Trends in education are constantly changing and are influenced by a number of different factors. Usually the degrees that both men and women choose to pursue are telling of societal norms and attitudes of a particular time. If we were to look at the data corresponding to the types of degrees men and women pursued a couple of decades ago, the picture painted would be very different from today’s reality. In fact, much of the disparity which has historically existed between the degree choices of men and women is not evident today.
Take a look at five bachelor’s degrees which are equally popular with men and women. The data listed below concerns bachelor’s degrees which were conferred by degree granting institutions in 2009-10. All statistics are provided by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Molecular Biochemistry
Molecular biochemistry involves the study of the functions of living organisms. It is a discipline which strives to understand chemical processes involved in the structure of an organism at the molecular level which affect its activity and functioning. Molecular biochemistry is part of the molecular life sciences, and as such, is an integral discipline in scientific discovery.
A degree in molecular biochemistry can opens doors into a wide variety of careers such as medicine, research, healthcare, education, drug manufacturing, and more.
According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics, of the 314 who completed molecular biochemistry degrees, 157 were men, and 157 were women.
Botany/Plant Biology
Plant biology, or botany, is the study of plant life and all of its facets. As a branch of biology, this discipline is concerned with the life of plants, how they grow and develop, their structure, how they interact with their environment and in different ecosystems, etc.
Due to the fact that plant biology is a very broad field, a degree can open doors to careers in the agricultural sector, research, teaching, biological industries, and more.
According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics, of the 212 people who completed plant biology degrees, 106 were men, and 106 were women.
Technical Teacher Education
A technical teacher is someone who specializes in teaching vocational courses such as electrical, drafting, civil, and automotive technology, food and management, etc. A degree to become a technical teacher equips individuals with the knowledge and skills required to understand the theoretical concepts of these courses, and be able to teach them properly.
According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics, of the 250 people who completed technical teacher degrees, 125 were men, and 125 were women.
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
This bachelor’s degree program is a general program with a focus on either one or more of the languages of East Asia. This includes, but isn’t limited to the following languages: Korean, Sino-Tibetan, Japanese, etc. Students can expect to learn how to apply their knowledge of East Asian languages to a number of different settings including business, technology, science, etc.
According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics, of the 170 people who completed East Asian languages, literatures, and linguistics, general degrees, 85 were men, and 85 were women.
Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management
A degree in pharmaceutical marketing and management combines the study of both marketing and management studies with the principles of basic pharmaceutical sciences. Graduates of this program can pursue a number of different careers in healthcare, marketing, management, and sales in the pharmaceutical field.
According to data from the National Centre for Education Statistics, of the 36 people who completed Pharmaceutical marketing and management degrees, 18 were men, and 18 were women.
When you consider each of the five degree choices which appear to be equally popular with men and women, it’s clear that people are choosing to pursue those degrees which open wide career options for them. Each of the above listed degrees has a wide scope of application and relevance. The fact that these degrees are equally popular with men and women indicates that people are looking for degrees which give them a wide range of options upon graduation.