What is Advocacy & Social Justice?
Advocacy & Social Justice examines the overall fairness of a society and the manner in which it divides its rewards and burdens upon groups of people. With the goal of training leaders and advocates for underserved groups and communities, this field strives to increase equity and inclusion within society through focusing on social justice theory, research, and practice. As a true interdisciplinary program with a curriculum combined from the fields of human development, psychology, education, and legal studies, the skills learned are applicable across a variety of fields—from health care to environmental policy protection. This program prepares graduates to create and catalyze positive change within their local communities and beyond.
This field of study is grounded in theory, action, and assessment. The skills and knowledge acquired through the Advocacy & Social Justice degree program are fundamental to inspire, organize, and mobilize others to accomplish common goals, while also understanding how to effectively measure the advancement of an entire community, municipality, or nation.
Why choose an Advocacy & Social Justice degree at Pacific Oaks?
To effect positive social change, contemporary advocates must engage skillfully at the complex intersection of culture, environment, and education that contributes to how we define ourselves, our communities, and our institutions.
Our Advocacy & Social Justice degree program immerses students in a multidisciplinary curriculum aimed to develop a holistic lens of empowerment, equity, and justice for authentic social impact.
Students develop skills to critically evaluate the motivations and implications of injustice, disparity, inequity, and systems of dominance. Graduates become confident practitioners grounded in the principles of social justice, advocacy, respect for diversity, multiculturalism, and the uniqueness of each person.
We aim to train leaders, advocates, organizers, and dreamers for future leadership positions in these areas of critical need.
Careers in Advocacy & Social Justice
Graduates from the Bachelor’s and Master’s Advocacy & Social Justice degree programs have a diverse range of career paths to choose from. Opportunities are primarily found in the nonprofit and government sectors among non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, think tanks, religious institutions, law firms, and even law schools. Some roles include:
- Foster care specialist
- Community education specialist
- Special interest lobbyist
- Homeless family worker
- Case manager
- LGBTQ support worker
- Environmental justice worker
- International humanitarian
- Survivors advocate
- Social justice specialist
- Community organizer
- Restorative justice worker
- Indigenous peoples advocate
- Policy analyst