Abstract
Women still lack representation in many Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, particularly those with high earning potential. Past studies on women who study STEM have failed to acknowledge the impact of religious values on choice of major among women. Using data collected at a religiously-affiliated university in 2013, this study explores how 24 religious women made decisions about majoring in STEM fields. The results from this sample closely follow the literature review, while also adding many new layers to understanding how religious women make decisions about STEM. Themes identified using this approach are useful for designing future studies on traditional women who study STEM.
Degree
MS
College and Department
Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology
Rights
http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Pershing, Mandy Lou, "Major Decisions: Religious Women and Their Perceptions of Women in STEM Majors" (2019). Theses and Dissertations. 8133.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8133
Date Submitted
2019-04-01
Document Type
Thesis
Handle
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd11085
Keywords
women in STEM, religious women, socialization of women, gender
Language
English