Bachelor of Science in Social Justice
Gain hands-on experience working with various populations with Marian’s Social Justice Program.
The Marian University Bachelor of Science in Social Justice program prepares students to work with marginalized groups and help bring equality to communities at the city, state, and national levels.
Individuals in the BS in Social Justice program will explore the connections between the ideals of justice, the realities of injustice, and practical solution sets to bridge the gap between the two. At the same time, they will gain hands-on experience with local organizations and institutions such as shelters, health advocacy programs, community centers, domestic abuse services, and social service agencies.
Students in the Bachelor of Science in Social Justice program gain a broad understanding of how ethics, philosophy, human rights, and history intersect with power, diversity, and broad social issues. Those with this degree pursue either graduate school or careers in social service, social policy analysis, mediation and intervention, and social justice advocacy.
Prepare for a career where you impact societal change.
Choose Your Concentration
Think about your career goals and choose a concentration or emphasis in an area of interest. Consider Religion and Social Justice, Advanced Cultural Studies, Environmental Justice, or Global Justice and Human Rights. You may also design your concentration with input from faculty.
Explore a Social Justice Degree
Listen to Dr. David Leichter as he explains the social justice major at Marian. The social justice major explores where the ideals of justice intersect the experiences of injustice on a local, national, and global level. This interdisciplinary program prepares students for numerous careers in addition to exploring who they want to be and how they want to live in a more just world.
Bachelor of Science in Social Justice Curriculum
The Marian University Bachelor of Science in Social Justice program is designed to produce critical and conscientious thinkers through a strong interdisciplinary curriculum that develops students’ capacities to recognize the wide range of causes in injustice and produces the important skills to respond to and transform the world to make it more just. This program prepares students not only for a career in a variety of occupations, but it also encourages students to reflect on who they want to be and what role they want to play in developing a more just world.
After taking the introductory BS in Social Justice courses and five additional courses, students will choose a concentration or emphasis in conjunction with faculty. Examples include Religion and Social Justice, Advanced Cultural Studies, Environmental Justice, or Global Justice and Human Rights. They may also choose to design their concentration or emphasis with input from faculty.
General Education Courses
As a bachelor’s level student, you are required to take about 30 credits of general education courses as part of the 120 credits required for a bachelor’s degree. General education courses are required regardless of your major.
All students take 10.5 to 17 credits in these areas:
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Argumentative and Research Writing
- Introduction to Christian Theology
- Interpersonal Communication
- Introduction to Ethical Reasoning
- First Year Studies
Social justice majors will take courses covering topics such as:
- Depth Requirements for Social Justice
- Breadth Requirements for Social Justice
- Issues in Social Justice
- Ethical Reasoning
Mission
The Bachelor of Science in Social Justice program explores where the ideals of justice intersect with the all-too-common experiences of injustice at the local, national, and global levels, while also providing students with the necessary practical tools to work for social change. As a result, it incorporates the theoretical and normative dimensions of justice with the practical application and implementation of these ideas in concrete cases where people and social groups are vulnerable to a number of different kinds of injustices.
Students have the opportunity to develop various abilities, including:
- How to critically examine the values that constitute social justice in theory and in practice
- An understanding of the principles of effective social action
- How to formulate, evaluate, and develop thoughtful responses that seek to address issues such as racism, privilege, marginalization, violence, literacy, human rights, gender equity, gender expression, disability, poverty, hunger, sustainability, and conservation of the environment
