Social justice careers can come from a variety of degree program backgrounds depending on the type of job you’d like to land after graduation. In some cases, you might want to alter the path of your career based on a need to head into a certain justice career, but don’t want to change majors. You might not have to if you are embarking on any of these degree paths.
Social Science Degree
For a traditional career path with an international charity organization, a social science degree will give you the base for that employment. Whether it’s the International Red Cross, Amnesty International or Save the Children, a non-profit organization needs people with social science degrees among other disciplines like medical degrees. You could be working in the field providing relief to those who need it after a disaster, or working towards educational opportunities in underdeveloped countries.
Criminal Justice Degree
A degree in criminal justice allows you to work in a field that deals with the correctional treatment of criminals from parolees to those on probation. The criminal justice degree provides a student with a way to influence society through providing those released from prison with tools to become reacquainted with society and behave appropriately.
Cultural Studies
As a graduate with a degree in cultural studies, you’re able to investigate and influence class structures, ethnicity and gender as well as sexual orientation on society as a whole. There’s a difference between ethnic studies as a career path versus cultural studies in general, but the fields overlap. A student graduating with a degree in cultural studies can work for associations across the world like the Association of Cultural Typhoon, Japan or the Cultural Studies Association of Australasia.
Non-Profit Management
Across the world, non-profits are in need of managers who can put their non-profit dollars to the best use possible. Those with a degree in non-profit management are able to get careers in higher education or as a fundraising expert. The student who graduates with a degree in non-profit management will be able to work for foundations and excel as the foundation needs to invest money wisely and know exactly where to release the funds for the greatest impact on society as a whole.
Degree in Political Science
As a political science graduate, there are many career options like business, law, teaching or elected office. From inside one of these positions, a person interested in social justice can influence the path that society takes from a position of authority. While some other positions might involve research and the impact of decisions by the government, a person with a political science degree will make those decisions.
There are many graduate programs that allow the student who is interested in social justice to land a career in the field. Even if you started down the wrong path while trying to decide on a career, it’s easy to find classes and a field of study that will allow you to impact society as a whole.
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