The chart compares the percentage of students who chose various science disciplines in a university and the proportion of male and female undergraduates from 1992 to 2000.
Overall, the proportion of male students decreased, whereas the figure for women rose, narrowing a gender disparity. As for science classes, the share of undergraduates choosing biology and physics declined; however, the proportion of students majored in computer science increased significantly.
Focusing on gender first, the percentage of male students dropped noticeably from about 65% in 1992 to exactly 50% 2012; in comparison, there was a marked growth in female’s proportion, going up from 30% in 1991 to just under 50%. Notably, the figure for males remained the highest.
Regarding the subjects, students opted more for computer science than for physics in the final year. Despite falling moderately from around 65% in 1992 to merely over 40% by 2012, the figure for biology continued to be the most favored class for students, whereas there was a rapid increase in choosing computer science among undergraduate students, a figure that went up from the lowest point of about 3% in 1992 to approximately 25% in the final year, surpassing that of physics. With respect to physics, the popularity of it among students saw a marginal decrease from just above 20% to exactly 20% over the span.