Texas A&M University has decided to discontinue its Women’s and Gender Studies degree program, pointing to “limited student interest” and adherence to university policies as the primary reasons for this move. Despite this change, the institution has assured that current students enrolled in the program will be able to complete their degrees.
Interim President Tommy Williams emphasized the university’s commitment to maintaining high educational standards. In a statement, he remarked, “For 150 years, Texas A&M has been at the forefront of higher education in Texas, steadfast in our mission. Strong oversight and standards safeguard academic integrity and restore public confidence, ensuring that a degree from Texas A&M holds significant value for our students and their future employers. This focus has guided our decisions and will continue to do so.”
The decision was communicated to faculty via an email from College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Simon North and Senior Executive Associate Cynthia Werner, as reported by The Texas Tribune. The administrators acknowledged the difficulty of the news, stating, “One of the principal responsibilities of university administrators is to manage public funds effectively. Even the smallest programs necessitate continuous investment in faculty resources, staff support, and administrative oversight.”
The program at Texas A&M encompassed a bachelor of arts, a bachelor of science, an undergraduate minor, and a graduate certificate, according to reports. The Texas Tribune noted that the program currently has 25 students pursuing a major and 31 seeking a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies.
Texas A&M has moved to eliminate its Women’s and Gender Studies degree program. (Spencer Selvidge/Reuters; Yuliya Taba/iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Texas A&M offered a bachelor of arts degree, a bachelor of science degree, an undergraduate minor and a graduate certificate in the program, according to the newspaper. The outlet reported that the program has 25 students seeking a major and 31 seeking a minor.
The university launched a comprehensive course review for the Spring 2026 semester, examining 5,400 syllabi to ensure compliance with its “Civil Rights Protections and Compliance” and “Academic Freedom, Responsibility and Tenure” policies. It said that hundreds of syllabi across 17 colleges and schools within the university had been modified to meet policy requirements. Additionally, the university gave deans of schools and colleges the opportunity to request exemptions for non-core curriculum courses. The deans forwarded 54 courses to the university’s president, and ultimately 48 exceptions were granted.
Texas A&M is eliminating its Women’s and Gender Studies degree program (iStock)
The review was launched after a recording of a student allegedly being removed from a class for questioning transgender-related course content went viral. In the video, a female student asked the professor if it was legal to teach gender ideology, citing President Donald Trump’s executive orders. The lecturer said the student was under a “misconception” that the course content was illegal and later said it was “time for you to leave.”
The video prompted the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents to call for an audit of its courses.
“The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents will not tolerate actions that damage the reputation of our institutions,” the school system said at the time. “The Board has called for immediate and decisive steps to ensure that what happened this week will not be repeated. To that end, the Regents have asked the Chancellor to audit every course and ensure full compliance with all applicable laws.”
A sign at the entrance to Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. (wellesenterprises/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Plus)
In November 2024, the board of regents moved to eliminate 52 “low-producing” minors and certificate programs, including its LGBTQ Studies minor. The LGBTQ Studies minor, which was under the Women and Gender Studies Department, was initially approved in the fall of 2022. The college requested to keep the program but was denied by the university’s provost.
Fox News Digital reached out to Texas A&M for comment.
