Combined Courses of Study

Equity group access and participation at the bachelor (honours/pass) level

(only available online)

Caz Batson
Rhonda Sharp
Eleanor Ramsay
Alison Mackinnon

EIP 01/11
March 2002

Higher Education Division
Department of Education, Science and Training 
© Commonwealth of Australia 2001

ISBN 0 642 77240 1 (Internet copy)
DEST No. 6794HERC01A

This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes subject to the inclusion of the source and no commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those indicated above require the written permission from the Commonwealth available through AusInfo. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Legislative Services, AusInfo, GPO Box 1920, Canberra ACT 2601.

This report is funded under the Evaluations and Investigations Programme of the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.

The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Education, Science and Training (formally the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs).

Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Executive summary
• 1. Introduction and study aims
  • 1.1 The changing face of undergraduate education
  • 1.2 The perceived value of ‘dual’ degrees
    • 1.2.1 Career indecision
    • 1.2.2 A balanced and broad education
    • 1.2.3 Employment marketability
  • 1.3 Aims of the current study
• 2. Methodology
  • 2.1 Statistical analyses
  • 2.2 Focus groups and interviews
• 3. Women in combined courses
  • 3.1 Characteristics of the combined course student population
    • 3.1.1 Age
    • 3.1.2 Mode of study
    • 3.1.3 Fee paying status
  • 3.2 Women’s access to combined courses
    • 3.2.1 Agriculture, Animal Husbandry
    • 3.2.2 Architecture, Building
    • 3.2.3 Business, Administration, Economics
    • 3.2.4 Engineering, Surveying
    • 3.2.5 Science
  • 3.3 Women’s participation in combined courses
    • 3.3.1 Agriculture, Animal Husbandry
    • 3.3.2 Architecture, Building
    • 3.3.3 Business, Administration, Economics
    • 3.3.4 Engineering, Surveying
    • 3.3.5 Science
• 4. Other equity groups
  • 4.1 Combined course Indigenous students
    • 4.1.1 Background data
    • 4.1.2 Indigenous students’ access to combined courses
    • 4.1.3 Indigenous students’ participation in combined courses
  • 4.2 Combined course students from non-English speaking backgrounds
    • 4.2.1 Background data
    • 4.2.2 Access to combined courses for students from non-English speaking backgrounds
    • 4.2.3 Participation in combined courses for students from non-English speaking backgrounds
  • 4.3 Combined course students from rural and isolated backgrounds
    • 4.3.1 Background data - Rural students
    • 4.3.2 Rural students’ access to combined courses
    • 4.3.3 Rural students’ participation in combined courses
    • 4.3.4 Background data - Isolated students
    • 4.3.5 Isolated students’ access to combined courses
    • 4.3.6 Isolated students’ participation in combined courses
  • 4.4 Combined course students from low SES backgrounds
    • 4.4.1 Background data
    • 4.4.2 Access to combined courses for students from low SES backgrounds
    • 4.4.3 Participation in combined courses for students from low SES backgrounds
  • 4.5 Combined course students with disabilities
    • 4.5.1 Background data
    • 4.5.2 Access to combined courses for students with disabilities
    • 4.5.3 Participation in combined courses for students with disabilities
• 5. Conclusion
• References

Tables

• Table 1 Commencing women in broad fields of study (Access)
• Table 2a Summary details of women’s access to combined courses in major fields of study at the bachelor level where institutional coverage is minimal, 1999
• Table 2b Women’s access to combined courses across major fields of study at the bachelor level, 1997 to 1999
• Table 3 Women’s representation in broad fields of study (Participation)
• Table 4a Summary details of women’s participation in combined courses in major fields of study at the bachelor level where institutional coverage is minimal, 1999
• Table 4b Women’s participation in combined courses across major fields of study at the bachelor level, 1997­1999
• Table 5 Commencing combined course Indigenous students at the bachelor level (Access)
• Table 6 All combined course Indigenous students at the bachelor level (Participation)
• Table 7 Commencing combined course non-English speaking background students at the bachelor level (Access)
• Table 8 All combined course non-English speaking background students at the bachelor level (Participation)
• Table 9 Commencing combined course students from rural backgrounds at the bachelor level (Access)
• Table 10 All combined course students from rural backgrounds at the bachelor level (Participation)
• Table 11 Commencing combined course students from isolated backgrounds at the bachelor level (Access)
• Table 12 All combined course students from isolated backgrounds at the bachelor level (Participation)
• Table 13 Commencing combined course students from low SES backgrounds at the bachelor level (Access)
• Table 14 All combined course students from low SES backgrounds at the bachelor level (Participation)
• Table 15 Commencing combined course students with a disability at the bachelor level (Access)
• Table 16 All combined course students with a disability at the bachelor level (Participation)

Figures

• Figure 1 Gender participation in combined courses by broad field of study at the bachelor level in 1999 (%)
• Figure 2 Equity group access to combined courses at the bachelor level in 1999 (%)
• Figure 3 Equity group participation in combined courses at the bachelor level in 1999
• Figure 4 The percentage distribution of domestic Australian combined course students at the bachelor level by age and gender in 1999
• Figure 5 Women's combined course participation in non-traditional major fields of study at the bachelor level in 1999 (%)
• Figure 6 Women's combined course participation in all other major fields of study at the bachelor level in 1999 (%)

Acknowledgments

The research for this report was undertaken at the University of South Australia under the auspices of the Hawke Institute and the Research Centre for Gender Studies. The Project Directors were Professor Alison Mackinnon (Director, Hawke Institute) Professor Eleanor Ramsay (Pro Vice Chancellor, Equity and Development) and Associate Professor Rhonda Sharp (School of International Business and Acting Director, Hawke Institute). Research Associate Caz Batson is the principal author of this report.

The research team was assisted by an Advisory Committee whose members provided valuable advice:

Elizabeth Dangerfield, Assistant Director, Quality and Equity Section/Higher Education Group, Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DETYA)

Dr Judy Gill, Director, Research Centre for Gender Studies, University of South Australia

Dr Robert Sumner, Director, Planning University of South Australia

Associate Professor Vicki Feast, Dean, Teaching and Learning, Division of Business and Enterprise, University of South Australia

Shard Lorenso (and nominee Justene Knight), Manager, Equity and Diversity Unit, University of South Australia.

The research team would especially like to thank Mr Geoff Izzard of the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs for his significant contribution in the preparation of the databases used in this project, as well as Ms Sharon Pratt for her advice in the preparation of the final report. We appreciated the academic input of Dr David Shallcross, Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne and Dr Carol Johnson, Director, Teaching and Learning Unit, Faculty of Economics and Commerce, The University of Melbourne. We would also like to acknowledge and thank those students from the University of South Australia who participated in the pilot focus groups and Susan Oakley, Research Assistant, Research Centre for Gender Studies who assisted in the conduct and evaluation of these groups. Finally, we would like to recognise the dedication and talent of Ms Jenny Taylor who was responsible for preparing the final report in accordance with the Department’s new EIP style conventions.

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