Masculinization in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Degree Programs

Educational differences between men and women are reflected in their career choices. Likewise, physical education, physical activity and sports offer a broad arena for gender socialization. The aim of this paper is to analyze the presence of women in degree programs related to physical education, physical activity and sport taught in Catalonia during the past 25 years. The results show that there has been a decrease in the presence of women in the aforementioned degrees, confirming a masculinization process in this area of knowledge. The tendency of the diminishing number of women contrasts with the rising percentage of women participating in sports. This paradox calls for a necessary change in these degree programs which would entail including females’ ways of seeing and experiencing physical activity, physical education and sports.