Texas University ends women's and ethnic studies as majors, following other schools doing the same

The University of Texas announced Friday that students can no longer enroll in three majors that have previously been offered. 

"In recognition of the changing degree offerings in the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, the University is no longer enrolling new students in three majors: Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, African and African Diaspora Studies, and Women’s & Gender Studies," a university spokesman told Fox News Digital.

“So, as you might expect, those majors have been removed from the University’s admissions applications to avoid new students enrolling in majors that are changing,” the statement continues. “Students currently enrolled in those majors will be able to complete their degree.”

While faculty members within those majors will become part of a new, consolidated department, they had no advanced warning that this was coming, according to Inside Higher Ed. 

In addition, according to the outlet, another major, Race, Indigeneity and Migration, will also be eliminated.

Danielle Clealand, the interim chairwoman of the new Social and Cultural Department, told faculty members earlier this week that the provost’s office “rejected our proposal to keep our majors.”

The decision comes after a number of other universities have dropped similar majors.

"I don’t know the particulars of UT Austin’s programs. But this news is unsurprising. Across the Anglosphere, ethnic and sexuality studies have long been captured by political activists," Timur Kuran, a professor of economics and political science at Duke University, wrote on X. "Other state universities, and even private ones, will follow."

Low enrollment appears to be the other major factor in the decision, though UT Austin has not publicly stated its reason for this action.