Social Justice Studies, BA

Requirements

  • Social Justice Studies majors must complete 11 courses (33 credit hours) related to social justice in a variety of disciplines
  • The required Core courses comprise 24 credit hours of the major
  • An internship with an organization with a social justice mission is required as part of the core
  • Students will take an additional 9 credit hours in electives (guidelines below)
  • A grade of C- or higher is required in all courses in the major.
  • At least 15 credit hours in the major must be taken at Roosevelt.

Electives are chosen in conjunction with your advisor.

  • To ensure the interdisciplinary character of the major, students will be limited to two electives from any one department.
  • Any course with the Social Justice Studies attribute can qualify as an elective for the major.



  • At least two electives must be at the 300 level.

The Social Justice Studies advisory committee designates elective courses each semester. Students can view these by clicking on the Social Justice Studies attribute link on the class schedule.


Students completing a Social Justice Studies BA are encouraged to take ECON 101 PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS I to fulfill part of their social sciences CORE requirements as this is a prerequisite for some of the required courses in the major. 

Core24
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL JUSTICE STUDIES
WORKING CLASS STUDIES: FROM COAL MINES TO COVID19
RACE IN U.S. POLITICS
ECONOMICS OF GLOBALIZATION
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
ELEMENTARY STATISTICS
THEORIES OF JUSTICE
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
INTERNSHIP IN SOCIAL JUSTICE STUDIES
Three electives, two of which must be at the 300 level.9
General Education, University Writing Requirement, and Electives
Courses to total 12087
Total Credit Hours120

Students interested in graduate programs in social science or public policy are encouraged to take MATH 217 ELEMENTARY STATISTICS/ECON 234 ELEMENTARY STATISTICS/SOC 291 SOCIAL STATISTICS: INTRODUCTION TO PROBABILITY & STATISTICS (3 credit hours) and ECON 346 INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMETRICS (3 credit hours)

CORE Requirements (General Education)

First Year Success Course or Transfer Success Course
FYS 101FIRST YEAR SUCCESS COURSE1
or TRS 101 TRANSFER SUCCESS 101
Communication Requirement
ENG 101COMPOSITION I: CRITICAL READING & WRITING3
ENG 102COMPOSITION II: INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC RESEARCH3
COMM 101PUBLIC SPEAKING (or program specific CORE communications course)3
Ideas of Social Justice
3 credits in coursework categorized as Ideas.3
Humanities and Fine and Performing Arts 2, 3
9 credits from the following subject areas: African-American Studies, Art History, English (excluding ENG 101 and ENG 102), History, Languages, Music, Philosophy, Theatre, Communication and Women's and Gender Studies9
Mathematics
MATH 110QUANTITATIVE LITERACY (or above) 13
Science
One biological science and one physical science required (one must include a one credit lab).7-8
Social Sciences 2,3
9 credits from the following subject areas: African-American Studies, Criminal Justice, Economics, History, Journalism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies9
Experiential Learning
6 credits from coursework categorized as Experiential Learning. 6
Total Credit Hours47-48
1

Higher level of Math may be required by major

2

Coursework must come from outside of students' major discipline

3

A maximum of 9 credits can be applied from a single discipline towards humanities and social science requirements

These quantitative requirements also apply to degrees.

  • Students must earn a minimum of 120 semester hours.
  • Students may apply no more than 60 credit hours of 100-level courses toward the degree.
  • Students must apply no fewer than 60 credit hours of 200- and 300-level courses toward the degree.
  • Students must have at least 18 credit hours (of the 60 credit hours above) at the 300 level.
  • Students may transfer in no more than 70 credit hours from community colleges.
  • Students earning less than 60 total hours in residence must take their final 30 hours at Roosevelt University. Note that some majors have additional requirements for RU hours.
  • Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to graduate. Note that some majors have additional GPA requirements.
  • Students may apply no more than 51 hours in the major (BA) or 57 hours in the major (BS)

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change; however you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program so always consult your degree audit in Degree Works.

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.

Year 1
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
ENG 1013ENG 1023
FYS 1011Ideas of Social Justice3
MATH 1103Humanities #253
BIOL 111 or 11224Social Science #143
Humanities #153Physical Science 23
 14 15
Year 2
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
SOCJ 2013SOCJ 2083
ECON 234 or SOC 2903SOCJ 2143
COMM 1013POS 2103
Experiential Learning #133Social Science #343
Social Science #243Humanities #353
 15 15
Year 3
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
POS 3673SOCJ 3263
General Elective13Major Elective 3XX3
General Elective13General Elective13
General Elective13General Elective13
General Elective13General Elective13
General Elective11 
 16 15
Year 4
FallCredit HoursSpringCredit Hours
Major Elective 1XX or 2XX or 3XX3SOCJ 36033
Major Elective 3XX3General Elective13
Experiential Learning #233General Elective13
General Elective13General Elective13
General Elective13General Elective13
 15 15
Total Credit Hours 120
1

 Or course towards an optional Minor

2

 One Natural Science course must have a lab. 

3

Satisfies CORE Experiential Learning requirement.  Experiential Learning courses must be 200/300 level. 

4

ECON 101, POS 101 and SOC 101 recommended.

5

HIST 106 or HIST 107 recommended