Bachelor of Arts in Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies (Health)
The innovative Bachelor of Arts degree in Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies (MWGS) program prepares students for a wide range of careers, as well as professional and graduate studies. In general, MWGS students gain strong transferable skills in reading, comprehension, speaking, writing, and active listening. Employers call these “soft” skills. Students on all three tracks take a common set of courses, which allows students to change tracks or make decisions about which track to pursue later in the program. A capstone class near the end of the program helps students prepare to transition to professional life and graduate or professional studies. Each track requires a minor to provide a strong foundation in a discipline that will support the student's career goals. More specifically, two of the three tracks in the program prepare students to follow distinctive career paths in community leadership and health education. The third track is more flexible and can be adapted by students in consultation with an advisor to support those interested in careers as doctors; professors; attorneys; human resource specialists; researchers; or diversity, equity, and inclusion consultants.
The Health Studies track prepares students to assume jobs in industry and organizations that promote women's health and wellness for individuals, as well as for communities. This track also provides students with preparation to address racial, class, and gender inequities that impact women’s health and people’s wellness in marginalized communities. Students pursuing this track can also apply for graduate programs and become postsecondary educators.
The Health Studies track includes prescribed electives in health studies, psychology, sociology, English, and dance. Electives must be approved by the advisor. Students on this track must complete three hours of approved internships for credit.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Communicate ideas effectively orally and in writing.
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Engage in critical and analytical reasoning about social and political problems from an intersectional feminist/womanist perspective.
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Systematically research and evaluate information in a range of disciplines from an intersectional feminist/womanist perspective.
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Develop methods for engagement in political, cultural, and scholarly areas in pursuit of social justice.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 120
Major: 18 SCH
Program Code: MLCLWMGNST.BA.HEALTH CIP Code: 05.0207.00
Texas Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences | 6 | |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture | 3 | |
| Creative Arts | 3 | |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | 3 |
| POLS 2013 | U.S. National Government | 3 |
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| CAO: Women's Studies | 3 | |
| CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 42 | |
Courses Required for Major
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| WS 2013 | Gender and Social Change: An Introduction to Multicultural-Women's Studies | 3 |
| WS 2033 | Womanist Spiritual Activism: Social Justice Theories for Wellness and Transformation | 3 |
| WS 3023 | U.S. Women of Colors | 3 |
| WS 4023 | Sexualities and Identities: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | 3 |
| WS 4493 | Feminist Theory | 3 |
| WS 4793 | Senior Capstone in Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 18 | |
Departmental Requirements
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| WS 4953 | Internship in Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| SPCH 1013 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Health Issues Courses | ||
| Choose 9 SCH from the following | 9 | |
| Psychology of Women | ||
| Early Childhood Development | ||
| Wellness of the Young Child | ||
| Health Aspects of Human Sexuality | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | ||
| Perspectives on Women's Health | ||
| Psychology of Adjustment | ||
| Psychology of Stress | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Health Disparities | ||
| Current Social Problems | ||
| Sociology of Health and Illness | ||
| Health Practices Courses | ||
| Choose 9 SCH from the following | 9 | |
| Introduction to Tap Dance | ||
| Dance Physical Conditioning/Body Work | ||
| Bartenieff Fundamentals of Movement | ||
| Wellness through Movement | ||
| Professional Writing | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | ||
| Health Communications | ||
| Community Health Assessment | ||
| History and Principles of Health Education | ||
| Elementary Spanish I | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | ||
| Social Research | ||
| Social Statistics | ||
| Total SCHs | 24 | |
Required Minor
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Any 18-hour minor | 18 | |
| Total SCHs | 18 | |
Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | TCCN | SCHs | |
| WS 2013 | Gender and Social Change: An Introduction to Multicultural-Women's Studies | 3 | |
| UNIV 1231 | Learning Frameworks: The First Year Experience | EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 1300 | 1 |
| ENG 1013 | Composition I | ENGL 1301 | 3 |
| HIST 1013 | History of the United States, 1492-1865 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Creative Arts Core | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 16 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| WS 2033 | Womanist Spiritual Activism: Social Justice Theories for Wellness and Transformation | 3 | |
| ENG 1023 | Composition II | ENGL 1302 | 3 |
| HIST 1023 | History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | HIST 1302 | 3 |
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Wellness or Mathematics CAO Core | 2 | ||
| MWGS Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | GOVT 2306 | 3 |
| MWGS Elective | 3 | ||
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture Core | 3 | ||
| Mathematics Core | 3 | ||
| Health Issues I (Select 3 SCH) | 3 | ||
| Psychology of Women | |||
| Health Aspects of Human Sexuality | PSYC 2306, SOCI 2306 | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | |||
| Perspectives on Women's Health | |||
| Current Social Problems | SOCI 1306 | ||
| Sociology of Health and Illness | |||
| Psychology of Adjustment | PSYC 2315 | ||
| Psychology of Stress | |||
| Early Childhood Development | TECA 1354 | ||
| Wellness of the Young Child | TECA 1318 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| SPCH 1013 | Oral Communication | SPCH 1311 | 3 |
| Social & Behavioral Science Core | 3 | ||
| POLS 2023 | Texas Government | GOVT 2306 | 3 |
| Health Practices I (Select 3 SCH) | 3 | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | |||
| Health Communications | |||
| Community Health Assessment | |||
| History and Principles of Health Education | |||
| Wellness through Movement | |||
| Social Research | |||
| Social Statistics | |||
| Professional Writing | |||
| Elementary Spanish I | SPAN 1411 | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | SPAN 1412 | ||
| Bartenieff Fundamentals of Movement | |||
| Dance Physical Conditioning/Body Work | |||
| Introduction to Tap Dance | DANC 1110 | ||
| MWGS Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| WS 3023 | U.S. Women of Colors | 3 | |
| Health Issues II (Select 6 SCH) | 6 | ||
| Psychology of Women | |||
| Health Aspects of Human Sexuality | PSYC 2306, SOCI 2306 | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | |||
| Perspectives on Women's Health | |||
| Current Social Problems | SOCI 1306 | ||
| Sociology of Health and Illness | |||
| Early Childhood Development | TECA 1354 | ||
| Wellness of the Young Child | TECA 1318 | ||
| Psychology of Adjustment | PSYC 2315 | ||
| Psychology of Stress | |||
| Health Psychology | |||
| Psychology of Health Disparities | |||
| Minor | 3 | ||
| Minor | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| WS 4493 | Feminist Theory | 3 | |
| Health Practices II (Select 6 SCH) | 6 | ||
| Introduction to Public Health | |||
| Health Communications | |||
| Community Health Assessment | |||
| History and Principles of Health Education | |||
| Social Research | |||
| Social Statistics | |||
| Oral Communication | SPCH 1311 | ||
| Professional Writing | |||
| Elementary Spanish I | SPAN 1411 | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | SPAN 1412 | ||
| Introduction to Tap Dance | DANC 1110 | ||
| Dance Physical Conditioning/Body Work | |||
| Bartenieff Fundamentals of Movement | |||
| Wellness through Movement | |||
| Minor | 3 | ||
| Minor | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| WS 4023 | Sexualities and Identities: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | 3 | |
| MWGS Elective (3000 or 4000 level course) | 3 | ||
| Minor | 3 | ||
| Minor | 3 | ||
| Internship in MWGS (select 3 SCH - note the SCH for each selection) | 3 | ||
| Internship in Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies | |||
| Internship in Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies | |||
| Internship in Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies | |||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| WS 4793 | Senior Capstone in Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies | 3 | |
| MWGS Elective (3000 or 4000 level course) | 3 | ||
| MWGS Elective (3000 or 4000 level course) | 3 | ||
| Elective (3000 or 4000 level course) | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 12 | ||
| Total SCHs: | 120 | ||
