Social Justice & Cultural Studies: Environmental Justice (BA)

Program Description

Aspiring to cultivate students with global and intercultural competency, this major offers effective strategies to understand and change the world. In this major, students will study culture, media, and power in order to analyze social formations such as gender, race, class, sexuality, and citizenship. We work to investigate the root causes of injustice and to imagine multiple forms of social change. Our approach is informed by Christian theologies of liberation, and our cultural studies toolbox includes intersectionality, social psychology, historical analysis, antiracism, and literary criticism. This major provides a gateway to a variety of vocations, including education, human rights law, immigration, social work, public policy, NGOs, environmental policy and practices, mediation and community organizing, and the creative arts (documentary film, graphic design, creative writing, etc.).

The Social Justice and Cultural Studies major provides at least six foundational courses in cultural studies; it also partners with departments across campus to provide five distinct vocational tracks for students to choose from, depending on where and how students aspire to create social change: Advanced Cultural Studies; Art for Social Change; Environmental Justice; Pre-Law, Human Rights & Policy; and Social Advocacy & Community Work.

SJCS Major: Environmental Justice Track

This track provides a strong foundation for students interested in environmental law, environmental non-profits, or future ecological research. It offers training in environmental data, statistics, research, and graph analysis that can help assess the impact of policy on people groups, climate change, land management, water supply, and locational risks. Electives in environmental science or policy are recommended for this track. You are also encouraged to complete an internship in environmental studies as part of your vocational exploration.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the Social Justice and Cultural Studies major, students should be able to

Articulate an understanding of the dynamics of power, history, and representation that form culture and produce patterns of inequality
Demonstrate an awareness of how culture informs social, communal, and personal identities and relationships
Develop an understanding of the links between cultural ideologies, social institutions, activism, and everyday practices
Address issues of inequity with aesthetic presentations and/or develop skills to implement policies and practices of social justice
Ask complex questions about gender, race, class, faith, and power

Entering and Completing the Major

In order to earn a degree, you must complete at least one academic major. SPU encourages students to explore various academic paths, so if you change your mind about a major, or want to include an additional program, you are able to do so, as outlined below.

Note that the University encourages you to enter your chosen major(s) as soon as you have determined it and are eligible to join it, especially by the start of your junior year. Students who transfer as juniors and seniors should enter a major within their first two quarters at SPU.

If this is your first quarter at SPU and you identified a major in this department as your first choice on your application for admission to the University, you have gained entry to the major. To change or add a major, follow these instructions.
If you are an SPU student with an SPU cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better, follow these instructions to enter a major in this department.
The University requires a grade of C- or better in all classes that apply to a major; however, programs may require higher minimum grades in specific courses. You may repeat an SPU course only once for a higher grade.
To advance in this program, meet with your faculty advisor regularly to discuss your grades, course progression, and other indicators of satisfactory academic progress. If your grades or other factors indicate that you may not be able to successfully complete the major or minor, your faculty advisor can work with you to explore options, which may include choosing a different major.
You must complete the major requirements that are in effect in the SPU Undergraduate Catalog for the year you enter the major.