Leathwood, C. and Read, B. Gender and the Changing Face of Higher Education: A Feminized Future? Open University Press, London, 2008. ISBN: 9780335227143. Pages: 224.

Women now outnumber men as undergraduate students in the majority of OECD countries, fuelling concerns that men are deserting degree-level study as women overtake them both numerically and in terms of levels of achievement. The assertion is that higher education is becoming increasingly 'feminised' - reflecting similar claims in relation to schooling and the labour market. At the same time, there are persistent concerns about degree standards, with allegations of 'dumbing down'. This raises questions about whether the higher education system to which more women have gained access is now of less value than previously, both intrinsically and in terms of labour market outcomes. This book examines the above mentioned issues in relation to higher education in the UK and globally. It further provides a thorough analysis of debates about 'feminisation'.

Open University Press