Are Undergraduate Students Enrolled in Educational Degrees Concerned About Gender? A Case Study

Efforts to promote gender-inclusive education must extend beyond STEM fields to encompass all academic disciplines, including those that are traditionally feminized. This study examines how undergraduate students enrolled in Early Childhood, Primary, and Social Education degrees at the University of the Basque Country address gender issues in their final academic projects. Of the 2708 undergraduate dissertations (UDs) reviewed, only 383 met the criteria for gender-related content and were analyzed using lexical software (the Reinert method via Iramuteq). The analysis revealed a low overall engagement (12–14%) with gender themes, despite the critical role these educators will play in shaping future generations. Thematic clusters emerged around teacher training, gender stereotypes, and women’s empowerment. We argue that the invisibility of gender issues in these programs reflects a systemic problem, and that gender-inclusive reform must span the full spectrum of educational disciplines if broader social transformation is to be achieved.