Social Justice Minor

Director: Lauretta C. Frederking, Ph.D., associate professor, political science

 

The social justice minor is open to all students from any major or school at the University. The social justice minor instills in students an intellectual foundation and practical experience to live in ways that promote social integrity, economic prosperity and defense of human rights for all.

The service dimension of learning at this university is expressed in a unique and effective way within the social justice minor. It challenges students to place their personal development and career choices into an ethical worldview within an interdisciplinary context.

The program includes courses in its curriculum from disciplines such as business, education, English, history, philosophy, political science, sociology, and theology.

Learning Outcomes for Social Justice Minors

Social justice graduates at the University of Portland should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a broad understanding of the theories and concepts of social justice and social justice traditions.
   1. Identify and explain central concepts of social justice, including the Catholic social justice tradition.
   2. Identify and explain historical roots of social justice and injustice.
2. Articulate an understanding of social justice from a variety of perspectives including religious, psychological, sociological, historical, cultural, political, economic, and organizational.
   1. Identify and explain a variety of different disciplines' perspectives on social justice.
   2. Demonstrate an understanding of the social justice implications of issues in various disciplines.
3. Demonstrate community learning experience about social justice.
   1. Successfully engage in an applied internship in a social service setting.
   2. Observe and examine how individuals can promote social responsibility in organizational settings.
   3. Engage in academic analysis and systematic reflection on the connection between that internship and conceptions of social justice, both orally and in writing.

Capstone Experience

Students pursuing the social justice minor will participate in SOC/SW 451. This course requires all participants to engage in an applied internship in a social service setting. Students in the social justice minor may choose the social service agency at which they pursue their internship from a wide variety of agencies. They are also required to write a final paper in which they engage in academic reflection and analysis on the connection between their internship and various conceptions of social justice, including, but not limited to, the Catholic Church’s social justice tradition. Students are also required to publicly present their papers.

Requirements

1. POL 302
2. SOC/SW 451
3. 12 credit hours from the following list, at least three of which should be from a discipline other than POL, SW, or SOC: BUS 487, CST 411, CST 416, CST 431, ECN 424, ED 320, ENG 430, ENG 480, ENV/POL 349, HST 312, HST 318, HST 321, HST 322, HST 323, HST 343, HST 346, HST 357, HST 358, PHL 410, PHL 412, PHL 413, PHL 414, PHL 434, PHL 474, POL 335, POL 351, POL 356, POL 373, POL 374, POL 376, POL 455, PSY/SOC 463, PSY 470, SOC 333, SOC 336, SPN 316 SW/SOC 325, SW 456, SW 468, THE 302