According to recent statistics from the University of Lincoln, there are significant inequalities in the numbers of male and female students applying for some courses.
In recent years, the number of women graduating from the
University has been consistently higher than their male counterparts, with over 1,500 more female graduates than male in the last three years.
There has also been consistently more male students withdraw from their courses entirely during this period, with some years seeing over 100 more male drop outs than female.
Despite this, there are still entire fields dominated by male cohorts, which receive very few applications from prospective female students. In the last three years, Computer Science has consistently seen the most male applicants out of all the courses on offer at the university.
Carla Taylor-Rutterford, 21, is currently completing a postgraduate degree in Computer Science, after studying it as an undergraduate. As one of seven girls in a cohort of over 350 students, she said: ‘I was consistently referred to as being different, and lecturers would make references to it frequently.’
She added: ‘I faced difficulties every week, from sexual harassment to bullying. Being a woman was always seen as a negative.’
On the other hand, the university receives most female applicants for Nursing and Psychology degrees, which see very few male applications.
Adam Clarke, 28, is a male Nursing student at the University. He said: ‘Sometimes the women on the course feel that I am lesser because of my gender.’
He added: ‘I get the impression they think that I am limited at how good I can be at this job because I’m male. Men are as capable of the job as women are, and should be encouraged to do it for the pursuit of a society that encourages compassion and understanding.’
