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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.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Know-about their place and time in society and culture from a variety of perspectives.
  • Understand-appreciate, and respect the variety and complexity of other societies and cultures—across time and place—as the basis for successful interaction in the global context of the 21st century.
  • Be able to
    • find, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and apply information, drawing effectively on a variety of information sources and tools;
    • pose general as well as particular questions and propose creative solutions to those problems in different contexts—working independently and as members of teams;
    • communicate effectively in English to peers and professionals making effective use of a variety of communication modes, methods, and technologies; and
    • exercise ethically sound judgment in personal and professional situations and demonstrate responsible behavior as leaders as well as being able to work effectively in group or team projects.

The Certificate program in Social Justice Organizing requires satisfactory completion of the following:

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.