Salem State University’s justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion-focused minors allow students to examine local and global political, social, and artistic movements that promote peace, reconciliation, and justice, to investigate the power dynamics and the structures that keep inequity in place, and to engage at home and across the world in the creation of sustainable, equitable, and just practices. These minors allow students to develop knowledge and skills that combine with their major area of study to prepare them to not only participate in increasingly diverse workplaces and communities but to lead professional, public, and personal change for a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive future.
Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion-Focused Minors
Current students can declare or change a minor any time through Navigator. For more information, talk to your academic advisor or check in with the contact person for the minor(s) that interest you.
The African American Studies minor celebrates and explores African American contributions to the United States. Students who minor in African American Studies take five elective courses from the approved list selected from across the university to meet their specific educational goals and interests.
The Latin American and Latino Studies minor introduces students to an interdisciplinary study of the history, populations and cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the study of people of Latin American and Caribbean origin in the United States. A foundational interdisciplinary introductory course explores the development and state of interdisciplinary studies in the field, the diverse nature of Latin American and Caribbean communities, and the experiences of different Latino groups in the United States. This course is augmented by elective courses selected from across the university to meet the specific educational goals and interests of the student.
Women’s and Gender Studies is an academic field devoted to the study women, gender, and sexuality from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students in the minor develop critical perspectives and analytical frameworks to understand how institutions, cultures, representations, and power dynamics have shaped women’s lives and gender identities in the United States and around the world. Courses within the minor invite studies to examine the complex ways gender and sexuality intersect with race, ethnicity, nation, religion, ability, and other categories of identity. In so doing, the minor equips students with the ability to recognize, critique, and address social inequalities in a variety of contexts. A foundational interdisciplinary Women’s and Gender Studies course is augmented by elective courses selected from across the university to meet the specific educational goals and interests of each student.
The Asian studies minor is to help students at Salem State University gain a better knowledge of Asia. The minor consists of a coherent collection of courses leading to knowledge of the geographic, historical, social, legal, and cultural structures in Asia. It trains students to have both a historical understanding and a current knowledge of human development in Asia. The program has a strong local touch as it incorporates the history of Salem’s maritime trade with Asian countries such as China, Japan and India.
With one of the fastest growing economies, the world’s largest population, and an expanding global reach, China’s presence and importance in the world is well understood. Better still, Mandarin is the language with the biggest number of native speakers. Indeed, whatever your major, a minor in Chinese Studies matches well and makes you into a more attractive job candidate as you hone intercultural skills and learn to communicate across social differences.
German is the second most used scientific language in the world; it brought us -breathe deeply before reading them all- Arendt, Bach, Beethoven, Bonhoeffer, Brahms, Brecht, Buber, Einstein, Freud, Goethe, Grass, Hegel, Heidegger, Heisenberg, Kafka, Kant, Mahler, Mann, Marx, Mozart, Nietzsche, Planck, Schoenberg, Schubert, Schumann, Wagner, Weber, and more. German studies also involves holocaust studies, a chance to examine how a vibrant multiethnic country became the epicenter of the world’s largest genocide. German studies opens the door on a deep past and a bright future. Its dominant presence in Europe is reflected by the fact that 68% of Japanese students study German.
Within an increasingly globalized world, the International Relations minor exposes students to politically, socially and culturally diverse perspectives on a wide range of global issues and problems, and the theories and analytical concepts for critically thinking about and understanding them. This minor is an excellent addition to any major, but especially business, education, history, geography, journalism, economics, and peace studies.
The civic engagement minor provides students with the opportunity to gain political and policy knowledge, advocacy and communication skills, and community-based experiences to become informed and effective participants in civic and democratic life. The minor fosters an interdisciplinary understanding of public engagement, social justice, power dynamics, community, and social change.
A minor in environmental sustainability provides students with a background focused on local and global environmental issues including energy, food, economic development, and the socio-cultural impacts and implications of living a sustainable lifestyle. Successful completion of this minor will benefit students seeking careers with environmental organizations or government agencies or those who are planning to attend graduate school.
The Peace Studies minor offers a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of peace, war and social justice. This program presents students with a broad, integrative perspective on the study of peace that emphasizes an understanding of recent history, contemporary social/political problems and ethical values. The aim of courses taken in the Peace Studies minor is to prepared students to exercise informed judgement about issues related to peace, war and social justice. The foundational interdisciplinary Peace and Peacebuilding course is augmented by elective courses selected from across the university to meet the specific educational goals and interests of each student.
The public policy and public administration minor allows students to acquire analytical skills, knowledge of the policy making and implementation process, and substantive background in immigration, racial justice, gender, environment, and wildlife policy areas among others. The minor helps students understand how social constructions and political power shape the distribution of benefits and burdens of public policies. Public policy and public administration have particular relevance to careers in business, criminal justice, social work, education, geography, communications, and biology.