Gender and major choice within economics: Evidence from Europe

Ivo Arnold ()

International Review of Economics Education, 2020, vol. 35, issue C

Abstract: A large literature studies the underrepresentation of female students in economics majors in the United States. This paper adds to this literature by examining gender differences in major choice within an economics bachelor program at a European university. Using a large sample of major students, we document gender differences in the choice of subfields. Female students are strongly underrepresented in finance and overrepresented in accounting. We also test the grade sensitivity hypothesis, according to which the major choice of female students is more responsive to grades. For almost all subfields, major choice is significantly and positively related to the academic performance in the corresponding introductory course(s). The evidence that female students are more sensitive to grades is, however, weak.

Keywords: Economics education; Major choice; Undergraduate economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ireced:v:35:y:2020:i:c:s1477388020300189

DOI: 10.1016/j.iree.2020.100191

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