Social Justice and Human Rights Concentration
Students in the Social Justice and Human Rights programs examine a wide variety of oppressions such as racism, sexism, heterosexism, anti-immigrant oppression, ableism, economic injustice, animal exploitation, environmental injustice, as well as related denials of human rights, such as human trafficking, settler colonialism, mass incarceration, use of sweatshop and child labor, unequal access to education, and voter disenfranchisement.
Other Concentrations
Catalog Year: 2023-2024
Banner Code: LA-BA-INTS-SJHR
The Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Studies brings together research, theory and practice across numerous disciplines. Integrative studies majors select a multidisciplinary concentration or work with student services staff to develop their own concentration, uniquely suited to their academic and career goals. Integrative studies majors explore new topics and experiences while gaining the knowledge and skills needed to enter the workforce. Required coursework is offered in small classes with ample room for discussion, collaborative learning, and experiential learning, including in-community projects, volunteer opportunities, field work, internships and work with faculty on research that directly engages current social and global challenges.
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on program requirements and courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes. Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: minimum 120
Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.
Students pursuing a BA in Integrative Studies must complete a minimum of 30 credits of (INTS) coursework, with at least 15 credits at the 300 and 400 levels.
Integrative studies students complete INTS 391 Understanding Integrative Studies and INTS 491 Senior Capstone and choose a concentration from the options below. Before registering, students should see an advisor to help plan their degree program to meet Mason requirements. The advisor also can help students choose electives or a minor.
Required Course
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 391 | Understanding Integrative Studies | 1 |
| INTS 491 | Senior Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 4 | |
Concentration in the Major
A concentration is the equivalent of a major in a traditional degree program. Concentration coursework combines integrative studies (INTS) classes with coursework from other Mason units (departments, schools, and colleges). While fulfilling the concentration requirements, students are also responsible for completing a minimum of 30 credits of INTS coursework. Any INTS courses required for the concentration will apply. Students must present a minimum GPA of 2.00 in courses applied to the concentration.
Social Justice and Human Rights (SJHR)
Examines local, societal, and global issues through both a human rights lens, focusing on the fundamental rights of human beings and how they are secured or denied, and a social justice lens, focusing on societal inequalities and how they are sustained or alleviated. Students develop nuanced understandings of the relationships between individual experience in a local context and global systems of privilege and oppression. This concentration prepares students for:
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graduate studies in fields such as human rights education, advocacy, law, and domestic and global justice
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careers in legal, nonprofit, educational, and community change organizations and governmental agencies
Students complete the following coursework:
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 334 | Environmental Justice (Mason Core) | 4 |
| INTS 362 | Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core) | 3 |
| INTS 337 | Social Justice Consciousness and Action | 3 |
| or INTS 434 | Research for Social Change | |
| INTS 437 | Critical Race Studies (Mason Core) | 3 |
| or INTS 438 | Representations of Race (Mason Core) | |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 18 credits from the following: | 18 | |
| Law and Justice (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Conflict Resolution and Transformation | ||
| Violence, Gender, and Sexuality | ||
| Spirituality and Conflict Transformation (Mason Core) | ||
| Introduction to Childhood Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Contemporary Youth Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Poverty, Wealth and Inequality in the US (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Justice Consciousness and Action | ||
| Art as Social Action (Mason Core) | ||
| Gender Representation in Popular Culture (Mason Core) | ||
| Women and Leadership | ||
| Refugee and Internal Displacement (Mason Core) | ||
| Human Trafficking and Smuggling | ||
| Leadership in a Changing Environment | ||
| Social Justice Education (Mason Core) | ||
| Scientific Racism and Human Variation | ||
| DNA, Identity, and Power | ||
| Social Movements and Political Protest | ||
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World (Mason Core) | ||
| Conflict, Violence, and Peace | ||
| Sociology of Human Rights | ||
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Other relevant coursework from AFAM, ANTH, COMM, CONF, CRIM, CULT, EVPP, FRLN, GLOA, GOVT, PHIL, PSYC, SOCI, WMST, and other coursework with advisor approval.
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| Total Credits | 18 | |
Additional Electives
Any remaining credits may be completed with electives to bring the degree total to 120.
