Social Change and Development
Interdisciplinary Major or Minor (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science)
Professors - Anthony Galt, Harvey J. Kaye, Craig A. Lockard, Larry Smith, Lynn Walter (chair)
Associate Professors - Mark Everingham, Andrew Kersten, Kim Nielsen
Assistant Professor - Andrew Austin
Web site: http://www.uwgb.edu/scd/
A major in social change and development focuses on social processes and social problems as they are contained in systems, especially the highly interdependent world system. This perspective addresses the problem of why and how societies and cultures around the world change and the question of whether those changes promote justice, equity, democracy, and development of human potential. Social change and development stresses historical, comparative, and critical perspectives because understanding the present requires understanding the past, and understanding of our own lives and our own society requires understanding the world. Social change and development has a broad focus, enhanced by its philosophical and theoretical focus. This program thus offers wide-ranging educational challenges and provides students with widely applicable learning experiences useful for many career paths.
Social change and development is appropriate for individuals interested in graduate work in the social sciences, law school, journalism, international business, and a variety of careers related to community development, social justice, social and environmental activism, women's issues, and other social issues. Graduates work in a wide range of careers including business, domestic and international development, education, helping professions, journalism, law and criminal justice, library science, museum administration, and politics. Some have pursued advanced studies in fields such as anthropology, area studies, criminal justice, economics, history, international relations, law, library science, philosophy, political science, and sociology.
Majors select an area of emphasis from among the following:
- American studies is for those interested in social problems, public issues, social criticism and strategies for change with respect to contemporary American society.
- Global studies focuses on international politics, development, sociocultural change, and history, especially in relationship to the nations of the South or Third World. It orients students toward careers in foreign service, international business or other international organizations, and for graduate study, and may be combined with the international studies certificate program.
- Law and justice studies explores the legal system and its relationship to the larger social order. Subjects covered in the emphasis include civil and criminal law and the criminal justice process. Courses offered stress critical and historical study and pose the problem of social justice in diverse societies. Law and justice studies is appropriate for students planning careers in law and criminal justice.
- Women's studies explores historical, comparative, and contemporary perspectives on women's experiences. It is useful for students planning careers in social services, education, counseling and therapy, personnel management, community organizing, labor relations, religious service, or other fields in which issues of gender are important.
It is possible also to develop individualized emphases in consultation with the program adviser.
Students seeking the interdisciplinary major or minor in social change and development may choose to combine their programs with an appropriate disciplinary or with another interdisciplinary field of study. Among fields most relevant are anthropology, American Indian studies, business, communication, economics, education, ethnic studies, history, human development, international studies, journalism, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, urban and regional studies, and women's studies.