Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Pathways: High School Science and Math Coursework and Postsecondary Degree Attainment

Abstract

This article examines how high school science and mathematics course-taking creates pathways toward future baccalaureate degree attainment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors in Florida 4-year universities using Burkam and Lee's (2003) Burkam, D. T. and Lee, V. E. 2003. Mathematics, foreign language, and science coursetaking and the NELS:88 transcript data (NCES 2003-01)., Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. [Google Scholar] course-taking categories developed using national student datasets. This study finds that even though women, overall, complete high-level courses, they do not complete the highest level science and mathematics courses. Even women who did complete high-level science and mathematics are less likely than men to obtain STEM degrees. Black and Hispanic students complete lower level high school courses, but Black and Hispanic students who did take high-level courses are as likely as White students to pursue STEM degrees. Findings suggest that gender disparities in STEM occur because women are less likely to pursue STEM, but racial disparities occur because fewer Black and Hispanic students are prepared for STEM in high school.