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On Friday, Texas A&M University revealed plans to discontinue its Women’s and Gender Studies degree program. The decision was attributed to “limited student interest” and adherence to university guidelines. However, students currently pursuing this degree will be permitted to complete their studies.
In an official statement, Interim President Tommy Williams emphasized the university’s enduring commitment to educational leadership in Texas over the past 150 years. He stated, “Our mission remains unchanged. By maintaining stringent oversight and standards, we uphold academic integrity and public trust, ensuring that a degree from Texas A&M holds value for both our students and their future employers.” Williams assured that this focus will persist as the institution progresses.
An email sent to faculty by Interim Dean Simon North and Senior Executive Associate Cynthia Werner of the College of Arts and Sciences, which was obtained by The Texas Tribune, communicated the program’s discontinuation.
As reported by The Texas Tribune, the administrators acknowledged, “We recognize that this is distressing news. Nonetheless, it is crucial for university administrators to responsibly manage public funds. Even the smallest programs demand ongoing investment in faculty time, staff assistance, and administrative oversight.”
The decision to phase out the Women’s and Gender Studies degree program has been set in motion at Texas A&M. (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.