The University of Texas at Austin has officially removed all women’s and gender studies courses from its core curriculum, as announced on September 22 by faculty chair Danielle Clealand.
These courses, previously available for fulfilling core graduation requirements, will continue to be offered as electives. The decision also affects numerous classes focusing on race, prompting concern among faculty and students regarding the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Reportedly affected courses include essential topics such as:
- Mexican American Women from 1940 to Present
- Women and the Holocaust
- Introduction to African American Women’s History
- LGBTQ Literature and Culture
- Native American Women’s History
Professor Jo Hsu expressed concern over the cuts, stating, “The pattern is pretty clear. Even within the other [department] units, all courses that referenced women were rejected.” Additionally, significant classes like Slavery and Its Legacies, Urban Unrest, and Statistical Analysis of Social Disparities have also been removed from the core curriculum.
However, courses in subjects such as Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, Black Studies, and Jewish Women’s Life Writings remain intact within the university’s offerings.
Maria Cotera, another professor, noted that no explanation was provided to faculty members regarding the removal of these courses. A spokesperson from the university directed inquiries to a core curriculum report produced by 22 faculty members. This report suggested that several courses were deemed “quite narrow” and not conducive to a broader educational experience.
The report stated, “Highly specialized courses have an important place in UT Austin’s curriculum, but not as parts of its core.”
This decision follows earlier announcements about the discontinuation of Women’s and Gender Studies, Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, and African and African Diaspora Studies as degree programs. A university spokesperson confirmed that new enrollments in these programs have been halted to adjust to changes within the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis.
Current students in these majors will still be able to complete their degrees, but there is no indication of the rationale behind the cuts. Earlier reports indicated that only 307 students enrolled in the aforementioned fields, comprising approximately 1% of the total university enrollment for 2025.
As these developments unfold, various stakeholders are questioning the implications of these curriculum changes on diversity, representation, and academic discourse at the University of Texas at Austin.