Undergraduate
Certificate Programs
Social Justice Organizing
Certificate in Social Justice Organizing
The certificate in Social Justice Organizing is an 18-credit hour program for students enrolled in a degree seeking program. The certificate combines classroom instruction with practical experience in the community. The core course, American Studies A341 (designated RISE -Experiential) engages students in service learning with a local community organization or labor union. The interdisciplinary certificate draws on courses from eight different departments. Students complete at least one internship of 150 hours and may choose to do another internship or a capstone project in partnership with a local organization. The certificate is intended to give tomorrow's community leaders the knowledge and practical skills they need to build viable democratic institutions and contribute to social and economic justice.
A certificate in Social Justice Organizing empowers students to pursue careers in non-profit management, government, education, organized labor, law, and any other field sensitive to cultural contexts and power dynamics. Students completing the certificate will be prepared to work with diverse communities and help people at the margins of society participate in civic life. The certificate is consistent with the mission of the School of Liberal Arts because it fosters the exchange of knowledge that promotes understanding of the human experience. The certificate draws upon high impact practices in liberal education by integrating methodologies from the humanities and the social sciences and involving students in applied, collaborative research experiences.
The Certificate program in Social Justice Organizing requires satisfactory completion of the following:
- Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.7.
- Completion of a total of 18 credit hours, with a minimum grade of C in each course.
- to declare the certificate, complete the School of Liberal Arts online declaration form: https://liberalarts.iupui.edu/updatemajor/
Certificate Requirements (3 cr.)
- AMST-A 341: Organizing for Social Justice
Advanced seminars (9 credits):
- AMST-A 302: The Question of American Community
- AMST-A 303: Asian American Culture
- ANTH-E 380: Urban Anthropology
- ANTH-A 460: TOPICS: Women and Social Action
- COMM-C 481: Current Issues in Organizational Communication
- COMM-G 391: Media and Social Movements
- ENG-W 377: Writing for Social Change
- ENG-L 411: Working Class Literature
- HIST-A 352: History of Latinos in the United States
- HIST-A 328: History of Work in America
- HIST-A 330: American Dissent
- HIST-A 421: The Civil Rights Movement
- HIST-F 346: Modern Mexico
- HIST-F 432: Modern Latin American History: Evolution and Revolution
- LSTU-L 314: Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace
- LSTU-L 331: Global Problems, Local Solutions
- LSTU-L 385: Class, Race, Gender and Work
- POLS-Y 215: Introduction to Political Theory
- POLS-Y 308: Urban Politics
- REL-R 386: Ethics of Consumption
- REL-R 383: Religions, Ethics, US Society
- SOC-R 476: Social Movements
- SOC-R 463: Inequality and Society
- SOC-R 467: Social Change
(other courses may be approved by the Masarachia Scholars board)
Internship(s) with a Social Justice Organization-(3-6 cr.)
This certificate can be completed by doing two internships, as Masarachia scholars currently do, or with one internship and a capstone project.
Optional Capstone Project (3 cr.)
Working with a local social-action organization, the student designs a project that meets a specific need of the organization. With the help of a sponsoring faculty member, the student draws upon coursework in the certificate to inform this service project.
