Peace & Justice Studies / Bachelor of Arts
Program: BA-PJST-4
Total Credit Hours: 120
Major Credit Hours: 36
Peace and Justice Studies
Peace and Justice Studies (PJS) is an interdisciplinary program housed in the Theology Department through which students acquire knowledge and skills of interfaith and intercultural just peacebuilding in order to create beloved community. PJS students practice the art of peacebuilding through community engagement in ways that are intentionally self-reflective, anti-racist and evolving.
Major
Eighteen credits of interdisciplinary core courses situate PJS majors in the theory, practices and art of just peacebuilding. Students learn to embrace the dignity of difference within communities and, in relationship, perceive injustices in need of transformation. Five Pathways have been identified for students to focus their elective course selections (18 credits) while remaining flexible to complement students’ unique personal and professional aspirations. Those pathways are – conflict transformation; restorative/transformative justice; human rights and equitable development; women/gender equity and inclusion; and interfaith/ intercultural bridgebuilding.
Interdisciplinary Program
Enriched by faculty in a variety of disciplines, this program promotes examination of calls to justice as prerequisite to peace. Partner disciplines within the PJS program include: Art and Design; Communications; Education; English Studies; Environmental Science; History; Justice, Law and Public Safety Studies; Music; Philosophy; Physics; Political Science; Psychology; Social Work; Sociology; Theatre; and Theology.
Careers
Careers in Peace and Justice Studies include, but are not limited to – negotiation, mediation, political office, legislative reform, education, community organizing, human rights advocacy, environmental protection, interfaith dialogue, law, victim/offender advocacy, and restorative justice.
Total Hours: 36
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| THEO 25000 | Foundations of Peace and Justice Studies | 3 |
| THEO 26700 | Practicing Faithful Justice | 3 |
| POLS 32700 | Mediation 1 | 3 |
| SOCI 27000 | Social Movements and Social Change | 3 |
| UNIV 30601 | Community Engaged Learning Leadership Seminar | 3 |
| THEO 45000 | Capstone: Peace and Justice Studies Seminar | 3 |
| Electives in Peace & Justice Studies | 18 | |
| Select an additional 18 credit hours from a variety of Peace & Justice Studies courses. Electives must represent at least two different disciplines within the pathway options listed in addition to Theology. The specific choice of pathway is discerned with the advice and consent of an advisor from the Peace & Justice Studies program. Please refer to the University Course Schedule for specific offerings each semester. | ||
Select one interpersonal, spiritual, and/or familial peacebuilding course: | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Domestic Violence | ||
| Child, Family, Culture and Community | ||
| Philosophical Issues in Race and Gender | ||
| Lifespan Development | ||
| Psychology of Women | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Foundations of Educational Psychology | ||
| Modern Christian Spirituality | ||
| Sexuality, Spirituality, and Relationships | ||
| Acting 1 | ||
| Improvisation 1 | ||
Select two or three local, regional, and/or systemic peacebuilding courses: | ||
| Social Responsibility for Graphic Designers | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Organizational Communication | ||
| Juvenile Justice System | ||
| Multicultural Issues in Criminal Justice | ||
| Mediation 2 | ||
| Social Policy and Social Justice | ||
| Introduction to Cross Cultural Studies for Teachers of English Language Learners | ||
| LGBTQ Rights and Issues I | ||
| African American Philosophy | ||
| Politics and Civic Engagement | ||
| Mediation 2 | ||
| Cross-Cultural Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Organizational Leadership | ||
| The Welfare State and Social Welfare Policy | ||
| Cultural Humility and Social Power | ||
| Human Behavior in the Social Environment II | ||
| Disability Studies in Education | ||
| Exceptional Learners in Inclusive Communities | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Community Sociology | ||
| Youth, Justice, and Society | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Violence and Peace | ||
| Urban Sociology | ||
| Islam in America | ||
| Theologies of Liberation | ||
| Lasallian Community and Social Action | ||
Select two or three national, multinational, and/or global peacebuilding courses: | ||
| Principles of Environmental Science | ||
| Issues in Environmental Science | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| U.S.-Latino Literature | ||
| Latin American Literature | ||
| Ethnic and Immigrant Literatures | ||
| Native American Literature | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| Education Around the World | ||
| A History of the U.S. Military | ||
| African-American History I | ||
| Native American History | ||
| Immigration, Ethnicity, and Race in American History | ||
| U.S. Women's History | ||
| History of the British Empire | ||
| The Middle East in History | ||
| History of the Modern Middle East | ||
| The Vietnam War | ||
| Sex, Race, and Power in Pop Music | ||
| Philosophy of Rights | ||
| Energy and Society | ||
| Nonviolent Political Action | ||
| Model United Nations | ||
| International Human Rights | ||
| Political Violence | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| International Topics | ||
| Women and Politics | ||
| Non-Western Political Thought | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Immigration Law for Paralegals | ||
| Introduction to Women's Studies | ||
| U.S.-Mexico Border Experience | ||
| Social Movements and Social Change | ||
| Sustainable Communities | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Sociology of Hate and Violence | ||
| Social Inequalities | ||
| Women and Religion | ||
| The Qur'an and the Bible | ||
| Christian Social Teaching | ||
| Global Christianity | ||
| Introduction to Islam | ||
| Methods of Interfaith Dialogue | ||
| World Religions | ||
| Interdisciplinary Seminar: From Dystopias to Utopias: Imagining and Creating Better Worlds | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
One world language course may be applied to the major with advisor consent.