This study reports the factor structure of preferences for 31 school subjects expressed by 952 females and 862 males enrolled in Year 10 in 30 Australian schools. Within each sex, six principal factors were rotated to an oblique solution. The rotated factor structure of the preferences was interpreted within the framework of Holland's (1973) typology of persons and environments (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional — RIASEC). The data were consistent with Holland's model at the level of interpretation in terms of RIASEC themes. The correlations between the factors revealed apparent sex differences in the relationships between interest themes that were not predictable from Holland's hexagonal model of the relationships. These results suggest a srong association between interests in school subjects and occupational interests. They also provide an empirical basis for classifying school subjects in terms of RIASEC interest themes.
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