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There are many studies tracing the declining cases the casualty rate for male students is
number of women interested in pursuing a higher. Table 1c notes there is little difference
CS/IT degree, most of which were conducted in the number of Malaysian female and male
in Europe and the U.S. Generally, these stud- students pursuing a master’s degree at the Uni-
ies find that young women do not find CS an versity of Malaya; in fact, the only noticeable
attractive career option, that women choose distinction is in the Ph.D. program (Table 1d)
not to continue with computer subjects as where the number of male Ph.D. students
often as men do, and that women in CS pro- often exceeds the females.
grams tend to terminate their training earlier Our study attempts to determine if there is
than men [2, 4, 6]. In Australia, fewer women indeed a difference in the way Malaysian males
are employed as IT professionals; indeed, it is and females perceive CS. Our hypothesis is
estimated the ratio of females to males in IT is that CS/IT is not viewed as a masculine field
1:9 [10]. Young females in many parts of the by young Malaysians; a key reason why this
world perceive CS as a masculine field—a nation does not encounter the problem of too
perception we contend is not shared by their few young females interested in pursuing a
Malaysian counterparts. degree in CS or IT.
Table 1a shows the number of Malaysian Previous studies have identified the follow-
female and male students pursuing a bachelor’s ing as the reasons why CS is not attractive to
degree in CS (B. CS) and bachelor’s in IT (B. young females:
IT) from the 1998/1999–2005/2006 academic
sessions. The percentage of female students • Traditional socialization and traditional
often exceeds the number of male students. In roles of the sexes [4];
cases where the percentage of male students is • Classification of CS as a science [3];
higher, the difference is always less than 10%. • Computer games and educational software
Table 1b shows the number of students who are designed predominantly with boys in
withdrew from and who failed the bachelor mind [3]; thus, boys become more familiar
programs. The numbers are small, but in both with computers and gain better computer