The Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies Program offers students a BA major curriculum that is rooted in the values of active and strategic nonviolence. It helps them reflect critically on the origins and causes of conflict and violence, whether direct, cultural, or institutional. It studies social injustice and other forms of systemic violence, introducing nonviolent strategies for resolving interpersonal, communal, and international conflicts in order to promote the common good and the healing needed for community work. The Program invites frank debate about the efficacy of nonviolent in comparison with violent approaches to social change. The inclusion of conflict theory and citizen-led nonviolent intervention at the core of this program is distinctive. The Program emphasizes hands-on, experiential components in the introductory courses, the final seminars and internship, and the workshops, which emphasize skill training.
Students and faculty in Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies question what constitutes a just society and world and how attitudes toward social justice and violence reflect and reveal the values, beliefs, prejudices, assumptions, and perceptions of United States culture and those of other nations. Students are expected to gain competency in dealing with situations of conflict and injustice by mastering the theoretical and intellectual frameworks related to them, by learning to interpret and analyze real life situations in their complexity, by understanding how to build strategies for consensus-building and advocacy, and by understanding various research methodologies and the use of media and creative outlets.
Students whose interests and career goals revolve around strategic nonviolence, but who may not want to major primarily in Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies, can consider a minor or a secondary major. (Discussions with home college/major advisors about how this would look are highly recommended.) Students who pursue the major are well prepared for graduate work in the humanities or social sciences, as well as for professional training in law, public service, or business.
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| Liberal Studies Requirements | 84 |
| Major Requirements | 48 |
| Open Electives | 60 |
| Total hours required | 192 |
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Analyze the origins of conflict and violence and the underlying values or different theories that explain them, such as human rights or capacities discourse, and including the various levels where conflict occurs, such as the global, international, intra-national, local, and interpersonal levels.
- Evaluate nonviolent approaches to peace building, conflict resolution, and social change for the common good with the aim of protecting individuals' rights.
- Explain the theories of justice and its basic forms, such as social, distributive and contributive, environmental, restorative, post-conflict or transitional, and transformational justice, and assess them in relation to real circumstances of individual/direct and structural violence and efforts for social change and a just world.
- Integrate theories with an experientially based understanding of the realities of peace building, conflict resolution, and working for viable social change, by means of a critical recognition of the effectiveness of different intervention strategies.
- Practice effective skills and tools for resolving conflict between individuals and social groups, council circles, disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, narrative and performative approaches, and psychological assessments, to obtain depth in one or two areas of the Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies curriculum.
College Core Requirements
Study in the Major Field
The student’s course of study in the College consists of three parts: Liberal Studies, the major field, and electives. Together these three parts contribute to the liberal education of the student which is the common purpose of all study in the College. By “liberal education” the College understands not only a deep and thorough knowledge of a particular area of study but a knowledge of the diverse areas of study represented by criticism, history, the arts, the behavioral and social sciences, philosophy, religious studies, the natural science, and mathematics.
The major field program generally is built upon a set of core courses and a specialized “concentration.” The number of courses required for a major varies by department. Most students go beyond the minimum requirements, electing additional courses which both broaden and deepen their understanding of their chosen discipline.
Because no academic major program is built in isolation, students are required to pursue a number of electives of the student’s choice. The inherent flexibility of this curriculum demands that the student consult an academic advisor at each stage in the total program and at least once prior to each registration.
Students will be prompted to visit the College Office for their official graduation check early in their senior year.
Declaration of Major, Minor and Concentration
All students in the College are required to declare a major field prior to beginning their junior year. The student will then be assigned a faculty advisor in the major field department or program and should make an appointment to see that advisor at his or her earliest convenience.
Students must declare or change majors, minors, and concentrations, via Campus Connection. However, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of changing a major field, the student should consult an academic advisor in the Office for Academic Advising Support.
The Modern Language Requirement (MLR)
All students will be required to demonstrate competence in a modern language (i.e., a language other than English) equivalent to the proficiency attained from one year of college-level language study. This Modern Language Requirement (MLR) may be demonstrated by:
- placing into 104 or above on the DePaul language placement exam
- completing the last course or earning AP/IB credit for the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language (e.g. 103 for DePaul language classes)
- completing a college course or earning AP/IB credit for a college course beyond the first-year level in any language (e.g. 104 or above for DePaul language classes)
- completing the final course of a four-year sequence of the same modern language in high school*
- completing a proctored exam by BYU and passing the exam (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
- completing a proctored Written Proficiency Test (WPT) by Language Testing International (LTI) and achieving a score of Beginner High or above (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
*Students are strongly encouraged to take the DePaul language placement exam even if they have met the MLR via study of a language in high school. This will ensure continuation of language study at the proper level.
Please note: Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement.
Students who complete an Inter-College Transfer (ICT) to the College will abide by the MLR in place on the effective date of the ICT, regardless of when they first matriculated at DePaul.
Students who have met the MLR and wish to pursue further work in the language may elect the “Modern Language Option” (see below).
The Modern Language Option (MLO)
The Modern Language Option is available to all BA students who wish to study a modern language beyond the level required by their College, and to all other undergraduate students without a modern language requirement who wish to study a language at any level.
Students selecting the MLO may substitute a sequence of three courses in the same language for three domain courses.
The three MLO substitutions must be made in three different domains, and any substitutions must be consistent with the principle that students complete at least one course in each learning domain.
MLO substitutions may not be used to replace requirements in the Math & Computing, and Scientific Inquiry, domains.
Students majoring in one modern language may use the Modern Language Option for study of a second language at the Intermediate level or above.
Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Option.
NOTE: Please contact your college/school regarding additional information and restrictions about the Modern Language Option.
External Credit and Residency
A student who has been admitted to the College begins residency within the college as of the first day of classes of the term in which the student is registered. Students in residence, whether attending on a full-time or part-time basis, may not take courses away from DePaul University without the written permission of the college. Permission must be obtained in advance of registration to avoid loss of credit or residency in the college; see the LAS website for more information.
Liberal Studies Requirements
Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.
| First Year Program | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Quarter | ||
| LSP 110 or LSP 111 | DISCOVER CHICAGO or EXPLORE CHICAGO | 4 |
| Focal Point | ||
| LSP 112 | FOCAL POINT SEMINAR | 4 |
| Writing | ||
| WRD 103 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 | 4 |
| WRD 104 | COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 | 4 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| MAT 120 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 | 4 |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Race, Power, and Resistance | ||
| LSP 200 | SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| Junior Year | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Required | 4 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Capstone | ||
| PAX 350 | CAPSTONE IN PEACE, JUSTICE & CONFLICT STUDIES 1,3 | 4 |
- 1
Students must earn a C- or better in this course.
- 2
Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam, or by credit earned for advanced math coursework at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152, MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 162, MAT 170, MAT 171, MAT 172, or equivalent) or any transfer, CLEP, IB, or AP Calculus credit. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfil any of the three QR/MCD requirements.
- 3
A student majoring in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies (PAX) is required to complete the Capstone offered by the PAX Program. This is the case even if a student is double majoring (or pursuing a dual degree) and the secondary major (or degree) requires its own Capstone. A PAX major in the University Honors Program shall take the University Honors Capstone and the PAX Capstone.
Learning Domains
Arts and Literature (AL)
- 3 Courses Required
Historical Inquiry (HI)
- 2 Courses Required
Math and Computing (MC)
- 2 Courses Required
[1 CR Course and 1 SR Course]
Philosophical Inquiry (PI)
- 2 Courses Required
Religious Dimensions (RD)
- 2 Courses Required
Scientific Inquiry (SI)
- 2 Courses Required
[1 Lab Course and 1 SWK Course]
Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)
- 1 Courses Required
Notes
Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major.
In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.
Major Requirements
Course Requirements
The Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies (PAX) major requires 48 credit hours, as follows:
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PAX 250 | TOPICS: TOOLS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 1 | 4 |
| or PAX 251 | TOPICS: TOOLS TO SUPPORT JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND PEACEBUILDING | |
| PAX 210 | INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND PEACEBUILDING | 4 |
| PAX 212 | SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL CHANGE | 4 |
| PAX 214 | CONFLICT: STORYTELLING, INTERVENTION, NEGOTIATION | 4 |
| PAX 218 | HUMAN RIGHTS: PROMISE AND PROBLEMATICS | 4 |
| PAX 392 | INTERNSHIP IN PEACE , JUSTICE, AND CONFLICT STUDIES (taken for Liberal Studies EL requirement) | 4 |
| Select 12 credit hours of Seminars at the 300-level from the following, including any courses crosslisted with them: | 12 | |
| TOPICS SEMINAR | ||
| THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF NONVIOLENT ACTION | ||
| TOPICS IN MIGRATION AND FORCED MIGRATION | ||
| TRANSCENDING COEXISTENCE: TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND RECONCILIATION | ||
| BEYOND CONFLICT RESOLUTION: THE EVOLUTION OF GRASSROOTS PEACEBUILDING | ||
| PRINCIPLES AND PRACTCES OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE | ||
| THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: ORIGINS AND CONTROVERSIES | ||
| HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT: CHALLENGES AND INTERVENTIONS | ||
| LITERATURE OF WAR IN THE 20TH CENTURY | ||
| TOPICS IN NONVIOLENCE | ||
| TOPICS IN PEACE BUILDING | ||
| TOPICS IN SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
| TOPICS IN CONFLICT INTERVENTION | ||
| TOPICS IN ACTIVISM AND ADVOCACY | ||
| TOPICS IN HUMAN RIGHTS | ||
| LIBERATION THEOLOGY | ||
| GENDER, VIOLENCE AND RESISTANCE | ||
| TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: THEORY AND PRACTICE | ||
| WOMEN, WAR AND RESISTANCE | ||
| POLITICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY | ||
| Select three electives approved by the PAX program (listed below) | 12 | |
| PAX 350 | CAPSTONE IN PEACE, JUSTICE & CONFLICT STUDIES (taken for Liberal Studies Capstone requirement) | 4 |
The four-course sequence PAX 210-PAX 212-PAX 214-PAX 218 forms the foundation of the program and should be completed in the first or second year of study. Courses do not need to be done in sequence. An internship, PAX 392, offered once a year in the fall, should be completed prior to taking PAX 350. If possible, students should take the internship prior to senior year. Seniors should plan to take the capstone, PAX 350, offered once a year, usually in winter. Students will complete either two sections of PAX 250 (for 2 credit hours each) or PAX 251 (for 4 credits hours), ideally prior to senior year.
300-Level Seminars
The courses that can be taken as 300-level seminars are approved by the PAX Program Advisory Board. These do not include all 300-level PAX courses, many of which are crosslisted from other departments. For any questions, check with the Program Director, since new ones are approved now and then.
Senior Capstone
PAX 350 is usually offered in winter quarter. Students doing study abroad during winter quarter of their senior year must do the capstone in their junior year. This is required even for a double-major who must do a capstone in the other major.
Program Approved Electives
Courses cross-listed with any course listed below are accepted as PAX electives. Check with the PAX Director for topics courses approved as PAX electives each quarter or to approve a course not on this list. PAX electives also include any courses approved for the PAX minor requirement of a community-based service learning course: See list under the PAX Minor.
LAS: African and Black Diaspora Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| WORLD REFUGEE CRISIS |
LAS: Catholic Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT IN CONTEXT |
LAS: Community Service Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRISON | ||
| MASCULINITY, JUSTICE AND LAW | ||
| LAW AND POLITICS: PRISON POLICIES AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE |
LAS: Comparative Literature
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| VOICES OF WAR AND PEACE; ART, LITERATURE AND FILM | ||
| PICTURES OF INJUSTICE: NARRATIVE ARTS IN SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS |
LAS: English
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NATIVE LITERATURE |
LAS: Geography
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| RACE, JUSTICE, AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT | ||
| GEOGRAPHY, FOOD AND JUSTICE |
LAS: History
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| WORLD REFUGEE CRISIS | ||
| HISTORY OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN EUROPE | ||
| AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY TO 1800 | ||
| AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, 1800-1900 | ||
| AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY, 1900 TO PRESENT | ||
| ORIGINS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, 1871-1917 | ||
| ORIGINS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, 1914 - 1941 | ||
| ORIGINS OF THE COLD WAR, 1917 - 1953 | ||
| SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN LATIN AMERICA |
LAS: International Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MIGRATION AND FORCED MIGRATION | ||
| GLOBAL EMPIRES | ||
| RACE, SEX, DIFFERENCE | ||
| NATURE, SOCIETY AND POWER | ||
| CRITICAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY | ||
| HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW | ||
| LAW OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANZIATIONS, NGOS AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE | ||
| THE LONG LIFE OF EMPIRE | ||
| LANGUAGE AND THE POLITICS OF TERROR | ||
| INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT |
LAS: Islamic World Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST |
LAS: Latino and Latin American Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| FOUNDING MYTHS AND CULTURAL CONQUEST IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| STRUGGLE AND RESISTANCE IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| INDIGENOUS POLITICAL STRUGGLES |
LAS: Lesbian, Gay, Queer & Transgender Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LGBTQ POLITICS | ||
| SEXUAL JUSTICE: LESBIANS, GAYS AND THE LAW |
LAS: Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EVERYDAY CONFLICT: ANALYSIS, EVALUATION, AND PRACTICES FOR MOVING FORWARD | ||
| CHICAGO AND STRATEGIC NONVIOLENCE | ||
| CHICAGO JUSTICE AND THE WORK FOR SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
| COMMUNITIES WORKING FOR SUSTAINABLE JUSTICE AND PEACE: SERVICE IN CHICAGO AND THE U.S. | ||
| FRAMEWORKS FOR PEACE: PRACTICAL MODELS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
| ACTIVE NONVIOLENCE: PRACTICAL AND CREATIVE APPROACHES | ||
| SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE | ||
| TRANSNATIONAL GRASSROOTS SOCIAL MOVEMENTS | ||
| IDENTITY, PRIVILEGE, AND SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
| ANALYZING POVERTY, ITS CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES | ||
| THE ETHICS OF POVERTY | ||
| VOICES OF WAR AND PEACE: ART, LITERATURE AND FILM | ||
| PICTURES OF INJUSTICE: NARRATIVE ARTS IN SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS | ||
| TOPICS: TOOLS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
| TOPICS: TOOLS TO SUPPORT JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND PEACEBUILDING | ||
| FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION | ||
| DESPAIR AND HOPE | ||
| DISABILITY JUSTICE STUDIES: AN INTRODUCTION | ||
| GLOBAL REFUGEE CRISIS | ||
| DISABILITY JUSTICE, RIGHTS, AND POLICY | ||
| TOPICS ON JUSTICE AND PEACE | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
| TOPICS SEMINAR | ||
| THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF NONVIOLENT ACTION | ||
| TOPICS IN MIGRATION AND FORCED MIGRATION | ||
| GLOBAL EMPIRES | ||
| NATURE, SOCIETY AND POWER | ||
| CRITICAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY | ||
| TRANSCENDING COEXISTENCE: TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND RECONCILIATION | ||
| BEYOND CONFLICT RESOLUTION: THE EVOLUTION OF GRASSROOTS PEACEBUILDING | ||
| TOPICS IN CRITICAL THEORY, PHILOSOPHY, POLICY | ||
| TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: THEORY AND PRACTICE | ||
| PRINCIPLES AND PRACTCES OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE | ||
| THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: ORIGINS AND CONTROVERSIES | ||
| LIBERATION THEOLOGY | ||
| HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT: CHALLENGES AND INTERVENTIONS | ||
| WOMEN, WAR, AND RESISTANCE | ||
| INDIGENOUS POLITICAL STRUGGLES | ||
| CAPSTONE IN PEACE, JUSTICE & CONFLICT STUDIES | ||
| LANGUAGE AND THE POLITICS OF TERROR | ||
| TOPICS IN WAR AND PEACE | ||
| TRAUMA, ART & RESILIENCE | ||
| LITERATURE OF WAR IN THE 20TH CENTURY | ||
| TOPICS IN GLOBAL JUSTICE | ||
| TOPICS IN PEACE, JUSTICE AND RELIGION | ||
| TOPICS IN LAW, JUSTICE, AND HUMAN RIGHTS | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN PEACE , JUSTICE, AND CONFLICT STUDIES | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY |
LAS: Philosophy
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHILOSOPHY, CONFLICT AND PEACE | ||
| PHILOSOPHICAL CRITIQUES OF COLONIALISM |
LAS: Political Science
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| INEQUALITY IN AMERICAN SOCIETY | ||
| RIGHTS-BASED SOCIAL MOVEMENTS |
LAS: Public Policy Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| URBAN POVERTY |
LAS: Religious Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SLAVERY, RACE AND RELIGION | ||
| FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION | ||
| DESPAIR AND HOPE | ||
| COLONIZATION, RELIGION AND RESISTANCE | ||
| LIBERATION THEOLOGY |
LAS: Sociology
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE CITY | ||
| RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY | ||
| CRIMINALIZATION, PUNISHMENT, & RESISTANCE | ||
| REVOLUTIONS AND PEASANT REBELLIONS |
LAS: Women's and Gender Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GENDER, SEXUALITY AND VIOLENCE | ||
| BLACK FEMINIST THEORIES IN A U.S. CONTEXT | ||
| GENDER, VIOLENCE AND RESISTANCE | ||
| WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST: BEYOND THE VEIL | ||
| ANTIRACIST FEMINISMS | ||
| TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: THEORY AND PRACTICE | ||
| SEXUAL JUSTICE: LESBIANS, GAYS AND THE LAW | ||
| QUEER PIONEERS: CULTURE, GENDER, AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM | ||
| WOMEN, WAR AND RESISTANCE | ||
| GENDER, COMMUNITY, AND ACTIVISM: COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING IN WGS | ||
| GLOBALLY QUEER: TRANSNATIONAL LGBTQ POLITICS | ||
| POLITICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY | ||
| INTERNSHIP |
College of Communication
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GENDER AND COMMUNICATION | ||
| PERFORMANCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE |
College of Education
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN EDUCATION | ||
| EDUCATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE |
College of Science and Health: Environmental Science and Studies
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY |
College of Science and Health: Psychology
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PSYCHOLOGY |
Open Electives
Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.