Date of Award

4-2024

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Geography

First Advisor

Kathleen M. Baker, Ph.D. GISP.

Second Advisor

Lisa M. DeChano-Cook, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Nicholas L. Padilla, Ph.D.

Keywords

Coeducation, higher education, spatial patterns

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Higher education in the United States has witnessed a significant transformation over the years, characterized by a positive change in women’s enrollment across colleges and universities. Despite significant gains in recent decades, differences in women's participation to higher education persist across the United States. This may be due to several reasons. This thesis investigates the spatial patterns of women's enrollment in undergraduate higher education coursework across the United States from 2010 to 2020. As women's participation in higher education has become increasingly pivotal for societal progress, understanding the geographical distribution of their enrollment provides critical insights into regional disparities. Employing data from the American Community Survey (ACS) at the census tract level, a 5-year estimate was utilized. Hotspot analysis was employed. The analyses encompassed correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. The study identified and analyzed the spatial trends, clusters, and disparities in women's enrollment, shedding light on the factors influencing women’s enrollment participation in undergraduate education in the US. This analysis found that women’s enrollment increased in most parts of the US however, percentage increase varied widely across the country. The largest percentage increase was experienced in the Northeast, West and in the South.

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