Students who want to help shape a more just and peaceful world can prepare themselves with the interdisciplinary Peace and Justice Studies major. Students shape their studies around a major theme, such as international conflict, conflict resolution or social inequality.
An Interdisciplinary Major
The interdisciplinary Peace and Justice Studies major prepares students with the theoretical and practical knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to help shape a more just and peaceful world. Courses familiarize students with the major ideas, concepts, and theories of peace and justice; detailed knowledge of problems, issues and challenges such as poverty, racism, and war; and various approaches to solutions.
Experiential Learning
Integrative learning is a key feature of the Peace and Justice Studies major. Its aim is to provide students with the opportunity to combine insights from different disciplines so as to develop a broad understanding of the integrated nature of peace and justice; to explore how their own serious questions about faith, peace and justice are related to concrete work for peace and justice.
In matters of peace and justice, integrative learning cannot occur without a significant focus on experience and the concrete. Through both individual and communal service learning experiences, students will engage in an "Experiential Learning Cycle" providing a framework for understanding the nuances and complexities of issues of peace and justice.
The integrated experiential component must be broadly related to the student's senior thesis project. Additional experiential learning may include service learning, communal service projects for majors in the local community or in international experiences (i.e. Peru summer program).
Experiential Learning Components - students must complete one of the following:
- Service learning in TWO of the Peace and Justice Studies major courses (OR)
- an internship (OR)
- a program of international study or urban immersion (OR)
- an alternative experiential component as approved by the program director.
Course Sequence - Class of 2018 and Beyond
| Freshman Year | |
| Conversatio I | Conversatio II |
| Freshman English | Core Requirement |
| Language | Language |
| PJ 101 | PH 301 |
In the sophomore year: Peace and Justice Studies majors generally take Conflict Resolution and their research methods requirement (SO 211 or PO 203 or CJ 202). Depending on initial placement, they may also be completing their modern or classical language requirement. The remainder of their schedules can be filled by Peace and Justice electives, other core requirements, general electives or courses for a minor or double major.
In the junior year: Peace and Justice Studies majors generally take two or three Peace and Justice electives. The rest of their schedules can be occupied with core requirements, general electives or courses for a minor or double major.
In the senior year: Peace and Justice Studies majors generally take their final Peace and Justice electives and their Senior Seminar requirement. The rest of their schedules can be occupied with core requirements, general electives or courses for a minor or double major.