University of Portland Bulletin 2012-2013

Social Justice Program Minor

Academic Advisor: Lauretta C. Frederking, Ph.D., associate professor, political science

Program Administrator: Norah A. Martin, Ph.D., associate dean, college of arts and sciences

The social justice program is open to all students from any major or school at the University. The social justice program instills in students a commitment to work for justice and peace and for an approach to life that promotes social integrity, economic prosperity and defense of human rights for all.

The service dimension of learning at this university is expressed in a unique and effective way within the social justice program. It challenges students to place their personal development and career choices into an ethical world view within an interdisciplinary context.

This program is open to a wide range of religious denominations or to those with no explicitly religious affiliation. All participants, however, will study principles of social justice rooted in the principles of Catholic Christianity. All participants in this program prepare themselves to challenge unjust systems and become better leaders who will create a better world.

The program includes courses in is curriculum from disciplines such as business, education, English, history, mathematics, philosophy, political science, sociology, and theology. The program leads to a minor in social justice.

Learning Outcomes for Social Justice Minors

Social justice graduates at the University of Portland should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a broad understanding of the Catholic Church’s social justice tradition and other systemic approaches to and conceptualizations of social justice.
    1. Identify and explain central concepts of the Catholic social tradition.
    2. Identify and explain the scriptural and doctrinal roots of the Catholic social tradition.
  2. Articulate an understanding of social justice from a variety of perspectives; religious, psychological, historical, cultural, and organizational.
    1. Identify and explain a variety of non-Catholic religious approaches and perspectives on social justice.
    2. Identify and explain various non-religious approaches and perspectives on social justice.
  3. Demonstrate leadership.
    1. Engage in an applied internship in a social service setting.
    2. Observe and examine how leaders can promote social responsibility in organizational settings.
    3. Engage in academic analysis and systematic reflection on the connection between that internship and conceptions of social justice, both orally and in writing.

Capstone Experience

Students pursuing the social justice minor will participate in a three-credit Capstone Seminar in Catholic Studies and Social Justice that includes students completing their Catholic studies capstone experience. This seminar requires all participants to engage in an applied internship in a social service setting. Students in the social justice program may choose the social service agency at which they pursue their internship from a wide variety of agencies. They are also required to write a final paper in which they engage in academic reflection and analysis on the connection between their internship and various conceptions of social justice, including, but not limited to, the Catholic Church’s social justice tradition. Students are also required to publicly present their papers.

Requirements

  1. 18 hours of upper division SJP courses from at least three different academic disciplines, including SJP 300 (Catholicism and the Religious and Theoretical Roots of Social Justice) and SJP 452 (Capstone Seminar in Catholic Studies and Social Justice).
  2. Attendance of at least two events sponsored by the Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life and American Culture, or by the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership. A brief summary and evaluation of the event will be submitted to the academic advisor for the program after attendance at the event.
  3. Attendance of the final reception: There will be a final reception and the awarding of a certificate of completion for students in both the Catholic studies and social justice programs.