Minor in Social Justice and Social Policy

The definition of justice in a dictionary

The program in social justice and social policy (SJSP) is open to all Brandeis undergraduates who entered Brandeis prior to June 1, 2022. Students who enter Brandeis after June 1, 2022 will not be admitted.

The social justice and social policy (SJSP) minor links an academic curriculum with the university’s commitment to social justice. The program provides a common place for students in all disciplines to engage with issues of justice and equity.

The Social Justice and Social Policy Program brings together an unusually broad spectrum of faculty and curriculum—combining the academic perspectives of the arts and sciences departments with professional expertise from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Students are encouraged to explore policy areas in concrete detail, focused variously on particular groups (children, the elderly, people with disabilities) or particular services (health care, income support).

Students can also select courses that deal thematically with problems of social equity (poverty, discrimination), as well as courses that approach social justice from historical, philosophical and comparative perspectives. Key elements of the program include a foundation course, a capstone course and a research-based internship in a social policy setting.

This program does not seek to promote a particular ideological agenda, but rather to spark creative thinking about complex social problems. It carries the search for norms and principles into the wider arena of practical experience. By providing models for critical reflection, it challenges students to articulate their own value commitments in a spirit of constructive debate.

Academics and Research

Events and Networking

Careers and Alumni

Students who minor in Social Justice and Social Policy go on to engage with the world in many different areas related to social justice, policy, and advocacy. Brandeis' Hiatt Career Center is a resource for students to find job and internship opportunities, networking opportunities, and more.