ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
What issues do you want to learn more about? What skills do you want to develop? What impact do you want to have?
The Minor in Poverty, Inequality and Social Justice allows for a variety of coursework options and pathways to pursue issues that you find meaningful and want to engage with on a deeper level.
PISJ Minor Coursework Options
The PISJ Minor features an array of interdisciplinary coursework in disciplines like Anthropology, History, Sociology, Asian American Studies, Black Studies, Chicana & Chicano Studies, Economics, Geography, Global Studies, Political Science, language studies, among many other options. Please refer to our list of approved course substitutes for additional options when registering for classes.
- Official Minor upper-division electives
- Approved upper-division elective course substitutes
- Course Petitioning
You can petition upper division classes not on the Minor requirement sheet to count towards your elective requirements. Any proposed course must touch on issues related to poverty, inequality, and social justice. To petition a course, please email the course syllabus to Kiara Actis.
There are no formal tracks for the Minor, but below are a few illustrative examples of thematic road maps you could pursue based on eligible elctives and internship options.
Economic Justice
HIST 74
Poverty, Inequality & Social Justice in Historical & Global Context (required)
GLOBAL 136
Global Economic Imbalances
POL 132
Politics of the Poor
ANTH 102
The Anthropology of Slavery over Time and Space
INTERNSHIP
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
or
UCSB Food Security and Basic Needs Taskforce
CAPSTONE SEMINAR PROJECT
Develop a TED Talk-style presentation focused on an economic justice issue and your solution
Criminal Justice Reform 
HIST 74
Poverty, Inequality & Social Justice in Historical & Global Context (required)
CH ST 171
The Brown/Black Metropolis: Race, Class and Resistance in the City
HIST 144J
Race & Juvenile Justice in U.S. History
CLASS 140
Slavery and Freedom in the Ancient World
INTERNSHIP
Freedom 4 Youth
or
UCSB Office of Student Conduct - Restorative Justice Program
CAPSTONE SEMINAR PROJECT
Policy reform proposal + Op-Ed related to a criminal justice reform issue
Social Movements & Social Change
HIST 74
Poverty, Inequality & Social Justice in Historical & Global Context (required)
CHT ST 169
Religion and Social Movements - Spirituality, Sacrifice, and the Struggle for Social Justice
HIST 144W
Women of Color and Social Movements in the United States
WRIT 105CW
Writing in Community
INTERNSHIP
The Fund for Santa Barbara
or
Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SBACT)
CAPSTONE SEMINAR PROJECT
Empirical research paper on how social movements organize for social change