management Science degree with women, as this course entails a transfer out of Computer Science at the
end of the second year.
The average A-level points scores in Table 6 are simiiar for the sexes in each deparunent,
probably due to the seiection methods used by admissions tutors. However, using Tables
7 and 8 to compare performance as measured by degree classifications, it can be seen that
there are some differences between the departrnents: women are more likely than men to
obtain a good degree in Bioiogical Sciences and less likely in Computer Science. The
data are incomplete for Physics but it appears that women are not likely to gain a good
degree, with no firsts and 10 women out of 44 graduates gaining upper seconds. Table 7
also shows interesting differences benveen the deparrnents in the distribution of degree
3034
47Vo
-6classifications for men. For example, a man in Mathematics is much more likely to gain
a first than a man in Biological Sciences.
Table 9 shows that the disproportion between males and females in the Science Faculty
becomes even greater at postgraduate level. For undergraduate registrations the male to
female percentages are 77Vo to 23Vo and for postgraduates 83Vo to I7Vo. In Biological
Sciences, there is a startling change in the ratio from 57Vo maJes in the undergraduate
intake to 7l%o postgraduates (figures not shown in any table).
References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Universities Central Council on Admissions. Twenry-first report 1982-3. Universities Cennal Council on Admissions, Cheltenham, 1984.
Universities Central Council on Admissions. Twenry-second report 1983-4.
Universities Central Council on Admissions, Cheltenham, 1985.
Universities Central Council on Admissions. Twenry-third report 1984-5. Universities Central Council on Admissions, Cheltenham, 1986.
Universities Central Council on Admissions. Twenry-fourth report 1985-6. Universities Central Council on Admissions, Cheltenham, 1986.
Blaazer, C. The top jobs that are just waiting for the right women. The Times (7
January 1988),23.
University of Warwick. Academic Database 1987/88. Universiry of Warwick,
Coventry, November 1987.