•  
  •  
 

MAJOR CHOICE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN**

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of demographics on undergraduate major choice, with a focus on African American women at Spelman College, a private Historically Black College in Atlanta, GA. Previous research on career choice has explored factors such as personal interests, career aspirations, academic performance, and personality, but limited studies have examined the influence of demographics like gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and geographical location. An online survey study administered through Qualtrics aimed to address the unique barriers Black women face in pursuing higher education, particularly within STEM fields to enhance support structures that promote diversity and inclusivity. The researchers hypothesized significant relationships between SES and the likelihood of choosing STEM majors. Preliminary data (N=16) shows that STEM majors come from diverse SES backgrounds (9.1% = low SES, 54.5% = middle SES, 36.4% = high SES), whereas non-STEM majors were all middle SES. A second hypothesis predicted that SES would interact with whether or not students were in a STEM or non-STEM major to predict stress levels. Early data could not test the interaction, but preliminary data showed means in the expected direction with lower mean stress (M = 1.64, SD = 0.60) for high SES than middle SES (M = 2.11, SD = 0.53). Data collection is expected to be completed with about 60 participants by February 2025 which will allow researchers to better test the hypotheses. The study's findings will contribute to understanding the factors leading to major choice and inform initiatives to support underrepresented groups in higher education. This research is crucial for universities and policymakers to address financial and mental strain associated with major choice and to bridge the gap between desired and current majors.

Acknowledgements

Spelman College: Dept. of Psychology, Center of Excellence

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS