Postsecondary Education

Programs and Courses

Table A-40-3. Percentage distribution of U.S. study abroad students, by field of study: Selected years, 1987–88 through 2007–08

Field of study	1987–88	1993–94	1997–98	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Social sciences and humanities¹	45.9	37.1	34.8	34.5	35.9	35.9	35.9	34.6	34.8
Social sciences	—	—	—	21.3	22.6	22.6	21.7	21.4	21.5
Humanities	—	—	—	13.3	13.3	13.3	14.2	13.2	13.3
Business and management	11.1	13.6	15.6	17.7	17.5	17.5	17.7	19.1	20.2
Fine or applied arts	6.4	7.7	7.7	9.0	7.6	7.6	7.5	7.7	8.4
Physical or life sciences	2.5	5.3	7.0	7.1	7.1	7.1	6.9	7.3	7.2

Foreign languages	14.8	11.3	8.0	7.9	7.5	7.5	7.8	7.2	6.2
Health sciences	1.4	1.7	3.2	3.1	3.4	3.4	3.8	4.1	4.5
Education	4.0	4.0	4.5	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.1	4.2	4.1
Engineering	1.4	2.3	2.7	2.9	2.9	2.9	2.9	3.1	3.1
Math or computer sciences	1.2	1.1	1.6	2.4	1.7	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.6

Agriculture	0.7	0.9	1.5	1.5	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.5	1.2
Other fields of study	6.8	7.7	4.8	6.4	7.8	7.8	7.2	6.6	5.4
Undeclared	3.8	3.6	4.2	3.5	3.4	3.4	3.4	3.1	3.3

Dual major	—	3.6	4.3	—	—	—	—	—	—
— Not available.
¹ Social sciences and humanities were combined until 1998–99.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. For more information on fields of study and the Open Doors U.S. Study Abroad Survey, see supplemental note 3.
SOURCE: Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange. New York: Institute of International Education, selected years, 1988–89 through 2009.

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