The table represents the popularity of different departments at a university in Australia in 2009, with a further classification by students’ gender, native languages, and nationality.
Overall, female students preferred the humanities over science-related subjects, with the exception of physics. By contrast, science subjects held great appeal for students whose first language is not English and those who came from other countries, with the former also taking an interest in History.
The highest percentages of female students studied English and Modern Languages, at 72 and 68 %. History and Physics followed closely, at over 50%. On the contrary, under 20% of female students learned Math and Chemistry.
Over 40% of students who spoke other primary languages pursued degrees in Math and Chemistry, and 38% also chose Physics. In contrast, the lowest percentages of this group of students were enrolled in the language departments, at only 12% and 16%, respectively. Despite their strong preference for science departments, History was also a popular subject, with 45% of students registered.
The largest proportion of students whose nationality is not Australian (56%) studied Physics and Math. Chemistry was another well-liked subject, with just under 50% of students of other nationalities. On the other hand, a relatively small number of these students joined the departments in the humanities, at 20%-31%.