BA in MWGS
Learn the tools to make change
What is MWGS?
The discipline examines theories and activism that seek to create equal access to resources and rights for all people by challenging racial, class, gender and other inequities. The women’s suffrage, reproductive rights, Civil Rights, Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ and global labor movements are foundational to MWGS scholarship, teaching and service. Through its production of new knowledge, the discipline of MWGS has transformed not only the political and cultural spheres but also the institution of higher education itself. Theories that are foundational to the field such as intersectionality have influenced research and teaching across academic disciplines including Philosophy, History, Biology, Sociology, and Political Science.
Why earn your BA in MWGS at TWU?
The MWGS BA program builds on TWU’s commitment to a women-focused education while also cultivating leaders of all genders. Our interdisciplinary curriculum provides students with a unique set of skills to effect change in a variety of workplace settings concerning systemic inequalities rooted in gender, race, class, sexuality, age and disabilities. Our curriculum supports students in building strong communication and critical thinking skills, and we explore contemporary social justice issues that have relevance to economics, politics, the law, education, the media and cultural spheres.
People with a bachelor’s degree in the field are employable in a wide range of careers because they gain strong transferable skills in reading, comprehension, speaking, writing and active listening. There is also a high demand for college graduates who have deep knowledge of gender-related and other diversity issues.
Three track options
The BA program in MWGS is the only program in the United States with three concentrations: General Studies, Community Leadership and Health.
The concentrations give you the flexibility to customize your degree to meet your interests and career aspirations.
General Study
The general study track prepares you for a wide array of careers in business, human resources, non-profits or the arts. Corporations are increasingly looking for employees with deep knowledge of gender and other diversity-related issues, as well as the ability to manage new, complex employment laws and health care coverage options. In addition to completing foundational MWGS courses, students take courses in other disciplines including the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Find out more about the general study track.
Health
In the health track, you’ll be ready for a career in public health and hospital networks, where women, people of color and LGBTQ+ face greater barriers to health care. This track allows you to pair foundational MWGS courses with health-related courses in other programs including Health Studies, Psychology and Sociology. Find out more about the health track.
Community Leadership
Interested in working in social service? Sign up for the community leadership track, which will prepare you for careers in community service and nonprofits with social justice initiatives focused on reproductive rights, voter suppression, women’s health care and more. This track allows you to pair foundational MWGS courses with community issues courses in other programs including Social Work. Find out more about the community leadership track.
Legacy for women's leadership and diversity
As the largest university system in the nation focused on women and one of the most diverse in the nation, Texas Woman's is committed to transformational learning, discovery and service in an inclusive environment that embraces diversity and fosters a culture of cultivating women leaders.
MWGS is a field with a strong focus on women's and diversity issues. Texas Woman's has built a national reputation as a leader in the field of Women’s and Gender Studies.
Our MA program is the first free-standing master’s MWGS program in the Dallas Fort-Worth area, and our PhD program is the first doctoral program in Texas and the south-central region of the US.
Career opportunities
Skills from a TWU BA in MWGS allow you to enter a wide range of careers. The articles below illustrate the overlap between what employers are looking for and how an MWGS degree prepares graduates to move successfully through our 21st-century globalized world:
Top 15 Skills Employers Are Hiring For in 2022
Top 11 Skills Employers Look for in Candidates
These are the 9 skills that would make any hiring manager happy
TWU MWGS courses and curriculum
TWU's BA in MWGS provides you with a solid foundation in the field while allowing you the flexibility to take courses in a range of departments. Our interdisciplinary curriculum provides you with a unique set of skills to effect change in a variety of workplace settings concerning systemic inequalities rooted in gender, race, class, sexuality, age and dis/abilities.
Scholarships and financial aid for MWGS students
In addition to university-wide types of financial aid, there is a new scholarship specifically for students in the bachelor’s degree program in MWGS.
Dr. Claire Sahlin Endowed Scholarship in Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies was created in honor of Dr. Claire L. Sahlin, who serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the College of Arts & Sciences at TWU. Click here for more information.
Related programs at TWU
We are now accepting applications to the doctoral program in MWGS from the B.A. level.
Page last updated 12:10 PM, July 9, 2024