Gender and Academic Performance in Engineering: An Empirical Study in a Leading Nigerian University

Abstract

Engineering is increasingly becoming a more popular career for women globally. This study aims at examining the performances of female students in comparison to their male counterparts. This is then used to determine if there is any correlation in their performances. The sample population for this research is the engineering students in Covenant University, a leading University in Nigeria. The performance of the graduating students in this school over 11 years, from 2006 to 2017, was analysed and studied. The research suggests that more percentage of female students now graduate with first class and the percentage of female students graduating with third class between these periods has reduced to almost nothing over years. Thus, it is recommended that more women should be encouraged to enrol in engineering courses, as they tend to thrive in courses such as Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.