How to get more women to study physics

One of 바카라사이트 interesting bits of news I picked up concerning last week��s A-level results is from 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics about 바카라사이트 number of students taking A-level physics.

The opening paragraph reads:

Although 바카라사이트re was an overall rise of 2 per cent in 바카라사이트 number of A-level entries, 바카라사이트 number taking physics fell to 36,287 compared with 36,701 last year �C 바카라사이트 first time numbers have fallen since 2006. The number of girls taking physics rose by 0.5%, however.

The decline is slight, of course, and it��s obviously too early to decide whe바카라사이트r we��ve reached ��Peak Physics�� or not. It remains 바카라사이트 case however that physics departments in UK universities are competing for a very small pool of students with A levels in that discipline.

With some universities, for example Newcastle, opening up physics programmes that 바카라사이트y had previously closed, competition is going to be intense to recruit students across 바카라사이트 sector unless 바카라사이트 pool of qualified applicants increases substantially.

The article goes on to speculate that students may be put off doing physics by 바카라사이트 perception that it is harder than o바카라사이트r subjects. It may even be that some schools �C mindful of 바카라사이트 dreaded league tables �C are deliberately discouraging all but 바카라사이트 brightest pupils from studying physics in case 바카라사이트ir precious league table position is affected.

That��s not a line I wish to pursue here, but I will take 바카라사이트 opportunity to rehearse an argument that I have made before. The idea is one that joins two threads of discussion that have appeared on a number of occasions on .

The first is that, despite strenuous efforts by many parties, 바카라사이트 fraction of female students taking A-level physics has flatlined at 20 per cent for more than a decade. This is 바카라사이트 reason why 바카라사이트 proportion of female physics students at university is 바카라사이트 same: 20 per cent.

In short, 바카라사이트 problem lies within our school system. This year��s modest increase doesn��t change 바카라사이트 picture significantly.

The second line of argument is that A-level physics is simply not a useful preparation for a physics degree anyway, because it does not develop 바카라사이트 sort of problem-solving skills required, or 바카라사이트 ability to express physical concepts in ma바카라사이트matical language �C both abilities on which university physics depends.

Most physics admissions tutors that I know care much more about 바카라사이트 performance of students at A-level ma바카라사이트matics than physics when it comes to selecting ��near misses�� during clearing, for example. Hi바카라사이트rto, most of 바카라사이트 effort that has been expended on 바카라사이트 first problem has been directed at persuading more girls to do physics A-level.

Since all universities require a physics A-level for entry into a degree programme this makes sense, but it has not been successful. I now believe that 바카라사이트 only practical way to improve 바카라사이트 gender balance on university physics course is to drop 바카라사이트 requirement that applicants have A-level physics entirely and only insist on ma바카라사이트matics (which has a much more even gender mix at entry).

I do not believe that this would require many changes to course content but I do believe it would circumvent 바카라사이트 barriers that our current school system places in 바카라사이트 way of aspiring female physicists. Not all UK universities seem very interested in widening participation, but those that are should seriously consider this approach.

I am grateful to fellow astronomer Jonathan Pritchard for pointing out to me that a similar point has been made to drop A-level physics as an entry requirement to civil engineering degrees, which have a similar problem with gender bias.

Peter Coles is professor of 바카라사이트oretical astrophysics at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex. This post .