About the program

Program mission
Curriculum overview
Expectations and credit
Social Justice model
How to Apply

Curriculum overview

The Social Justice Program is a carefully designed sequence for social justice development.  Throughout the year, students will grapple with five core practices of social justice and work to assimilate these practices into their daily lives.  In the process, they'll sharpen their gaze and view the world through a social justice lens, and cultivate a passion for one or more social justice issues.  Further they will build a plan for how to activate themselves for that issue.  Students will complete the Program with a Mission Statement that catalogs their development and charts their future course of action.  The curriculum is designed for students to gain confidence in their power as advocates for social justice and to take a courageous stand towards their passion.  Participating students are strongly encouraged to get involved with affiliated student-led social justice groups and a host of other opportunities with social justice work outside of the Program.

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Syllabus
1st Quarter: Foundations of Social Justice

• How does my Identity shape my experience?
• What is social justice and what does it mean to be a social justice advocate?

Sample Projects:  Identity Map, Social Justice Story
Training/Field Trip:  Race and Identity Workshop
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2nd Quarter: Cultivating Passion for a an issue

• What social justice issue(s) am I passionate about?
• Do I want to work to achieve social justice locally or globally?
• How do violence, health, incarceration and our food system interact? 

Sample Projects: Arts and Social Justice; Vision Statement; Food Justice Project
Training/Field Trip: Prison visit
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3rd Quarter: Making Change 

• What strategies and tactics do I want to use to make change?

Sample Projects: Social Justice action
Training/Field Trip: Community Organizing
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4th Quarter: Pulling it together:

• What is my mission for social justice?

Sample Projects: Mission Statement
Training/Field Trip: Toxic Tour
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Core experiences
Seminars: Weekly seminars provide a forum to clarify the meaning and goals of social justice, reflect on how to incorporate the program values into one's social justice vision, to discuss readings in social justice and examine the contemporary world.

Training and trips:  Students participate in one full-day training per quarter that correspond to the quarter theme.  

Speakers:  Students organize and host speakers who will provide first-hand insight into working for social justice.

Internship: Students volunteer at local social justice organizations where they are exposed to working social justice advocates and the tasks and means to pursue a social justice vision.  Learn more.

Writing: Students develop a social justice mission statement over the course of the year to catalog their development and chart their future commitment.  Students also formally evaluate their internship experience, as well as trainings, seminars and speakers.