A new study from the Danish Evaluation Institute (EVA) reveals that 12 percent of men enrolled in female-dominated studies are considering dropping out within the first year. This number is twice as high as among other students, where the dropout rate is around six percent.
Despite the fact that men in these programs show high academic motivation – even higher than women in male-dominated studies – they face particular challenges when it comes to choosing and completing “gender non-traditional” programs. This is the assessment of Bjarke Tarpgaard Hartkopf, head of higher education at EVA.
“It could indicate that it is a bit harder for them to make the gender non-traditional study choice than it is for others,” says Hartkopf. He points out that there may be broader societal factors at play that influence men’s considerations of dropping out. These factors could include the way the subject is perceived in society, and what kind of status and recognition is associated with it.
The worryingly high dropout rate among men in female-dominated programs has further consequences, as many of these programs – such as nursing and pedagogy – are in sectors facing a significant labor shortage. According to figures from the Ministry of Education and Research, only 23.7 percent of students in pedagogy programs in 2023 were men, while the figure for nursing programs was even lower at 8.5 percent. Both areas are experiencing a significant shortage of personnel.