Minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities
Program Learning Outcomes for the Minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities
Upon completing the minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities, students will be able to:
- Understand theoretical approaches to poverty and justice that draw from the capabilities framework, economics, history, sociology, philosophy, and other fields. Students will have in-depth knowledge of approaches to enhancing human flourishing and will understand the social, institutional, and political contexts that underlie deprivations and inequities.
- Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the multiple influences on well-being beyond income and material wealth, including gender, racial, and ethnic disparities, and the impact of colonialism on the Global South. Students will be able to provide examples from different geographic regions, not exclusively from one country or region, and be able to apply the capabilities approach when evaluating these disparities.
- Gain, through direct service, experiential knowledge of the challenges faced in disadvantaged communities.
- Achieve an interdisciplinary knowledge of approaches to enhancing human well-being and mitigating human deprivations. Students will be able to apply this knowledge in evaluating potential policy solutions.
- Demonstrate the oral, written, and visual communication skills essential for sophisticated and successful advocacy.
- Become a global citizen by understanding the role that advocacy and service play in addressing poverty, strengthening justice, and improving well-being.
Requirements for the Minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities
Students pursuing the minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities must complete:
- A minimum of 6 courses (18-22 credit hours, depending on course selection) to satisfy minor requirements.
- A minimum of 3 PJHC Service Credits from the direct service learning experiences.
- A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional program guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
The courses used to meet the PJHC minor are generally open to all Rice students, including those not pursuing the minor; however, in some courses with limited space, preference will be given to declared minors. An exception is PJHC 470, which is only open to declared PJHC minors who will have completed the minor's service learning requirement by the end of the semester.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this minor. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the minor’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the Program Director. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the minor's Official Certifier). Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities | 18-22 | |
Minor Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirement | ||
| PJHC 371 | POVERTY, JUSTICE, AND HUMAN CAPABILITIES | 3 |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Global South | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course from the Global South category (see course list below). | 3-4 | |
| Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course from the Race and Ethnicity category (see course list below). | 3-4 | |
| General | ||
| Select up to 2 courses from the General category or select 2 additional Electives from the Global South and/or the Race and Ethnicity categories (see course lists below). | 6-8 | |
| Direct Service Learning Experience 1 | ||
| Students must complete a total of three PJHC Service Credits. See below for more information. | ||
| Capstone Requirement | ||
| PJHC 470 | ADVANCED SEMINAR IN POVERTY, JUSTICE, AND CAPABILITIES | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 18-22 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Students may choose from an array of options to fulfill the Direct Service Learning Experience, as described on the PJHC website. The options may carry 1, 2, or 3 service credits and include both internships and service trips. (Some of the options have coursework components.) |
Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements
Elective Requirements
Students must complete a total of 4 courses (12-16 credit hours, depending on course selection) from the Global South, Race and Ethnicity, and General categories as listed below to satisfy the Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities minor's Elective Requirements. Additional courses from the Global South or Race and Ethnicity lists can be used to fulfill the General category requirement. Students must select separate and distinct courses to fulfill the Global South and Race and Ethnicity category requirements. As course offerings may vary from year to year, students are urged to consult with the undergraduate advisors (see https://pjhc.rice.edu/) at the beginning of each semester. Please note that not all courses listed below will be offered every academic year.
Elective Course Category: Global South
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select a minimum of 1 course from the following: | minimum of 3 | |
| PERSPECTIVES ON MODERN ASIA | ||
| HISTORY AND ETHNOGRAPHY | ||
| NEOLIBERALISM AND GLOBALIZATION | ||
| THE FOURTH WORLD: ISSUES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE | ||
| THE WORLD AND SOUTH ASIA | ||
| SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES | ||
| SEX, MONEY, AND POWER AROUND THE WORLD | ||
| MODERN GIRL AND ASIA IN THE WORLD | ||
| URBAN LAB ISTANBUL | ||
| ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT * | ||
| THIRD WORLD LITERATURE | ||
| CONTEMPORARY ANGLOPHONE LITERATURES | ||
| GLOBAL FICTIONS | ||
| TOPICS IN CULTURAL STUDIES * | ||
| TOPICS IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE * | ||
| FROM DECOLONIZATION TO GLOBALIZATION | ||
| GENDER AROUND THE WORLD | ||
| SUSTAINABLE WATER PURIFICATION FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD | ||
| THE ATLANTIC WORLD: ORIGINS TO THE AGE OF REVOLUTION | ||
| MEXICO: 1910 TO PRESENT | ||
| MODERN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS (minimum of 3 credit hours) * | ||
| CONTINUITIES AND CHANGES IN BRAZILIAN HISTORY | ||
| HISTORY OF SOUTH ASIA | ||
| MODERN MIDDLE EAST | ||
| MODERN ARAB HISTORY | ||
| GOLDEN AGE OF ISLAM | ||
| ENVIRONMENT, MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| POVERTY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION | ||
| WORKERS' REVOLUTIONS, SUBALTERN SOLIDARITIES, AND THE MAKING OF EMANCIPATORY POLITICS | ||
| THE RISE AND FALL OF SLAVERY IN THE ATLANTIC WORLD, 1791-1888 | ||
| MODERN SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING: GLOBAL AND LOCAL | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS (minimum of 3 credit hours) * | ||
| LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
| COMPARATIVE URBAN POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN RELIGIONS | ||
| GENDER AND ISLAM | ||
| RELIGION AND GLOBAL POVERTY | ||
| CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IN AFRICA | ||
| MAJOR ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY ISLAM | ||
| CHRISTIANITY IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH | ||
| RELIGION AND POLITICS IN AFRICA | ||
| RELIGION AND LITERATURE IN AFRICA | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF GLOBALIZATION | ||
| IDENTITIES IN A DIVERSE WORLD | ||
| GENDER AND SCIENCE | ||
Elective Course Category: Race and Ethnicity
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select a minimum of 1 course from the following: | minimum of 3 | |
| GLOBAL IM/MOBILITIES: BORDERS, MIGRATION, AND CITIZENSHIP | ||
| ANTHROPOLOGY OF RACE, ETHNICITY AND HEALTH | ||
| ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH IN/OF HOUSTON ASIA | ||
| WOMEN IN CHINESE LITERATURE | ||
| RACE, CLASS, GENDER IN EDUCATION | ||
| URBAN EDUCATION: ISSUES, POLICY, AND PRACTICE | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE | ||
| THE AMERICAN WEST AND ITS OTHERS | ||
| CHICANO/A LITERATURE | ||
| YOUTH STUDIES | ||
| BLACK MANHATTAN: 1915-1940 | ||
| RACE IN EARLY AMERICA: CREATING RACIAL IDENTITIES IN THE ERA OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION | ||
| IMMIGRATION IN 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY UNITED STATES SOCIETY | ||
| RACE AND MEDICINE IN AMERICAN HISTORY | ||
| CONTEMPORARY CHINA | ||
| BLACKS IN THE AMERICAS | ||
| BLACK LIFE IN THE NINETEENTH-CENTURY UNITED STATES | ||
| MEXICO: 1910 TO PRESENT | ||
| LATIN AMERICAN CULTURAL TRADITIONS | ||
| MODERN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| CONTINUITIES AND CHANGES IN BRAZILIAN HISTORY | ||
| SLAVERY AND THE FOUNDING FATHERS | ||
| THE AMERICAN SOUTH | ||
| ENVIRONMENT, MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| POVERTY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AND THE ORIGINS OF AFRO AMERICA | ||
| THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION | ||
| 19TH CENTURY WOMEN'S NARRATIVES | ||
| MODERN CHINA | ||
| BLACK AMERICA: FROM NADIR THROUGH THE GREAT DEPRESSION | ||
| RACE AND ETHNICITY IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| JEWISH HISTORY, 1500-1948 | ||
| THE RISE AND FALL OF SLAVERY IN THE ATLANTIC WORLD, 1791-1888 | ||
| RACE, EDUCATION AND SOCIETY IN THE URBAN SOUTH | ||
| MODERN SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING: GLOBAL AND LOCAL | ||
| TOPICS IN LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY | ||
| THE BLACK CITY: AFRICAN AMERICAN URBAN LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| BLACK AT RICE: HISTORIES OF THE UNIVERSITY | ||
| RACE AND MEDIA | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS (minimum of 3 credit hours) * | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES | ||
| AFRICAN AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
| LATINO POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| RACE, ETHNICITY, AND POLITICS IN AMERICA | ||
| RACE AND PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| SEX, GENDER, AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| MULTICULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| RELIGION AND HIP HOP CULTURE IN AMERICA | ||
| RELIGION AND BLACK LIVES MATTER | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO THE BLACK CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| THE RELIGIOUS THOUGHT OF MARTIN L. KING, JR. AND MALCOLM X | ||
| WHAT'S RELIGIOUS ABOUT BLACK RELIGION? | ||
| SOCIAL INEQUALITY | ||
| HOUSTON: THE SOCIOLOGY OF A CITY | ||
| RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS | ||
| MULTIRACIAL AMERICA | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION | ||
| RACE, SOCIETY AND POPULATION CHANGE | ||
| AFRICAN AMERICAN-JEWISH RELATIONS: RACE, RELIGION, POLITICS, AND POPULAR CULTURE | ||
| ART AND ACTIVISM: CRITICAL STUDY OF HOPE IN TIMES OF CRISIS | ||
| RACE, GENDER, CLASS IN FILM | ||
| RACE AND FAMILY SEMINAR | ||
| RACE AND ETHNICITY SEMINAR | ||
| RESEARCH SEMINAR: THE HOUSTON AREA SURVEY | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION | ||
| IMMIGRATION IN A GLOBAL WORLD | ||
| RACE, MIGRATION, AND HEALTH SEMINAR | ||
| INEQUALITY AND URBAN LIFE | ||
| THE CITY IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| LATIN AMERICAN WOMEN'S CULTURE | ||
| SEX AND GENDER IN MODERN JEWISH CULTURE | ||
Elective Course Category: General
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select up to 2 courses from the following (or select 2 additional Electives from the Global South and/or the Race and Ethnicity categories) | 0-6 | |
| ETHNOGRAPHIES OF CARE | ||
| GLOBAL HEALTH JUSTICE: HEALTHCARE INEQUALITIES IN CONFLICTS | ||
| MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS (minimum of 3 credit hours) * | ||
| BIOLOGY FOR VOTERS | ||
| APPROPRIATE DESIGN FOR GLOBAL HEALTH | ||
| ECONOMICS OF HUMAN CAPITAL | ||
| HEALTH ECONOMICS | ||
| QUEER LITERARY CULTURES | ||
| FEMINIST THEORY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL HEALTH | ||
| INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY HEALTH | ||
| VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE | ||
| DISPARITIES IN HEALTH IN AMERICA | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN HEALTH SCIENCES * | ||
| SEX, GENDER, AND FAMILY IN EUROPE, 1300-1700 | ||
| 19TH CENTURY WOMEN'S NARRATIVES | ||
| HISTORY OF FEMINISM | ||
| IMMIGRATION AND THE STATE: 19TH & 20TH CENTURY | ||
| RACE, EDUCATION AND SOCIETY IN THE URBAN SOUTH | ||
| AMERICAN RADICALS AND REFORMERS | ||
| THE HISTORY OF HUMAN RIGHTS | ||
| HISTORY OF MEDICINE: FROM ART TO SCIENCE | ||
| THE BLACK CITY: AFRICAN AMERICAN URBAN LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY | ||
| ADVANCED SEMINAR IN POVERTY, JUSTICE, AND CAPABILITIES | ||
| ADVOCATING FOR IDEAS TO CHANGE THE WORLD | ||
| HEALTH POLICY | ||
| URBAN POLITICS | ||
| LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
| POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN CONTEMPORARY DEMOCRACIES | ||
| CIVIL WARS | ||
| INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS | ||
| POLITICS OF AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY | ||
| EDUCATION POLICY | ||
| CONDITIONS OF DEMOCRACY | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF WORK AND OCCUPATIONS | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF IMMIGRATION | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF GLOBALIZATION | ||
| MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF DISASTER | ||
| HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| GENDER SEMINAR | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF FOOD | ||
| POPULATION HEALTH SEMINAR | ||
| FAMILY SEMINAR | ||
| GENDER AND HEALTH | ||
| COMMUNITY BRIDGES TRAINING | ||
| INEQUALITY AND URBAN LIFE | ||
| SEXUAL DEBATES IN THE U.S.: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS OF SUPREME COURTS DECISIONS | ||
| PRE-SEMINAR IN ENGAGED RESEARCH | ||
| ENGAGED RESEARCH PRACTICUM | ||
| ENGAGED RESEARCH SEMINAR | ||
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: these courses are special topics courses, and not all sections are eligible to be applied towards the minor requirements as an Elective course. Please see a minor advisor for more information. |
Direct Service Learning Experience
As part of the Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities (PJHC) requirements, students must participate in an approved PJHC direct service learning experience. Students must complete 3 PJHC Service Credits. Students can choose from an array of options, including internships, service trips, and coursework to complete this requirement. Direct service learning experiences carry 1, 2, or 3 service credits. These options are described in detail at https://pjhc.rice.edu/service-learning-requirement/.
Policies for the Minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities should be aware of the following program restriction:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, i.) students may declare their intent to pursue a minor only after they have first declared a major, and ii.) students may not major and minor in the same subject.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Program Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the minor.
Distribution Credit Information
The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.
Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities website: https://pjhc.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the Minor in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Susan McAshan Summer Service Internship
Declared Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities minors are eligible to apply for funding to support a summer service internship. Students must have completed PJHC 371 by the end of the fall semester before their internships. Funding supports student interns’ direct service work with international or US-based community service organizations. Additional details may be found at the PJHC website: https://pjhc.rice.edu/.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities website: https://pjhc.rice.edu/.