Social and behavioral sciences - Human rights, justice or military/veteran studies

This program provides you with comprehensive preparation for a career in counseling military members and veterans. Upon graduation, you’ll be well-prepared for various jobs within the defense market, such as behavioral health specialist, psychological operations, family support specialist, special operatives and peer specialist, particularly within the VA System and armed services.

Additionally, with your specialized skills and knowledge in supporting military members and veterans, you'll be a competitive candidate for graduate programs in counseling, social work and applied areas of psychology. However, it's important to note that while this program provides a strong foundation, meeting specific admission requirements for graduate professional programs will depend on the individual school's criteria.

The knowledge and skills you’ll develop

As a counseling and applied psychological science program, you’ll first develop foundational skills in communication, analytical thinking, research, interpersonal relations, leadership, problem-solving and adaptability. These skills are essential for the broader fields of counseling and applied psychology.

In addition to these foundational skills, you’ll gain concentration-specific knowledge on counseling military members and veterans, including:

• Mental performance.
• Military psychology and counseling.
• Navigating combat trauma.
• Social issues in counseling.

These specialized courses will equip you with the insights and expertise needed to address the unique challenges faced by military members and veterans, empowering you to make a meaningful impact in their lives.

Who’s a good fit for this program?

Ideal candidates for this program include military service members seeking career advancement, students interested in working in military and veteran service organizations, those seeking specialization in military and veteran studies and recent retirees looking for personal growth. While there’s no specific occupational profile required, this program may be most suitable for those in public service or occupations that interact with military or veteran populations.

Please note: Graduates of this program can’t claim to be military psychologists or other professions requiring graduate education and licensure. This program introduces foundational ideas related to military psychology and counseling with an intentional focus on the interaction between military psychology and counseling.

In this program, you’ll examine multidisciplinary aspects of the U.S. military and the history of war, as well as the implications for veterans, their families and society. You’ll also explore how the public understands the role of the military and those who serve the country, veterans’ representation in the media and arts and how scholars in national security ask questions and propose solutions.

Additionally, you’ll gain in-demand skills, such as:

• Adaptability and problem solving.
• Cross-functional collaboration and teamwork.
• Endurance, strength and resilience.
• Holistic understanding of diversity and inclusion.
• Leadership.
• Transparent communication.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

While this military and veteran studies degree is ideal for active service members looking for career advancement, military service is not needed to apply. It’s also a good fit for veterans, reserves, National Guard members, military family members and those interested in the history of the military and war.

Additionally, this program is suitable for professionals with a variety of career backgrounds who want to develop a specialization in military and veteran studies. Whether you have experience in public service serving veterans, teaching or academia, this degree provides a pathway to a career in this emerging field.

Specialize your studies with a portfolio track

Completing the required portfolio track allows you to gain hands-on experience and refine your career interests. In the 15-credit-hour track, you’ll learn about theory and history, as well as participate in an internship or individualized instruction. You’ll then compile a portfolio of previous work to demonstrate what you’ve learned. Available portfolio tracks include:

• Counseling and counseling psychology for military and veteran communities.
• Leadership in military and veterans' organizations.
• Principles of health care for military, veterans and their families.
• Public leadership, service and policy.
• The military and veterans: Historical perspectives.

The Bachelor of Arts in disability studies teaches you to better understand and advocate for individuals living with disabilities. Rather than focusing on disability as a functional impairment, this program emphasizes how society defines and interacts with it. You’ll explore ways to promote inclusive workplace practices and expand opportunities for people with disabilities through a social, legal and cultural lens.

This degree is well-suited for those aiming to build skills in research, advocacy and policy making. Graduates often pursue careers as attorneys, compliance officers, disability service directors, educators, human resource managers, nonprofit leaders or policymakers. If you're already working in the medical field and looking to help confront the marginalization of those living with a disability, this program can strengthen your impact.

What you’ll learn in this program

If you have a passion for advocacy, this disability studies major prepares you to make a meaningful impact by examining disability through multifaceted perspectives. With this interdisciplinary approach, you’ll explore the systemic marginalization of those with disabilities. You’ll build a versatile skill set that includes collaboration, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, effective communication and the ability to influence policy.

This program prepares you for a rewarding career where you can make a difference in your community and around the world. If you’re interested in volunteering or working for organizations that advance the causes of social justice and human rights, this program may be a great fit for you. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared to work in community-engaged advocacy and effectively support marginalized groups.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

A social justice and human rights degree is an interdisciplinary program that prepares you to advocate for rights and equality in local, national and global contexts. This program draws from a variety of social science disciplines including politics, sociology, history, anthropology and linguistics. Examining perspectives from all of these disciplines will prepare you to address pressing issues related to racial justice, immigration, feminism, refugee rights and more.

In addition to gaining broad expertise in these topics, you’ll be equipped with transferable skills from across the social sciences, including writing, communication, research and statistical analysis of human rights data. As you hone your skills in writing and research, you’ll gain essential knowledge related to rights and justice by taking nine credit hours from three different interdisciplinary tracks:

• Identity and place.
• Law, citizenship and migration.
• Social justice and inequality.

Get the opportunity to participate in research with faculty

As a student, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in research with faculty for funding or academic credit through the New College Undergraduate Inquiry and Research Experience program. The faculty you meet throughout your courses can help you connect to other faculty who share your interests and have space for an NCUIRE student. This research can strengthen your resume and allow you to stand out among the competition when entering the workforce.

Additionally, this bachelor’s degree can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. This opportunity saves you time and money while giving you advanced knowledge in your field. Applicable master's degrees include:

• Master of Arts in social justice and human rights.

This justice studies degree is a social science-based undergraduate program that examines justice and social inquiry from diverse perspectives. As a justice studies major, you’ll analyze how the definition of justice changes based on classical, contemporary, domestic and global contexts.

This degree is ideal if you want to understand what justice is and how to achieve it, as well as have the desire to drive social transformation.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

This justice studies degree provides you with tools to understand and achieve justice in the U.S. The curriculum includes classic and contemporary philosophies and theories of justice. You’ll gain a broad foundation in social science, the humanities and other focus areas needed for success in the field.

This program will prepare you for a wide range of career paths in law, government, politics, education and more. You’ll develop valuable, transferable skills, such as critical thinking, oral and written communication, collaboration, critical analysis, digital technology and intercultural fluency.

What’s the difference between a BA and a BS in justice studies?

This BA is very similar to ASU’s BS in justice studies online. The primary difference between these two programs is the foreign language requirement in this BA program.

Additionally, if you have an interest in social science, you may lean toward the Bachelor of Arts. If you want to prioritize statistical analysis and quantitative inquiry in your studies, the Bachelor of Science may be better for you.

If you’re interested in pursuing a law degree, earning a BA or a BS justice studies degree will provide a well-rounded education that prepares you for law school. You'll gain abstract thinking skills, the ability to interpret texts and a high reading comprehension, which will help on your Law School Admission Test (LSAT). You'll also learn to think reasonably and logically, which law schools typically look for in candidates.

It’s important to note this isn’t a criminology program. It doesn’t prepare you for a career in criminal justice.

This multifaceted program focuses on the experience of African-descended people in the past and present. You’ll examine pre-colonial Africa, the trans-Atlantic slave trade and African migration in history-based courses. The program places a special emphasis on studying the African diaspora, or the communities of African-descended people around the world resulting from migration.

Courses in this program also explore the culture, art, histories and politics of communities across the African diaspora in the Americas, Caribbean, Europe and continental Africa. You’ll also delve into the impact of institutional racism around the world. In a critical race theory course, you’ll examine how race is used, constructed and contested in America. Elective courses focus on racism in fields such as medicine, criminal justice, politics and education.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

This program bridges the humanities, social sciences and arts, and you'll learn a wide range of skills from these disciplines. Your courses will teach you how to combine information from various fields to analyze and solve complex problems. You'll also develop strong research abilities, cultural communication skills and diversity awareness. These skills will prepare you to lead efforts to build more equitable workplaces and environments across society.

What can you do with an African and African American Studies degree?

The interdisciplinary nature of this program means you’ll gain valuable transferable skills that apply to many career opportunities. You’ll be well-equipped for jobs focused on communication, social policy or diversity awareness. Upon graduation, you may also pursue an advanced degree in a related field such as sociology, political science or law.