The Bachelor of Innovation program in Women's and Ethnic Studies (WEST) trains students to think deeply about the intersecting hierarchies of society. By blending WEST studies with entrepreneurship and business training, students are empowered to create innovative solutions that transform society.

The Bachelor of Innovation (BI) in Women’s and Ethnic Studies (WEST) combines the focus of a WEST degree with additional training in entrepreneurship and business skills, teaching students to innovatively transform society by thinking critically about the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, nationality, and other hierarchies; to understand history, culture, and society from a range of perspectives, including those emanating from individuals and communities whose stories and lives have been marginalized; to advocate for human rights and social and environmental justice; and to develop consciousness about multi-ethnic and gender issues locally, domestically, globally and transnationally.

Students completing the BI in WEST fulfill the 30 credit hours of courses required of WEST BA majors, plus 24 credit hours of the BI Innovation Core and 15 credit hours of a BI Cross-discipline Core (Business, Engineering Technology, Globalization, Inclusiveness Education, or [for veteran/transfer students only] a Custom Core).

Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of WEST coursework, including at least 21 credit hours of upper-division WEST courses, with a grade of C or better in each course. These courses must include the following 10 credit hours of core requirements:

• WEST 1010 Introduction to Social Justice Studies
• WEST 3400 Contemporary Theory and Methods in WEST
• WEST 4995 (Summit 1 credit course) AND one 4000-level WEST Capstone-flagged senior-seminar course from the list below: WEST 4025, 4040, 4170, 4280, 4380, 4470, 4570, 4480, 4530, 4700, 4838

Of the remaining 18 credit hours of electives, students must successfully complete one course each from the following three substantive areas: Transnational/Global Studies; Creative and Artistic Expression; Social Movements, Communities, and History, plus at least nine credit hours of upper-division WEST courses.

In addition, BI students must complete the following BI Innovation Core courses:

• BLAW 2010 Business and Intellectual Property Law
• ENTP 1000 Introduction to Entrepreneurship
• ENTP 4500 Entrepreneurship and Strategy
• INOV 1010 The Innovation Process
• INOV 2010 Innovation Team: Analyze and Report
• INOV 2100 Technical Writing, Proposals, and Presentations
• INOV 3010 Innovation Team: Research and Execute
• INOV 4010 Innovation Team: Design and Lead

BI students must also complete 15 credit hours within one of the Cross-discipline Cores:

• Business
• Engineering Technology
• Globalization
• Inclusive Education
• Custom Core (for veterans and transfer students only)

For program coursework, please visit the Academic Catalog.

To learn more about admission requirements and the application process, please visit the UCCS Admissions page.

Additional resources for Admissions:

• Tuition Rate
• Cost of Tuition Estimator
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships