Major Problems: Choice of Major by Transgender College Students
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Producer
Director
Performer
Choreographer
Costume Designer
Music
Videographer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Crew Member
Funder
Rehearsal Director
Concert Coordinator
Advisor
Moderator
Panelist
Alternative Title
Department
Swarthmore College. Dept. of Educational Studies
Type
Original Format
Running Time
File Format
Place of Publication
Date Span
Copyright Date
Award
Language
en
Note
Table of Contents
Terms of Use
Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
Rights Holder
Access Restrictions
Ne restrictions
Terms of Use
Tripod URL
Identifier
Abstract
Despite the increasing visibility of LGBTQ identities in today's society, there is still a lack of
research on how students of these identities navigate higher education. In particular, the factors
that determine the choices of major of transgender college students are not well known. This
study aimed to answer several questions about how transgender students select majors, including
whether they select majors differently than their cisgender peers, what factors drive their
decisions, and how they navigate their chosen majors. The study utilized a mixed methods
approach, including the use of a survey on major choice and satisfaction with majors distributed
to LGBTQ collegians (N=53) as well as a series of semistructured interviews conducted with
five volunteer transgender students. Surveys were analyzed quantitatively to determine whether
several surveyed variables differed between cisgender and transgender populations. Interviews
were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for trends in a qualitative analysis. Findings suggest that,
while transgender students often face many challenges and a general lack of support for their
identities regardless of major, these students display several forms of resilience within their
majors that allow them to navigate their chosen fields. The paper concludes with a discussion of
the implications of this research as well as suggestions for future research.