The New Century College at George Mason University rigorously prepares students to take on the world's challenges. This fall, the college officially instates a new concentration to help further this mission.
The new concentration is in social justice, and it is offered under NCC’s BA in Integrative Studies. This concentration gives students the opportunity to study large social issues and problems around the world, including poverty, environmental injustice and disenfranchised populations. The program was originally the idea of faculty members Paul Gorski and Al Fuertes, and NCC assistant dean of academic affairs Kelly Dunne.
“Our program helps students analyze these issues and develop a deeper understanding of why they exist,” said Gorski, the head of the concentration. “We want to use this understanding to change the world to be more equitable and more just. We want our students to be these agents of change.”
After a core course in poverty, wealth and inequality (NCLC 336), students concentrating in social justice will take courses on race, ethnicity, gender, animal rights, environmental rights, conflict resolution, social movements, engagement, art, and a variety of other topics. Experiential learning, a staple of NCC programs, will be prominent in this concentration. For example, students can work with the National Coalition for the Homeless for one course, or Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary for the animal rights course.
“We simply believe that you cannot learn about social justice work and being engaged in a community simply by sitting in a classroom,” Gorski said. “Theoretical learning is a part of it, but the experiential piece will be out in the community.”
The social justice program fits well with NCC, as it turns out. Historically, NCC has offered many courses that deal with social justice themes, and as Gorski points out, those classes have been very popular among students. With a little tweaking, NCC found they had a unique model designed for the concentration, as well as numerous courses that could apply to such a program. Combined with the student interest, Gorski said, this motivated NCC to finally put the program together.
“I am absolutely thrilled that the university could get behind a program like this, because it's the kind of program that fits what Mason says and supports,” Gorski said. “It is such a great service to students who are already interested in this field and might not feel like they have an academic home, or might not have felt that until this program made it through the curriculum review process. And I get to teach!”
For the next group of social activists, training begins this fall.
September 17, 2012
