Why do so few men study abroad?

Frederic Engellant: I think part of it is because men tend to major in subjects that make it more difficult to study abroad. Most programs do not offer science or math classes so people majoring in those subjects will fall behind if they take a semester off from their programs. Very few people can waste an entire semester on nothing but gen eds. Because men are more likely to be math or hard science majors they are likely to find it more difficult to study abroad.

Tobie Oshea: Wow, if that is true, it is very surprising. Or maybe not. First of all, women are taking over in education in general. They go further in school, and are more educated, these days, on average. It will not be long before the wage gap goes the other way, and men can claim to be discriminated against. Women seem to be more suited for education, on average. They can sit still longer (in lectures) and are less confrontational, and have better concentration and study skills. They also may! be more tolerant than men, and it takes tolerance to be willing to go overseas, and put yourself in a very strange situation, especially for learning.In any case, with more women than men in higher education, you'd expect the same trend to apply for study abroad. But not that much more.I have a feeling that men, despite their machismo, are actually more insecure than women, and more appreciative of creature comforts. Yes, there are more adventuresome men, on average, more physically agressive and risk-taking. But perhaps these men don't do education? Too static for them?I wonder if men travel at the same rate as women, but prefer to travel on their own, rather than through programs. Something to check out.But my intuition is that somehow, men, on average, prefer to stay in their comfort zone, more,and if they do go outside their comfort zone, they want to do it on their own, and not with a program. On the other hand, I suspect that somehow women are willing to, in a ! structured way, explore different cultures more. This is pure! speculation, based on what I believe I know about people.Have you studied the issue? Do you have any data? Any attitudinal surveys? Done any focus groups about what students feel about study abroad? I'd do that, with both male and female groups, as well as mixed groups. I'd set up a survey monkey survey about attitudes towards study abroad, and perhaps find a way to publicize it on facebook, or myspace. It wouldn't be a generalizable study, but at this point you're just looking for reasons, not trying to figure out how prevalent those reasons are in the population....Show more

Leif Andreason: It always seemed to me that women have this fantasy of traveling to far away places, meeting new people, tasting exotic foods, and learning different languages. Most men that I've met have lived in the same town and state their entire life and are okay with that. They like feeling at home, so I guess going to another country can be discomforting and frightening to them.I t! hink more men should study abroad so they can see that there is an entire world out there beyond their family and friends at home!...Show more