Social Justice

Certificate

The Social Justice certificate program prepares you to articulate conceptions of social justice across multiple perspectives, understand forms of oppression, and develop skills and knowledge to become an effective agent of positive social change.

This certificate has the potential to complement your work experience or a previous college degree. You can also leverage this certificate to build a foundation for an A.A. degree or the A.A. with Emphasis in Social Justice.

As a student in this certificate program, you will complete required Social Justice Theory and Action courses (6 credits), Social Justice Communication Skills coursework (3 credits), and Social Justice Breadth courses (6–7 credits) for a credit total of 15–16.

Social Justice Program Planning Guide

2024-2025 Required Courses

Social Justice Theory and Action

Course #	Course Name	Credit(s)
SJS 1100	Introduction to Social Justice	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 07 Explores the concepts of justice, oppression, and social change and examines the ways in which political, economic, legal, education, and other institutions create challenges for justice. In this course, students will explore, critique, and apply the fundamental concepts of justice, oppression and social change. Through course activities, students will begin integrating ideas and perspectives, formulating personal ideologies, and developing an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. They will also examine the broad concept of social change through explorations of different social movements, profiles of human rights activists, and various policies. The course seeks to broaden student understanding of contemporary justice issues and to enhance their knowledge of how they can become positive social change agents. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
SJS 1200	Social Justice in Action: Methods, Skills, and Practice	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 09 This course explores and applies theories and methods of social justice to combat oppression and promote positive social change. Students broaden their understanding of contemporary social justice issues through opportunities to develop, practice, and apply skills learned in the classroom to community-based learning environments in the greater Twin Cities region. Through case studies, skill development, and class activities, students begin honing their skills in public speaking, networking, teamwork, identifying problems and solutions, perspective taking, persuasive writing, advocacy, conflict resolution, and ethical decision making. Prerequisites: SJS 1100 Introduction to Social Justice Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
Total Credits in Social Justice Theory and Action		6

Social Justice Communication Skills

Course #	Course Name	Credit(s)
	Choose from the following (choose one)	3
Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
COMM 1110 COMM 2240	Public Speaking Intercultural Communication
Public Speaking Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 01, 02 Is the introductory study of the theory and practice of public speaking. Public presentation skills are required for individuals to be successful in our workplaces, communities and many other contexts in today's society. Students will learn about the different types of public speeches commonly encountered and learn how to research, organize and write their ideas into clear and understandable forms of public communication. Students will also practice the delivery skills needed to present ideas effectively. Students will be required to speak and participate often and will also be required to present their speeches in a classroom setting with an audience of their peers and an instructor. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025 Summer 2025 Intercultural Communication Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 08 Explores factors that influence communication between individuals of different cultures. In our global society we are increasingly called upon to communicate in a variety of intercultural contexts. Students will develop an understanding of the relationship between cultural orientation and communication behaviors. Identifying their own cultural biases and assumptions will help students increase their awareness and tolerance of individual and group differences. Students will learn to demonstrate cultural sensitivity in interpersonal contacts and identify skills for interacting with people from culture groups other than their own. Students may not earn credit for both COMM 1114 and COMM 2240. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025 Summer 2025
Total Credits in Social Justice Communication Skills		3

Social Justice Breadth Courses

Course #	Course Name	Credit(s)
	Social Justice Breadth Course See the program planning guide ‡
Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
	Choose from the following (choose two)	6-7
Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
ANTH 1160	Migrants and Refugees	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 08 Examines the dimensions of transnational migration and refugee displacement in the US and globally. This course provides an introduction to the concepts, themes and dynamics that anthropologists consider when examining the lives of social groups who voluntarily and involuntarily leave their home country. Students will examine and apply anthropological analyses to ethnographic case studies of migration and refugee experiences. Classroom discussions, lectures and activities will explore worldwide political, economic and social issues to try to understand the current period of widespread migration and displacement holistically. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
ENG 1180	Introduction to World Literature	4
Course Outline Credits: 4 MNTC Goal Areas: 06, 08 Introduces students to selected works from Western and non-Western literary traditions (including Africa, Asia, and Latin America) with a focus on their cultural/historical contexts. Includes both contemporary and ancient texts (one book-length) with a particular interest in stressing those themes that exemplify the ideals and concerns of our shared human condition and the spread of ideas beyond national boundaries. Prereq: Placement into ENG 1108 or completion of both ENG 0099 and READ 0093/0094 with a grade of C or higher. Prerequisites: Please go to e-Services to see Pre-requisites for this course Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
GWS 1100	Gender, Race and American Culture	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 07 Explores the historical and contemporary intersections of race, class and gender in the United States and examines the relationships between racially-based and gender-based movements for civil rights. Identifies and analyzes contemporary stereotypes regarding race, class and gender. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
HUM 1115	Holocaust & Genocide Studies In Film	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 06, 08 Visits the Holocaust and other 20th century genocides through a chronology of films depicting both the horror and the hope. Films include award-winning, acclaimed stories and documentaries of the Holocaust and other Genocides, which demonstrate bravery, inhumanity, and the will to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to maintain human dignity. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Summer 2025
HUM 1140	Latin American Culture and Civilization	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 06, 08 Provides a panoramic view of Latin America from Pre-Columbian times to the present. Highlights major events and figures, but also key issues such as race, ethnicity, gender, language, geography, religion, and class, and how they have shaped and continue to shape Latin American identities and experiences. Considers cultural production from a sociohistorical perspective. Prerequisites: Please go to e-Services to see Pre-requisites for this course Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025
MUSC 1160	Music and Protest	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 06 Music and Protest builds on the classic mantra "Which side are you on?". From the Ancient Greeks to Green Day's "American Idiot," music has served as a powerful medium for protest. This course will explore the vast body of protest music from around the globe. Our attention will be focused on how selected regional musical genres and instruments serve to construct, dictate, and protest issues such as race identity, gender identity, community, heritage, and other social formations. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
PHIL 1112	Ethics	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 06, 09 Examine major classical and contemporary ethical theories, and in light of these theories, addresses some current contentious topics. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025 Summer 2025
POLS 1121	State and Local Government	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 09 Examines state and local government political institutions, behavior, public policies, tax and spending issues. The course will also analyze structure and behavior of state legislatures, governors, courts, and political parties, including the nomination and election process of state and local officials. The course emphasis will be on the Minnesota political system. In your exploration of contemporary Minnesota policy issues, you will critically examine your own political values, experiences and behaviors. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: None
SOC 1127	Social Inequalities: Race, Class, & Gender	3
Course Outline Credits: 3 MNTC Goal Areas: 05, 07 Describes and analyzes selected inequality relationships in the United States. Topic areas will include economic inequality-poverty; ethnic inequality-racism; and gender inequality-sexism. This course is open to all students and meets the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) 8710.3200, Subp. 3, Standard 12a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Future Offering: Spring 2025 Summer 2025
Total Credits in Social Justice Breadth Courses		6-7

Total Credits:

15-16

‡ See Program Planning Guide.