The sun sets on the reflection pool behind the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies

About the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies

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Knowledge to Lead Change

The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies (Kroc School) at the University of San Diego is a global hub for peacebuilding and social innovation. Since 2007, we have prepared the next generation of changemakers to build more peaceful and just societies. Our graduate programs in peace and justice, social innovation, humanitarian action, conflict management and resolution, restorative justice, and a concurrent degree in peace and law have drawn students from more than 50 countries.

Beyond the classroom, the Kroc School advances change through the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, the Center for Restorative Justice, and hands-on learning opportunities. Together with our faculty and students, these centers drive research and community partnerships that create lasting impact. At the Kroc School, we are working toward a future where peace is the norm.

Mission

Our mission is to equip and empower changemakers to shape peaceful and just societies through transformational learning and knowledge generation that drives change.

Vision

Our vision is to deliver high-quality research and student-centered education to provide distinctive, authentic and supportive experiences that inspire students to become effective agents of peace and social justice.

Values

Our core values that are critical to the success of our mission and vision are: academic excellence, compassion, curiosity, diversity, empathy, global awareness, innovation and practical experience.

A message from Dean Darren Kew

"The world is facing unprecedented threats to peace and justice, but through the transformational learning, initiatives, and research offered at the Kroc School and University of San Diego, we can play a key role in helping changemakers worldwide overcome the challenges of our times with creativity and vision."

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Academics

Meet our Faculty

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Explore our space

Tour the Kroc School

Imagine yourself on a sunny, 72-degree (F) day and begin exploring the Kroc School with MA in Peace and Justice alumnus Dana Chavaria.

History

Making Peace

As a peacemaker and philanthropist, Joan B. Kroc recognized that the strength and spirit of the University of San Diego provided an extraordinary foundation for building a school where scholars and practitioners could advance the work of peace and justice. She was dedicated to making this world a more peaceful place and believed that through education, people could learn to resolve differences peacefully.

Responding to the opportunity to expand and advance its mission, the university developed a plan for an innovative institute to advance peace in the world and a graduate program in a spirit of commitment to Mrs. Kroc's dream of making peace.

It's not enough to talk about peace — we must make peace by taking action.
―Joan B. Kroc

From 1998 to 2003, Mrs. Kroc's endowment funded our facility, established the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice and developed the faculty, curriculum and programs that would become the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies.

Since 2000, we have cultivated the courage and capacity in students from around the world to face the world's most pressing challenges with original thinking, moral imagination, practical skills and inspired research. Here, changemakers connect and collaborate through learning that goes beyond papers and presentations. Here, students don't just talk about a crisis or world issues, they apply critical theory and data to make meaningful change.

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