Mathematics specialization at high school and undergraduate degree choice: evidence from England

This paper examines the relationship between subject specialization in high school and university undergraduate degree program choices. Focusing on a reform in England that encouraged students to opt for studying mathematics in the last 2 years of high school, the study analyzes its effect on undergraduate enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The findings indicate that the reform increased the likelihood of students pursuing and completing STEM undergraduate degrees. Thus, encouraging mathematics specialization during high school enhances the number of STEM graduates. However, despite the reform’s implementation, gender and socioeconomic disparities in STEM participation remained unchanged, suggesting that interventions during adolescence might not effectively address the underrepresentation of specific groups, such as females, in STEM programs.