Our previous results (see Fényes 2010) showed that boys are in a disadvantageous situation in education concerning several aspects. They are in minority in general high schools and higher education, and even in high prestige university branches (economics, law, medical faculty) they are in minority. The boys, who study in higher education, read less, their cultural consumption is lower, and they are in a disadvantage in most aspects of informal learning, as well. Moreover, the boys’ school efficiency is worse in general high schools and in higher education, despite their better social background.

We also showed that one of the most serious disadvantages of boys in education is that their social mobility is lower. They study in general high schools and in higher education only with better cultural and material background. Our results are supported by American researchers, as well (Buchmann–DiPrete 2006).

In our present presentation we will compare the BA and BSc students with MA and MSc students concerning the percentage of boys in the training and concerning the social mobility of boys and girls, based on our new quantitative empirical research in the so called “Partium” region. It is a historically cross-border region between Hungary, Romania and the Ukraine. The questioning took place in the Hungarian-speaking tertiary level institutions of the three countries, and the data collection took place between 2008 and 2010. The samples are representative concerning the faculties of examined universities and colleges, and the students have been chosen at random at each faculty.

Based on the literature of segregation in education by gender (for example Charles, Bradley 2002, Jacobs 1996, 1999), we suppose that at higher levels of trainings the percentage of boys will increase, and moreover the differences in social mobility between boys and girls will be smaller.

Our research is related to the second generation of social mobility research. We will examine the cultural and material background of the students and their families. In DeGraaf’s (1986, 1989) and Robert’s (1991) work the cultural and material background variables play intermediate role between the parental status and the children’s position. We will measure cultural and material capital based on the theories of Bourdieu, and based on the application of his theory by DiMaggio (1982) and DiMaggio and Mohr (1985).

Treiman (1970) emphasized that in modern societies the education of the individual has the greatest effect on individual’s status. Concerning our research, we want to measure the differences of social mobility according to gender. We suppose that in the case of girls the linkage between education and social status is weaker, so if we observe higher (school) mobility of girls, this does not necessary mean a greater mobility concerning the social status. As we know, the boys are in advantage in the labor market, so even the boys’ school mobility is lower, they will have better social position in the future. So we also have to take this aspect into consideration in our research.

Buchmann, C., DiPrete, T. A. (2006): The Growing Female Advantage in College Completion: The Role of Family Background and Academic Achievement. American Sociological Review 71: 515-541 Charles, M. - Bradley, K. (2002): “Equal but Separate? A Cross – National Study of Sex Segregation in Higher Education.” in American Sociological Review, Vol. 67, No. 4, 573-599. Fényes, Hajnalka (2010): A nemi sajátosságok különbségének vizsgálata az oktatásban. A nők hátrányainak felszámolódása? (Gender Differences in Education. The Decreasing Disadvantages of Women?) Kossuth Egyetemi Kiadó, Debrecen, p. 228 De Graaf, Paul M. (1986): The Impact of Financial and Cultural Resources on Educational Attainment in Netherlands. Sociology of Education 1986, Vol. 59 (October) p. 237-246 De Graaf, Paul M. (1989): Cultural Reproduction and Educational Stratification. In: Bakker, B. F. M., Dronkers, J., Meijnen, G. W. (ed.): Educational Opportunities in the Welfare State. Nijmegen p. 39-57 DiMaggio, Paul (1982): Cultural Capital and School Success: The Impact of Status Culture Participation on the Grades of U.S. High School Students. American Sociological Review Vol. 47 April p.189-201 DiMaggio, Paul, Mohr, John (1985): Cultural Capital, Educational Attaintment, and Marital Selection. The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 90, No. 6 (May, 1985), p.1231-1261 Jacobs, Jerry A. (1996): Gender Inequality and Higher Education. Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 22, p. 153-185. Jacobs, Jerry A. (1999): Gender and the Stratification of Colleges. The Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 70, No. 2, 161-187. Robert, Peter (1991): The Role of Cultural and Material Resources in Status Attaintment Process: The Hungarian Case. In: Beyond the Grear Transformation (Research Review) Budapest p. 145-171 Treiman, Donald J. (1970): Industrialization and Social Stratification. In: Laumann, E. O. (ed.): Social Stratification: Research and Theory for the 1970s. The Bobs-Merrill Company, Inc. New York, 207-234.