BA in Peace Studies
Peace studies majors complete 30 credits in required work, including a capstone project, which provides an opportunity to gain real-world experience and delve into a specific focus within peace studies. Students choose a concentration from one of three areas: Philosophical and Religious Approaches to Peace; International Peace and Conflict; and Social, Economic and Environmental Justice.
Elective courses include Philosophy of Human Rights, The Arab-Israeli Conflict, Economics of Crime, Environmental Quality and Management, War Crimes Trials and many more.
Curriculum Details
Concentrations
In addition to core peace studies coursework, students in the major must pass (C- or higher) courses from each of the three focus areas:
- Philosophical and Religious Approaches to Peace
- International Peace and Conflict
- Social, Economic and Environmental Justice
Language Requirement
Students in the major must complete a foreign language requirement, which may be fulfilled in one of three ways:
- Twelve credits in a modern foreign language
- Placement into the third year of a modern foreign language by examination
- Six credits in two modern foreign languages (for a total of 12 credits)
Honors
- Meet Columbian College requirements for Special Honors
- Be declared peace studies majors and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5
- Meet specific requirements for their major
- Receive a minimum grade of A- in PSTD 3190: Capstone Seminar
"Because of the interdisciplinary structure of the major, I can thoroughly explore diverse subjects and gain a deeper appreciation of peace as an idea and a reality. I am constantly challenging my own opinions. I have the flexibility to study abroad. And there are so many internship opportunities in D.C. that affirm the importance of a peace studies major in the career field."
Carmella Saia
BA '22
Course Requirements
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.
Program-specific curriculum (below)
Two years of a single foreign language, or placement into the third year of a foreign language by examination, or one year each of two modern foreign languages*.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| The following two courses (6 credits): | ||
| PSTD 1010 | Introduction to Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | |
| PSTD 3190 | Capstone Seminar (Offered only in the fall semester) | |
| Electives | ||
| Eight courses (24 credits selected from the following categories as indicated: | ||
| Philosophical and religious approaches to peace: two courses (6 credits) | ||
| PHIL 2132 | Social and Political Philosophy | |
| or PHIL 2132W | Social and Political Philosophy | |
| PHIL 2133 | Philosophy and Nonviolence | |
| PHIL 2134 | Philosophy of Human Rights | |
| REL 2921 | The Religions Wage Peace | |
| REL 2922 | Ethics and World Religions | |
| REL 3923 | Violence and Peace in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | |
| REL 3931 | Interfaith Dialogue in World Religions | |
| REL 3990 | Selected Topics in Religion | |
| PSTD 3099 | Variable Topics | |
| PSTD 3191 | Special Topics Peace Studies | |
| PSTD 3999 | Independent Study | |
| International peace and conflict: three courses (9 credits) | ||
| ANTH 3506 | Politics, Ethnicity, and Nationalism | |
| COMM 3174 | Intercultural Communication | |
| GEOG 2120 | World Regional Geography | |
| GEOG 2147 | Military Geography | |
| GER 3185 | Literary Voices and the Fascist Experience—in English | |
| HIST 2340 | U.S. Diplomatic History | |
| HIST 3033 | War and the Military in American Society from the Revolution to the Gulf War | |
| HIST 3035 | The United States and the Wars in Indochina, 1945–1975 | |
| HIST 3045 | International History of the Cold War | |
| HIST 3046 | The Cold War in the Third World | |
| HIST 3061 | The Holocaust | |
| HIST 3062 | War Crimes Trials | |
| HIST 3332 | History of American Foreign Policy Since World War II (Part 1) | |
| HIST 3333 | History of American Foreign Policy Since World War II (Part 2) | |
| HIST 3334 | The Nuclear Arms Race | |
| PSC 2334 | Global Perspectives on Democracy | |
| PSC 2336 | State–Society Relations in the Developing World | |
| PSC 2338 | Nationalism | |
| PSC 2440 | Theories of International Politics | |
| PSC 2442 | International Organizations | |
| or PSC 2442W | International Organizations | |
| PSC 2444 | Public International Law | |
| PSC 2446 | U.S. Foreign Policy | |
| PSC 2449 | International Security Politics | |
| or PSC 2449W | International Security Politics | |
| PSC 2451 | Theory of War | |
| or PSC 2451W | Theory of War | |
| PSC 2476 | The Arab-Israeli Conflict | |
| Social, economic, and environmental justice: three courses (9 credits) | ||
| ANTH 3513 | Anthropology of Human Rights | |
| or ANTH 3513W | Anthropology of Human Rights | |
| ECON 2136 | Environmental and Natural Resource Economics | |
| ECON 2151 | Economic Development | |
| or ECON 2151W | Economic Development | |
| ECON 2167 | Economics of Crime | |
| ECON 3161 | Public Finance: Expenditure Programs | |
| GEOG 2133 | People, Land, and Food | |
| GEOG 2134 | Energy Resources | |
| GEOG 2136 | Water Resources | |
| GEOG 2148 | Economic Geography | |
| GEOG 3132 | Environmental Quality and Management | |
| GEOG 3143 | Urban Sustainability | |
| or GEOG 3143W | Urban Sustainability | |
| GEOL 3131 | Global Climate Change | |
| PHIL 2124 | Philosophies of Disability | |
| or PHIL 2124W | Philosophies of Disability | |
| PHIL 2125 | Philosophy of Race and Gender | |
| or PHIL 2125W | Philosophy of Race and Gender | |
| PHIL 2135 | Ethics in Business and the Professions | |
| PHIL 2281 | Philosophy of the Environment | |
| PSC 2221 | African American Politics | |
| PSC 2225 | Women and Politics | |
| PSC 2240 | Poverty, Welfare, and Work | |
| PSC 2337 | Development Politics | |
| PSC 2367 | Human Rights | |
| or PSC 2367W | Human Rights | |
| PSYC 3125 | Cross-Cultural Psychology | |
| PSYC 3126 | Multicultural Psychology | |
| or PSYC 3126W | Multicultural Psychology | |
| PSYC 3173 | Community Psychology | |
| PUBH 2114 | Environment, Health, and Development | |
| PUBH 2115 | Health, Human Rights, and Displaced Persons | |
| PUBH 3132 | Health and Environment | |
| PUBH 3133 | Global Health and Development | |
| PUBH 3150 | Sustainable Energy and Environmental Health | |
| SMPA 3460 | Race, Media, and Politics | |
| SMPA 3471 | Media in the Developing World | |
| SMPA 3472 | Media and Foreign Policy | |
| SOC 2170 | Class and Inequality in American Society | |
| or SOC 2170W | Class and Inequality in American Society | |
| SOC 2173 | Social Movements | |
| SOC 2175 | Sociology of Sex and Gender | |
| SOC 2177 | Sociology of the Sex Industry | |
| SOC 2179 | Race and Minority Relations | |
| SOC 2184 | Violence and the Family | |
| Special topics courses may count toward the major with the approval of the program director. | ||
*Students are encouraged to study abroad.