Race & Social Justice

How does racial inequality manifest across society, and why does equity matter? How is race socially constructed, and how do these constructions shift in light of an intersectional examination of other aspects of social standing, such as class, gender, sexuality, immigration status, religion, and disability? In this Certificate program in Race & Social Justice, students will recognize, assess and apply the major theoretical frameworks for understanding racial inequality and equity across a variety of social outcomes, including health, housing, education, early childhood, employment and criminal justice, the arts and other arenas.

This program is designed for all undergraduate majors and is offered in partnership between the Institute for the Study of "Race" and Social Justice and the College of Education and Human Sciences, and is housed in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program in A&S.

This is an intentionally interdisciplinary program, bringing together dialogues, reflection and collective insights from different disciplines to explore the contours ofrace and social justice in the U.S and in a global context.The program encourages both a local and global look at inequality, and you have great latitude in creating a program tailored to your interests and goals.

Because these courses are mostly housed in Social/Behavioral Sciences and Humanities departments, you will gain excellent critical thinking and writing skills. You will learn to advocate your position with strength and clarity in writing and in class discussions, which has applications in any career field, academic graduate study, and professions like law, medicine, and business.

Many courses applicable to the Certificate are housed in A&S disciplines: