Social and Environmental Justice Minor | Cal Poly Academic Catalog

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

Provides the general principles of social and environmental justice to explore the root causes of domestic and global inequalities. Advances students' understanding of the linkages between social and environmental outcomes and the role people can play in securing the betterment of marginalized groups, threatened ecosystems, and future generations.

Program Learning Objectives

Describe global perspectives of inequities and systems of oppression within and across societies.
Explain linkages between subjugation of social groups, domination over the natural world, and the threat of "natural" disasters to societal wellbeing.
Discuss pathways to social and environmental justice.
Critically evaluate important environmental issues facing our society and societies in a global perspective.
Effectively write and speak about the complex relationships between societies and environments in order to communicate to multiple audiences.

Minor Requirements and Curriculum

The minor must be completed prior to, or at the same time as, the requirements for the bachelor's degree. A major and a minor may not be taken in the same degree program, and a minor is not required for a degree. Requirements for the minor include:

At least half of the units must be from upper-division courses (3000-4000 level).
At least half of the units must be taken at Cal Poly (in residence).
No more than one-third of the units will be taken with credit-no credit grading (CR/NC), not counting courses with mandatory CR/NC. Departments may further limit CR/NC grading if desired.
A minimum 2.0 GPA is required in all units counted for completion of the minor.

Course List
Code	Title	Units
REQUIRED COURSES
Foundational Social Sciences Course
GEOG 1150	Human Geography	3
or SOC 1110	Comparative Societies
Foundational Social Justice Course
Select from the following:		3
SOC 1111	Social Problems
SOC 2216	U.S. Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 2218	International Political Economy
Environmental Justice Elective
SOC 3308	Sociology of the Environment	4
or SOC 4433	Global Climate Justice
Global Justice Electives
Select from the following:		3
SOC 3315	Global Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 3321	Migration
SOC 3343	Sociology of the Global South
Approved Electives
Select from the following:		3-4
ECON 3071	Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
ES 3380	Critical Race Theory
ES 3382	Racial Capitalism
ES 4406	Indigenous Peoples, International Law, and Policy
GEOG/ERSC 3325	Climate and Humanity
GEOG 3350	The Global Environment
GEOG 4408	Geography of International Development
NR 3310	Global Climate Change
NR 3323	Human Dimensions in Natural Resources Management
NR 3324	Social Dimensions of Sustainable Food Systems
NR/BRAE 3349	Water for a Sustainable Society
POLS 3310	Politics of Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality in the U.S.
POLS 3325	Global Political Issues
POLS 3328	Politics of Developing Areas
POLS 3332	World Food Systems
POLS 3343	Civil Rights in the U.S.
POLS 4419	Social Movements and Political Protest
POLS 4427	Politics of the Global Economy
SOC 3305	Social Movements
SOC 3327	Social Change
SOC 4402	Gender, Crime, and Violence
SOC 4435	Sociology of Health and Illness
SOC 4444	Incarceration and Society: Perspectives on the Criminal Justice System
Select any upper-division course not taken to satisfy a requirement above
Total Units		16