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Students enrolled in STEM disciplines in Italy: The role played by field of study and gender in course switching

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Abstract

Ongoing technological change has led to a steadily growing demand for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates worldwide. Not only do STEM disciplines have a low attractiveness in some contexts, such as in the U.S. and Italy; it is also a matter of persistence in pursuing STEM studies, affected by high rates of course switches in several countries. Using administrative microdata from the Italian Ministry for Universities and Research and selecting students enrolled in a STEM discipline between 2010 and 2014, our aim is to explore how the student’s gender, the field of study, and the gender composition of the course can help identify at-risk students likely to switch away from STEM fields, often delaying and/or compromising their academic journeys. Overall, the findings show that the propensity to abandon STEM programmes is very high, especially among students enrolled in Soft STEM fields. We find that (female and male) students in female-dominated programmes tend to have a lower probability of switching to enroll in another STEM course compared to those in male-dominated programmes. These findings emphasise that institutional contexts and course-level gender composition matter for STEM persistence, calling for university-level strategies aimed at fostering more inclusive and supportive learning environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Valentina Tocchioni & Maria Fancesca Morabito & Alessandra Petrucci, 2026. "Students enrolled in STEM disciplines in Italy: The role played by field of study and gender in course switching," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2026_03, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    • Handle: RePEc:fir:econom:wp2026_03
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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