If you’re interested in current events from a human rights perspective, the history behind major human societal challenges, or are considering going into the legal field, you may be thinking about studying social justice or a related subject in college. A major, minor, concentration, or program in social justice sets you up to better understand the challenges the world is facing — and how to address them — whether from a nonprofit, advocacy group, governmental agency, or private practice.
Below we’ve pulled together our ten favorite social justice programs for undergraduates in the United States. There’s something in this list for everyone, from rigorous major programs to flexible courses of study that can be pursued in addition to a major.
If you aren’t sure which program is right for you, send us an email. We help students chart a course to a successful future.
Hobart and William Smith Colleges — Geneva, New York
Students in the Social Justice Studies minor at Hobart and William Smith take courses like “Foundations of Leadership Theory” to “build an understanding of the historical and contemporary representations of social justice, including its roots, evolution, and complexities.” All students have access to guest lectures in the Fisher Center for the Study of Gender and Justice, and are able to work with local organizations through the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning
Tufts University — Medford, Massachusetts
The Civic Studies Co-Major at Tufts is an interdisciplinary program focused on reflection, ethics, and action, and run through the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. Students in the program study power, “grapple with social conflict” and examine frameworks for social change. There is also a Peace and Justice Studies Minor in Civic Studies, which requires students to immediately put theory into practice through real-life applications.
George Washington University — Washington, DC
If you pursue the Human Services & Social Justice major at GW, you’ll be challenged to look at issues from a multitude of perspectives and develop leadership skills through instruction from academics and people currently working in fields related to social justice. The major isn’t your only option, however, as the Human Services & Social Justice Program has numerous other degree paths including a minor, micro-minor, and combined degrees.
Wesleyan University — Middletown, Connecticut
The Philosophy and Social Justice track or concentration in the Philosophy major at Wesleyan is housed in the Philosophy Department and so is unique among social justice programs by being grounded in the philosophical perspective. Majors are able to craft their tracks and submit a proposal for three philosophy courses and two non-philosophy courses. Example courses include “Political Economy of Developing Countries” and “Reasoning About Justice” or “Evil, Responsibility, and Forgiveness.”
Bucknell University — Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
If you decided to pursue the Social Justice minor at Bucknell, you’ll need to choose courses in two of five categories: Gender & Sexuality, Race & Ethnicity, Poverty, Inequality & Class, Environmental Justice, and Law, Religion & Human Rights. There are a multitude of options in each category, such as “Music and Culture: Jazz, Rock, and Race,” “Mating and Marrying in America,” and “Children’s Studies.” There is also a concentration in Poverty Studies that students can opt into by selecting courses focused on issues related to poverty.
Pitzer College — Claremont, California
Pitzer offers two areas of study that prioritize and elevate conversations of social justice on campus: the Institute for Global/Local Action & Study and the Munroe Center for Social Inquiry. In the first, students study globalization and its impacts, pursue scholarship on social justice, and take part in “sustained engagement” with communities locally and globally. Through the Munroe Center, they can also attend panels, events, seminars, exhibitions, screenings, and performances around issues concerning society and public policy promoting “interdisciplinary research and public discussion of important issues concerning society, cultures, and public policy.”
Smith College — Northampton, Massachusetts
Students in the Community Engagement & Social Change Concentration at Smith, which is organized by The Jandon Center for Community Engagement, connect community work with academic life, integrating service into their curricular work. They work with a concentration mentor to guide their experience, selecting courses from all five colleges in the Five College Consortium to shape their program. Previous areas of focus include “immigration and citizenship,” “education,” “law and social policy,” and “community design and built environments.”
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The Social and Economic Justice minor at UNC Chapel Hill is designed for students “who anticipate working in advocacy roles in nonprofit organizations, in local communities, or in governmental organizations.” Students in the program learn how to think analytically about justice, and how to turn what they learn into action. The minor requires four courses from a lengthy list of options, such as “Medicine, Politics, and Justice” or “The Worker and American Life,” and students are also required to complete a Service Learning Component comprised of one service-learning experience that is either a course with a service-learning component, an independent study course, or a spring break course.
Bennington College — Bennington, Vermont
Bennington College offers student-guided undergraduate degrees as part of what they call “the Plan,” so instead of picking a major, students work with faculty to build a program that leads to deep understanding of a topic or issue. Students interested in social justice do this through the program in the Advancement of Public Action in the Center for the Advancement of Public Action (CAPA). In the program, students grapple with issues of conflict and leadership, and it has a strong focus on incarceration reform.
American University — Washington, DC
The Bachelor of Arts in Justice and Law at American is one of the most prescriptive programs on this list, and is a major ideal for students looking to pursue issues of social justice in law school. Courses include “Justice and Public Policy,” “Contemporary Issues in American Law Enforcement,” and “The Juvenile and the Law,” and students can receive credit for internships. Previous internships have included National Institute of Justice, Public Defender Service, and the Department of Homeland Security. There is also a Justice minor, and students can choose to apply for a combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program.
A major in, of focused on, social justice can lead to a career in law, government, non-profits, advocacy, community leadership, or so much more. Social justice programs are — by and large — very flexible, and are designed to be crafted to fit each students interests and passions. It is an ideal course of study for driven and passionate students who are aspiring leaders in their community and beyond.
If you want a degree that will help you make a difference, send us an email. We help students like you find, and get into, their perfect college.