Being a Minority: Experiences of Male Students Enrolled in an Apparel Program

The purpose of this research was to understand male college students' experiences in a traditionally female academic major, such as apparel. Based on the analyses and interpretation of interviews with 22 male students from an apparel program, two topical areas emerged: (a) attitudes of toward male apparel students; and (b) experiences of male students in an apparel program. The first topical area describes what male apparel students encounter when they inform parents, friends, and people around them about their academic major. The second topical area portrays male student experiences in a major with an overwhelming majority of peers being women. The study contributes to the literature on men in non-traditional occupations. Such understanding is a precursor for minimizing gender-stereotypic career boundaries. Implications and recommendations for apparel program instructors, advisors, administrators, and career counselors are presented.