School of Peace Studies Introduces Part-Time Master’s Degree, Adds New Minor

School of Peace Studies Introduces Part-Time Master’s Degree, Adds New Minor

The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies announced last week that they will begin offering a part-time Master’s degree in peace and justice.

The class times will enable students with full-time employment to take advantage of classes in the evenings. The MAPJ offers a curriculum where students will gain:

• Deep understanding of the global and local contexts in which violence, oppression and social injustice occur

• Knowledge of theories and frameworks to explain complex situations

• Capacity to design new approaches and solutions to peace and justice issues

• Competence in implementing and assessing the impact of programs and initiatives

A rich course portfolio includes human rights, conflict resolution, leadership and organizations, development, technology and social change, and social entrepreneurship to shape professionals equipped to work effectively for peace and justice across multiple organizational settings. The MAPJ is a one-of-a-kind learning program, where students can participate in projects through the school’s award-winning institutes: the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, the Trans-Border Institute, and the Center for Peace and Commerce. Student entrepreneurs can access seed funding to launch and test social ventures for peace through the Social Innovation Challenge, which has awarded $234,000 in cash to students since its inception in 2011.

Students will receive career guidance, counseling and workshops as well as a professional networking and connectedness through a mentoring alliance that matches individual students with experienced professionals. The program includes a 10-week internship experience, designed for a deeper dive into an area of focus. In the field, students also gain real-life understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by organizations creating sustainable change.

Additionally, KSPS has announced a new minor degree in Peacebuilding and Social Innovation. The minor is designed around the study of the sources of violence, oppression and injustice as well as innovative strategies for peacebuilding, which enable students to become effective agents of positive social change. The minor consists of 18 units with 3 lower-division courses, and 15 upper-division courses. The minor in Peacebuilding and Social Innovation is ideal for individuals who have a curious mind, moral imagination, empathy and compassion, want to be part of the solution, and become a successful agent of social change.

For more information on the part-time Master’s degree or the minor in peacebuilding and social justice, please visit http://www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies/programs/.