Tuesday, August 10, 2004

SPOTLIGHT: University enrolment

University enrolment at record high

Women in undergraduate programs drove university enrolment to an unprecedented high in the academic year 2001/02.

Total enrolment hit 886,800, up 4.3% from 2000/01, the strongest gain in a decade. The total exceeded the previous peak set in 1992/93.

For the first time in 10 years, the year‑over‑year increase in men's university numbers was similar to the increase for women, 4.1% compared to 4.4%. Universities enrolled 509,800 women in 2001/02, compared with 376,800 men.

Still, over the longer term, enrolment among women was up 9.8% from the academic year 1997/98, nearly twice the gain of 5.1% among men.

Women in undergraduate programs were the driving force as their enrolment exceeded 400,000 for the first time.

Most of the increase in the number of female undergraduate students was in full-time enrolment, which was up 13.3% from 1997/98, nearly three times the gain of 4.9% among their male counterparts.

Men pursuing graduate degrees full time continued to outnumber women, but only slightly. Between 1997/98 and 2001/02, women enrolled in full-time graduate programs at twice the pace of men.

Men continued to dominate in a handful of traditionally male-dominated fields, such as mathematics, computer sciences, engineering and architecture programs.

Women outnumbered men in all others, including the social and behavioural sciences and law; business, management and public administration; health, parks, recreation and fitness; and physical and life sciences and technologies.

Enrolment up in most fields of study

University enrolment rose in most fields of study. The health, parks, recreation and fitness field showed the largest increase, a gain of 8.9% from 2000/01, ending more than four years of stagnation.

The strong growth in the number of students in this field was largely attributable to increases in enrolment in health and physical education/fitness, nursing and the medical residency program.

Enrolment was up 7.2% in the architecture, engineering and related technologies field. Women accounted for 24% of enrolment in this field, up from only 19% a decade earlier.

The fastest growing field during the past decade has been mathematics, computer and information sciences. Nearly three-quarters of the students in this field in 2001/02 were in computer and information sciences and support services.

Biggest gain in British Columbia

University enrolment rose in eight out of 10 provinces in 2001/02, posting gains ranging from 2.0% in Saskatchewan to 7.0% in British Columbia.

Enrolment in Prince Edward Island remained stable. Newfoundland and Labrador recorded a modest decline of 200 students.

During the five-year period between 1997/98 and 2001/02, full-time enrolment rose in all provinces. With respect to part-time enrolment, universities in Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia recorded declines, while all other provinces had increases.

For more information, contact Sylvie Bonhomme (613-951-5366), Centre for Education Statistics.

  Print article

© 2004, Statistics Canada.