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Become an Advocate for Change and Equity

Understanding injustice — and learning how to articulate and address injustice — is at the heart of our social justice studies program. This interdisciplinary major not only teaches you to identify social problems, but also prepares you with organizing and advocacy strategies and solutions that can be put into action.

Through a variety of writing and original research projects, you'll gain the real-world skills and techniques needed to effectively pursue social justice advocacy work.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, careers in community and social services will grow faster than average (approximately 14 percent) by 2026.

There are 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States and more than 1,000 nonprofits in the Pittsburgh region alone.

Explore the courses offered in our social justices studies major and career options available to you when you graduate.

Pictured are Point Park students doing a peaceful protest in Downtown Pittsburgh. Photo by Gracey Evans.

Point Park University students engage in a peaceful protest in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Courses & Topics

You will receive a well-rounded education through our core curriculum and wide array of academically rigorous classes to choose from in the social justice studies major. One third of our social justice studies curriculum is directly focused on how to address inequalities.

Courses in our Bachelor of Arts program can be tailored to your interests and include:

  • Foundations of Social Justice
  • Economic Geography
  • Introduction to Grant Writing
  • Global Political Economy
  • Global Social Justice
  • Human Rights Theory and Practice
  • Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • Organizing and Advocacy
  • Articulating Social Justice: Radical Theories of Education
  • Economic Tools for Advocacy
  • Understanding Injustice
  • The Anthropology of Money
  • Social Justice and Community Research

Internship and Research Opportunities

Additionally, with our campus in Downtown Pittsburgh, you will have easy access to a wide array of internship and practicum experiences with social justice-based organizations.

You'll also have the opportunity to present your research at Point Park University's Annual Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Symposium, as well as regional and national conferences.

Career Options

With a degree in social justice studies, you will be uniquely positioned and empowered with solid research and writing skills to pursue a wide variety of local, national and international career opportunities.

In particular, you will be prepared for careers in social-justice based advocacy, community/labor organizing, government/public service, journalism, non-government work and social entrepreneurship with organizations such as:

  •  Community Empowerment Association of PittsburghPictured is a Point Park student participating in a peaceful protest. Photo by Gracey Evans.
  • Clean Water Action of PA
  • Enroll America
  • GirlGov
  • Grassroots Pittsburgh
  • Human Rights Campaign
  • Just Harvest
  • Millvale Community Development Corporation
  • Service Employees International Union
  • Sierra Club
  • Thomas Merton Center
  • United Steelworkers
  • 412 Food Rescue

Preparation for Graduate and Law School

This major also provides students with the academic training necessary to pursue graduate or law school in fields such as immigration law, public interest law, social work, geography, anthropology, literature, psychology, public health, community engagement and more.

 

Literary Arts & Social Justice Career and Internship Summit

In the videos linked below, Point Park students, alumni and faculty share how English, creative writing and social justice programs prepare you for competitive career opportunities:

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