Looking to get involved in Labor Studies? Take a class, come to a public event, or learn more about the certificate program.
Taking a Labor Studies course is a great way to understand the world of work and to build writing, research, and analytic skills. And, most of these classes also count as sociology credits!
Undergraduate Offerings:
- Social Justice and Activism (Labor 191) — a first year seminar for freshmen
- Women and Work (Soc/Labor 201)
- Labor and the Global Economy (Soc/Labor 204)
- Labor and Work in the US (Soc/Labor 280)
- Sports, Labor, and Social Justice (Soc/Labor r 297s)
- Food and Labor (Soc/Labor 391)
- Labor and Community Organizing (Soc/Labor 390STA)
With permission of the instructor, advanced undergraduates may enroll in our graduate level courses.
Undergraduate Certificate in Labor Studies
The undergraduate certificate in Labor Studies introduces students to the study of work, labor and workers organizations through an overview of its history in the U.S. and worldwide, and through deep discussion of current developments.
Explore labor’s role in ongoing fights for social justice
Requirements: complete 15 credits towards the certificate
- 3 Labor Studies courses (4 credits per course)
- 1 pre-approved elective from another department (3-4 credits)
Deadlines
Interested students must contact the Labor APM and set up an advising meeting prior to the registration deadline for the semester in which they intend to begin the certificate.
Course Progression
Students will complete 15 credits minimum by taking 3 Labor courses (all of which count for 4 credits) and 1 elective from another department. Students will choose 3 classes out of core Labor offerings:
- Labor 201: Women and Work
- Labor 203: Sports, Social Justice, and Labor
- Labor 204: Labor and the Global Economy
- Labor 240: Labor and Work
- Labor 331: Food and Labor
- Labor 390STA: Labor and Community Organizing
- Labor 510: Organizing (optional and instructor consent required)
Students will select their own relevant elective of 3-4 credits from another department, including the 5 Colleges. Electives must be related to work, labor, organizing, political economy, or inequalities, broadly defined. The Labor APM will approve the electives.
The recommended order of coursework is to begin with 200 level courses and then progress to 300 level courses. Students will then be eligible to take graduate level labor seminars with permission from the instructor, such as Labor 510: Organizing.
Student Checklist
Students preparing to complete the certificate should follow this checklist.
Interested in taking undergraduate Labor Studies classes?
For any questions, please reach out to the Labor Academic Program Manager:
Sierra Dickey
sddickey@umass.edu
Thompson 736