Undergraduate Requirements

Major in Social Justice & Community Studies

The Social Justice & Community Studies Major Program is the first of its kind in the region offering this dual focus, through training in interdisciplinary and intersectional scholarship, informed access to community, and skills for public engagement on key local and global discussions, policy debates, and social movements, particularly involving unequal power relations. SJCS graduates develop critical skills in problem identification and definition, research, developing frameworks for analysis, information literacy and effective communication, and strengthening social relationships and networks. SJCS faculty are interdisciplinary scholars. The program also includes courses in English, Religious Studies, History, and Atlantic Canada Studies, and students can pair their degree with a range of other majors in the Arts, and minors in Science and Commerce.

The SJCS Major positions Students and Professionals for future opportunities through:

o   Social justice-informed and community-engaged training for further study in undergraduate, professional and graduate programs;

o   Training for social justice-informed and community-engaged employment in the civil service and government; politics and social policy; non-profit/non-governmental organizations; unions and labour relations; social advocacy and research; international organizations and relations; social work; education; law; journalism; medicine and nursing; socially responsible business; university and college administration. 

How to apply (Canadian students)

How to apply (International students) 

How to declare your Major

A Major in SJCS requires completion of thirty-nine (39) credit hours as follows:

  • SJCS 1211: Social Power Relations (minimum grade C)
  • ENGL 1100: Composition or ENGL 1205: Introduction to Literature
  • SJCS 2000: Canadian Society Social Justice
  • SJCS 2100: Community Organizing
  • 3 credit hours from:
    • RELS 2333: Gender, Sexuality and Religion Today
    • ENGL 2513: Intro to Indigenous Literature
    • ENGL 2261: Postcolonial Literature
    • HIST 2346: Black Heritage in Maritime Canada
  • 6 credit hours at SJCS 3000 level
  • 9 credit hours from SJCS 3000 and above; these credits may include:
    • ACST3321: African Nova Scotian Culture or
    • ENGL 3791 Literatures of the Black Atlantic [ACST 3791] or
    • HIST 3470 The British Black Atlantic [ACST 3470] or
    • HIST 3475 Indigenous and Settler Histories or
    • RELS 4320: Religion, Race and Gender;
  • 3 credit hours from either
    • SJCS 4370: Multiculturalism: Theory and Practice or
    • SJCS 4739: Transnational Community Organizing;
  • 6 credit hours at SJCS 4000 level

Honours in Social Justice & Community Studies

To graduate, SJCS Honours students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 out of 4.3 (B+) in Social Justice & Community Studies courses. The Honours in Social Justice & Community Studies requires at least sixty (60) credit hours as follows:

  • All the requirements for the Major in SJCS, PLUS
  • 9 additional SJCS credit hours at the 3000 level
  • 3 additional credit hours at SJCS 4000 level or RELS 4320 Religion, Race and Gender
  • SJCS 4740 Intersectionality: Theory, Methods, and Praxis
  • SJCS 4500 an Honours Thesis under supervision of an SJCS faculty member.

Minor in Social Justice & Community Studies

The Social Justice & Community Studies Minor Program offers students in all Faculties, and social justice and community engaged professionals, the intersectional knowledge necessary to engage in problem solving, organizational work, and public deliberation in a range of complex social issues. The Minor offers flexibility in the choice of disciplinary areas of study while promoting a broad interdisciplinary understanding of social justice and social justice-informed approaches to community. 

How to apply (Canadian students)

How to apply (International students) 

How to declare your Minor

Minor in Social Justice & Community Studies 

To complete a minor in Social Justice & Community Studies (SJCS), a student must obtain at least twenty-four (24) credit hours in SJCS, including the following six (6) credit hours:

  • SJCS 1211 Social Power Relations (prerequisite for all SJCS courses, equivalent to SOCI 1211) 
  • SJCS 2000 Canadian Society and Social Justice
    Students must also complete eighteen (18) credit hours selected from any SJCS course, ENGL 2261 or ENGL 2513 

Electives

Students seeking an elective may take a Social Justice and Community Studies course at the 1000 level and (with the prerequisite) 2000 level. Students who have completed the 1000 level credit hours may register for 3000 level courses in Social Justice and Community Studies to complete a degree requirement for an elective at the 3000 level.

Degree Requirements

Social Justice and Community Studies courses at the 2000 or 3000 level can satisfy a degree requirement in the Arts Faculty, the Sobey School of Business and the Faculty of Science.