COMMUNITY ADVOCACY AND JUSTICE (MAJOR)
Program Description
The Community Advocacy and Justice major prepares students to become effective advocates and agents of social change in their communities and beyond. This program combines study of criminal justice systems, sociological analysis, and hands-on advocacy training to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to address systemic inequality and promote justice.
Students in this major develop critical thinking skills to analyze how power, privilege, and social structures create and perpetuate injustice. Through coursework in restorative justice, grassroots activism, social movements, and human rights advocacy, students learn both the theoretical foundations and practical strategies necessary for effective community relationships and social change work. The program emphasizes community-centered approaches to justice, teaching students the importance of building coalitions, mobilizing communities around shared concerns, and developing campaigns that amplify marginalized voices. Students learn advocacy methods ranging from grassroots organizing to policy analysis, gaining skills in working effectively with diverse community partners.
The curriculum builds strong research and data analysis skills, enabling students to investigate social justice issues systematically and use evidence to inform advocacy strategies. Students engage deeply with questions of wealth, poverty, and social class, examining how economic inequality shapes community well-being and access to justice. They also gain understanding of how race, class, gender, sexuality, and other identities intersect with systems of justice and inequality. Throughout the program, students develop professional skills through career preparation courses, applied learning opportunities including potential community-based internships, and a capstone experience that integrates their learning.
This major is ideal for students passionate about making a difference in their communities and committed to building a more just and equitable society through advocacy and collaborative action.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Community Advocacy and Justice major are prepared for diverse careers in nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and advocacy groups. Students are prepared for positions as community organizers, policy advocates, campaign coordinators, grassroots mobilizers, and coalition builders working to advance social change. Graduates can work in social services and nonprofit management as program coordinators, grant writers, victim advocates, community outreach specialists, and case managers. The major also prepares students for careers in criminal justice reform, including in areas such as court advocates, restorative justice, reentry programs, diversion programs, and juvenile justice. Graduates interested in policy and research find opportunities as policy analysts, research associates, legislative aides, program evaluators, and think tank staff members. Those drawn to human rights work pursue careers with civil rights organizations, environmental justice programs, immigrant rights groups, and racial justice initiatives. The program provides excellent preparation for graduate study in social work, public policy, law, sociology, or criminal justice, while also equipping students with the practical skills needed to enter advocacy-oriented careers immediately upon graduation.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Outcome 1: Systems Analysis Critically analyze criminal justice systems and social structures that perpetuate or challenge inequality.
Outcome 2: Research & Data Literacy Design, conduct, and interpret research to investigate social justice issues and inform advocacy.
Outcome 3: Community Advocacy & Social Change Organize communities, develop campaigns, and engage in grassroots activism for social change.
Outcome 4: Identity & Equity Evaluate the intersections of race, class, gender, and other identities in relation to systems of justice and inequality.
Outcome 5: Professional Practice Apply theoretical knowledge to justice issues while developing professional skills for advocacy careers.
community advocacy and justice MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | CREDITS |
|---|---|
Prerequisites: | 9 |
CJ 1000 Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
SOC 1000 Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
SOC/CJ 1140 Quantitative Data Analysis | 3 |
Major Core Requirements: | 30 |
CJ 3300 Justice & Human Rights Advocacy | 3 |
CJ 3900 Capstone in Criminal Justice | 3 |
SOC/CJ 2120 Restorative Justice: Community & Incarceration | 3 |
SOC/CJ 2125 Resiliency Rising: Restorative Justice | 3 |
SOC/CJ 2350 Human Diversity in Criminal Justice | 3 |
SOC/CJ 2600 Methods in Social Research | 3 |
SOC 2490 Grassroots Activism | 3 |
SOC 2510 Social Movements | 3 |
SOC 2760 Wealth, Poverty, and Social Class | 3 |
SWK/SOC 2520 Serving Diverse Populations | 3 |
Requirements in Related Areas: | |
CJ/SOC 2340 Developing Foundations for Success | 3 |
CJ/SOC 3901 College to Career Transitions | 1 |
Major Elective (choose one from list below): | 3 |
MAJOR ELECTIVES INCLUDE:
CJ 2204 Court Processes and Alternative Pathways
CJ 3205 Law and Society
SOC 2050 Social Problems
SOC 2095 Environmental Justice
SOC 2200 Race and Ethnicity
SOC 2470 Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
SOC 2620 Diversity in Families
SOC 3300 Medicine and the Body
SOC/CJ 2402 Domestic Violence
SOC/CJ 3404 Sociology of Violence
SOC/CJ 3450 Internship (if aligned with the major)
SOC/CJ 3640 Deviance and Social Control
SWK 2310 Intro to Social Work Practice
SWK/SOC 2550 Social Welfare Policy
PSY 2330 Drugs and Behavior