Peace Studies / Minor

Minor Credit Hours: 22

Students must have completed their 10000-level theology requirement to declare a Peace Studies Minor. Students interested in pursuing a minor must consult with one of the Peace Studies program co-directors to declare the minor and to customize their program of study. One foreign language course (3 hours) may be applied to the program requirements with the consent of a Peace Studies Co-Director. Nine credit hours (THEO 25000 Foundations of Peace Studies, THEO 45000 Capstone: Peace Studies Seminar, and 1 other upper-division course) must apply exclusively to the Peace Studies minor and may not apply to any other minor or major that Lewis University offers.

Objectives

Rooted in Catholic social teaching and shaped by Lasallian global praxis, the Peace Studies minor is an interdisciplinary program within the College of Arts and Sciences. This program critically engages students in addressing contemporary social justice problems and building "just peace." Cooperating with a Peace Studies advisor, the student in this minor is able to design an individualized program of interdisciplinary coursework and service-learning experiences. Enriched by faculty in a variety of disciplines, this program promotes examination of calls to justice as prerequisites to peace. It investigates the social, political, cultural, philosophical, and theological frameworks out of which just and unjust local and global realities emerge. Program participants explore peace studies theories and practices by examining conflicts and their transformations. The minor includes course options in communications, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, theology, and justice, law and public safety studies. It provides a framework for the systematic understanding of numerous contemporary social, political, religious, ecological, and economic issues. It trains students to recognize and critically evaluate roles played by governments, groups, and individuals in peaceful solutions. Students interested in international relations, criminal justice, history, pastoral ministry, philosophy, political science, pre-law, or psychology are particularly encouraged to consider adding this minor. Some careers for which a Peace Studies program prepares students are negotiator, mediator, government official, educator, activist, community organizer, human rights advocate, environmental protection agent, interfaith dialogue facilitator, international lawyer, victim/offender advocate, and restorative justice practitioner.

The Peace Studies program works in collaboration with the Office of Service Learning to encourage civic engagement and community-based experiences through course-related peacebuilding initiatives.  Successful students will be able to understand just peace strategies and nonviolent conflict tactics as tools for positive social change at the local, national, and/or global level; critique sources of information about peace and justice issues; analyze and synthesize complex social issues and options for conflict resolution and transformation; interpret historical examples of U.S. and international social movements and the alternatives to violence that have been presented in troubled communities and conflict/war situations; demonstrate an understanding of philosophical, religious, and ethical perspectives on peace and justice, including knowledge of Catholic social teaching and interdisciplinary perspectives on the concept of social justice; explain the intersection of justice and diversity in U.S. culture with special focus on racism, gender issues, sexual orientation, religious tradition, and mental/physical challenges; reflect on service learning/community-based learning as a vehicle to greater understanding of social issues and diverse communities; and demonstrate the use of conflict management and dialogue skills.

Degree Requirements

Minor: PCST

I. Required Courses (10)

THEO-25000Foundations of Peace Studies

3

THEO-26700Practicing Faithful Justice

3

THEO-39700Theology Workshop: Focusing the Just Peace Lens

1

THEO-45000Capstone: Peace Studies Seminar

3

THEO 39700 Theology Workshop: Focusing the Just Peace Lens: The primary purpose of this workshop is to reinforce knowledge and apply skills related to the just peace lens. Prerequisites include THEO 10000 or THEO 10600; THEO 25000; or permission of a Peace Studies advisor.

III. One Foreign Language course may be applied to the minor with advisor consent.

II. Electives (12)

Select an additional 12 credit hours from a variety of Peace Studies courses and workshops. Course selections must represent at least two different disciplines, in addition to Theology. The specific program of study is developed with the advice and consent of an advisor from the Peace Studies program. Please refer to the online Course Schedule published each semester by the Registrar's Office for specific offerings and prerequisites.

A. Select one interpersonal, spiritual, and/or familial peacebuilding course: (3)

COMM-21100Interpersonal Communication

3

CSJS-28600Domestic Violence

3

PHIL-22500Philosophical Issues in Race and Gender

3

PSYC-21100Infancy and Childhood

3

PSYC-21200Adolescence and Youth

3

PSYC-21500Adulthood and Old Age

3

PSYC-24000Psychology of Women

3

PSYC-32000Abnormal Psychology

3

PSYC-42000Psychotherapeutic Techniques

3

THEO-20100Modern Christian Spirituality

3

THEO-23500Marriage, Relationships, and Sexuality in Christian Tradition

3

B. Select one or two local, regional, and/or systemic peacebuilding courses: (3-6)

COMM-21600Small Group Communication

3

COMM-34900Organizational Communication

3

CSJS-26000Juvenile Justice System

3

CSJS-30500Workshop: Juvenile Violence

1

CSJS-30700Workshop: Women on Death Row

1

PHIL-23000LGBTQ Rights and Issues 1

3

PHIL-36500African-American Philosophy

3

POLS-32700Mediation

1-2

PSYC-23800Psychology of the Minority Experience

3

PSYC-277XXWorkshop in Organizational Psychology

1

PSYC-28500Cross-Cultural Psychology

3

PSYC-36000Social Psychology

3

PSYC-36500Industrial and Organizational Psychology

3

PSYC-36600Organizational Training

3

PSYC-36800Organizational Staffing

3

PSYC-37300Organizational Leadership

3

SCWK-20900Social Welfare Policy

3

SCWK-21500Cultural Sensitivity in Social Work Practice

3

SCWK-25100Human Behavior and the Social Environment 2

3

SOCI-34500Juvenile Delinquency

3

SOCI-35000Criminology

3

SOCI-36000Violence and Peace

3

THEO-28500Theologies of Liberation

3

THEO-30000Lasallian Community and Social Action

3

THEO-46100Christian Service and Society

3

C. Select one or two national, multinational, and/or global peacebuilding courses: (3-6)

BIOL-23300Principles of Environmental Science

4

BIOL-37500Issues in Environmental Science

3

COMM-35000Intercultural Communication

3

HIST-26000African History: Ancient Times to the Present

3

HIST-26100History of India: Ancient Times to the Present

3

HIST-33100A History of the U.S. Military

3

HIST-33400African-American History 1

3

HIST-33600Native American History

3

HIST-33700Immigration, Ethnicity, and Race in American History

3

HIST-33800U.S. Women's History

3

HIST-35000History of the British Empire

3

HIST-35300The Middle East in History

3

HIST-35500History of the Modern Middle East

3

HIST-35600The Vietnam War

3

HIST-38700History of Modern Revolutions: 1789 to the Present

3

PHIL-35000Political Philosophy

3

PHIL-35500Philosophy of Rights

3

POLS-33100International Relations

3

POLS-33300International Human Rights

3

POLS-33400Political Violence

3

POLS-33500Latin American Politics

3

POLS-33600American Foreign Policy

3

POLS-33700International Topics

3

POLS-33800International Political Economy

3

POLS-33900United Nations and International Organizations

3

POLS-36500Women and Politics

3

POLS-36800Non-Western Political Thought

3

POLS-38400Environmental Politics

3

THEO-23600Women and Religion

3

THEO-26800Christian Social Teaching

3

THEO-28100Christianity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

3

THEO-29800Christianity and World Religions

3

THTR-43100History of Theatre 1

3

THTR-43200History of Theatre 2

3