An Analysis of Factors Influencing Chinese University Students’ Major Choice from the Perspective of Gender Differences

Chang Xu, Futao Xiang, Ruiqi Duan, Cristina Miralles-Cardona, Xinxin Huo and Junwei Xu ()
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Chang Xu: School of Finance and Public Administration, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, China
Futao Xiang: School of Finance and Public Administration, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, China
Ruiqi Duan: School of Finance and Public Administration, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, China
Cristina Miralles-Cardona: Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain
Xinxin Huo: School of Finance and Public Administration, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, China
Junwei Xu: School of Finance and Public Administration, Anhui University of Finance and Economics, Bengbu 233030, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-13

Abstract: Higher education attainment is a focus of gender differences research. However, little is known about differences in university students’ major choices at the same level of higher education in China’s education hierarchy. Based on a web survey of 1164 undergraduate students in China’s broad enrollment context, this study uses Wenjuanxing to collect information by posting questionnaires on social media platforms and analyzes the impact of gender differences on the major choices of finance and economics undergraduates by using the Linear Discriminant Model (LDM). Moreover, this study explores the differential impact of income level, urban–rural settings, and regional differences on university students’ major choices. This study finds that female students are approximately 2.62 times more likely than male students to choose applied majors (such as accounting, financial management, auditing, international business, and so on), a gap that is more pronounced in high-income families and Eastern regions. In addition, in rural areas, female students have a higher probability of choosing applied majors than male students. These findings indicate that in China’s broad discipline enrollment model, gender differences still significantly affect students’ major choices, and female students are more likely to enter applied majors than their male counterparts.

Keywords: broad discipline enrollment system; major choices; undergraduate; gender differences; finance and economics students; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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