As disparities along ethic/racial, economic, gender and religious lines gain prominence in the national conversation, there is a growing need for trained "change agents" to carry out the work of community development, social justice and human rights advocacy.
Faith-based community service programs, service immersion trips, and social justice projects attract high-minded "change agents" of great generosity and courage who want to serve economically disadvantaged communities, underserved and underrepresented populations, and people whose human dignity is under assault by social arrangements and structures. The post-Vatican II emphasis on a Church that sees working for justice as constitutive of the Christian life and that proposes an "option for the poor" as a pastoral standard, has spawned a growing number of talented and educated young adults who want to integrate service, social justice, and advocacy into their life patterns and career choices. With Pope Francis, the social justice movement is gaining even more momentum.
This degree program is designed to serve these change agents, offering a solid grounding in spiritual and theological foundations for this work, information about the key social justice issues today, the skills and told of assessment and analysis in addressing these issues, best-practice strategies for effective work in advocacy and community development, contextual education at sites where social justice work is exemplary, and the practical tools of successful leadership in addressing social justice issues.
To learn more about the master's degree in social justice, please visit our request for information form or attend an online information session.
The Institute of Pastoral Studies, Loyola University Chicago (IPS), is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. The Board of Commissioners of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) granted full accreditation to IPS on June 10, 2019.
The Association of Theological Schools
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15275-1110
Telephone: 412-788-6505
The following IPS degree programs are approved by the Commission on Accrediting: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality (Professional MA), Master of Arts in Counseling for Ministry (Professional MA), Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling (Professional MA), and the Master of Arts in Social Justice (Professional MA) were also approved, as were our comprehensive online (distance education) programs.
The Master of Arts in Social Justice provides graduates with a solid understanding of the theoretical, spiritual, and theological foundations for the work of social justice. Students gain knowledge and develop an understanding of key social justice issues today, skills and tools for assessment and analysis in addressing these issues, best-practice strategies for effective work in advocacy and community development, and contextual education at sites where work for social justice is exemplary.
Curriculum
The MA in Social Justice is a 36 credit hour degree that requires 8 core courses and 3 elective courses along with a sequence of Contextual Education courses (3 credit hours) and a Final Integration Project.
The curriculum consists of a 12-course, 36 credit hour program. Of these courses, nine are required.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| IPS 400 | Introduction to Graduate and Professional Writing 1 | 0 |
| IPS 610 | Foundations of Social Justice | 3 |
| IPS 532 | Social Context of Ministry | 3 |
| IPS 551 | Social Ethics in the Catholic Tradition | 3 |
| IPS 615 | Liberation Theology | 3 |
| IPS 620 | Diversity and Equity | 3 |
| IPS 625 | Social Ethics: Politics and Global Economics | 3 |
| IPS 635 | Community Organizing and Community Development | 3 |
| IPS 660 | Leadership in Social Justice Organizations | 3 |
| IPS 578 | Contextual Education Preparation | 0 |
| IPS 579 | Contextual Education Introduction | 0 |
| IPS 580 | Contextual Education I | 3 |
| IPS 593 | Integration Project 2 | 0 |
| Total Hours | 36 |
Learn More about the Integration Project
Electives (3 three-credit courses, or 9 credit hours) are chosen in consultation with the academic advisor. Electives may be taken in IPS or in many of the other schools, colleges, academic centers and institutes at Loyola University Chicago. See your academic advisor for more details.
The following represents a list of courses across the university that would be appropriate for students in the MA in Social Justice. It is meant to be suggestive rather than exhaustive. This list is to make students aware of “sub-disciplines” within social justice as a way of exploring different career options. This list also emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of the degree and the career field. In this way, students might take multiple electives within a given field.
Competency Area: International Development
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| PLSC 430 | Theories of International Politics | 3 |
Competency Area: Public Policy
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| MPP 404 | Public Policy Process | 3 |
| PLSC 410 | Urban Politics | 3 |
| or MPP 410 | Special Topics in Public Policy |
Competency Area: Politics/Government
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| SOWK 509 | Social Work Policy and Community Intervention | 3 |
| PHIL 480 | Social & Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PLSC 447 | American Political Thought to Civil War | 3 |
Competency Area: Education
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| ELPS 432 | Multiculturalism for Social Justice in Higher Education | 3 |
| ELPS 550 | Seminar on Globalization and Education | 3 |
| ELPS 412 | Urban Education Policy | 3 |
| ELPS 433 | Student Development in Higher Education | 3 |
Competency Area: Non-Profit Management/Communication
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| COMM 405 | Story Development and Production | 3 |
| SOWK 714 | Philanthropy, Public Policy, and Community Change | 3 |
| COMM 368 | Ethnographic Research Methods in Communication | 3 |
| DIGH 400 | Introduction to Digital Humanities Research | 3 |
| IPS 453 | Grant Writing and Fundraising | 3 |
Competency Area: Ministry
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| IPS 404 | Theologies of Suffering | 3 |
| IPS 485 | Religious Education, Evangelization & Cultures | 3 |
| IPS 403 | Spiritual Paths in World Religions | 3 |
| IPS 570 | Introduction to Theology and Ministry | 3 |
| IPS 572 | Ignatian Spirituality | 3 |
| IPS 581 | Contextual Education II | 3 |
Competency Area: Healthcare
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| BEHL 402 | Justice & Health Care | 3 |
| BEHL 411 | Public Health Ethics | 3 |
| LAW 761 | Health Justice Policy | 3 |
Competency Area: Individuals and Groups
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| PSYC 460 | Social Psychological Theory | 3 |
| PSYC 473 | Social Development | 3 |
| SOWK 730 | Immigration Dynamics and U.S. Social Policy | 3 |
| SOWK 732 | Migration, Social Justice, and Human Rights | 3 |
| SOCL 425 | Inequality and Society | 3 |
| IPS 555 | Human Person and Psychological Development | 3 |
| IPS 578 | Contextual Education Preparation | 0 |
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supercede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
By completing the Master of Arts in Social Justice, students will be able to demonstrate:
- An in-depth understanding of philosophical and theological approaches to justice with a special focus on the Catholic social tradition as these approaches address global, post-modern contexts.
- A greater awareness and understanding of competing forces at the heart of conflicts over justice in various contexts and one’s own location in relation to them. (poverty, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, power, inequality, religion)
- A spiritual maturity that drives one to fully and productively engage in diverse contexts experiencing oppression, marginalization, deprivation and conflict.
- The primary skills of deep listening, dialogue, socio-cultural assessment and analysis, adaptive leadership, conflict transformation, relationship building, and have basic facility in the secondary skills of community organizing and development, advocacy for policy change, and practical knowledge for organizational management and social entrepreneurship.
- Substantive development of key business skills in their chosen areas of interest, including such areas as marketing, management, operation, and accounting.
- An understanding of how these business skills can be put to work critically and constructively to support the missions of social justice organizations.
