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:
- 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 credit hours) to satisfy minor requirements.
- A minimum of 3 PJHC Service Credits from the direct service learning experiences.
The courses used to meet the PJHC minor are 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.
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 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 Interdisciplinary Minor in Poverty, Justice and Human Capabilities | 18 | |
Minor Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| HUMA 371 / SOCI 371 | POVERTY, JUSTICE, AND HUMAN CAPABILITIES 1 | 3 |
| SWGS 394 / SOCI 394 | HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN GLOBAL AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES | 3 |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 3 electives (see below) | 9 | |
| Capstone Requirement 2 | ||
| Select 1 of the following options: | 3-7 | |
| Capstone Course Option | ||
| RACE, EDUCATION AND SOCIETY IN THE URBAN SOUTH | ||
or SWGS 470 | ADVANCED SEMINAR IN POVERTY, JUSTICE, AND CAPABILITIES | |
| Capstone Course Sequences Option | ||
Select 1 of the following: | ||
| COMMUNITY BRIDGES TRAINING and INEQUALITY AND URBAN LIFE | ||
| PRE-SEMINAR IN ENGAGED RESEARCH and ENGAGED RESEARCH PRACTICUM and ENGAGED RESEARCH SEMINAR | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Students must submit a brief questionnaire to the program director to be considered for admission to HUMA 371/SOCI 371. This questionnaire can be accessed at pjhc.rice.edu/enrollment-questionnaire/. |
| 2 | Students can use additional capstone courses to fulfill the General Elective requirement (SWGS 496, SWGS 497 or SWGS 470) or the Race and Ethnicity requirement (HIST 421 or SOCI 470). HIST 421 and SOCI 470 do not fulfill the Race and Ethnicity requirement unless a second capstone course is completed. Students who complete the entire Engaged Research course sequence may use SWGS 497 to fulfill the General Elective requirement. |
Elective Requirements
Students must complete a total of 3 courses (minimum of 9 credit hours) as listed below to satisfy the Poverty, Justice and Human Capabilities minor's Elective Requirements. An additional course from the Non-Western or Race and Ethnicity list can be used to fulfill the General Elective requirement. Students must select separate courses to fulfill the Non-Western and Race and Ethnicity requirements. Additionally, the 3 required elective courses must come from at least 2 different schools. As course offerings may vary from year to year, students are urged to consult with the undergraduate advisors (see http://pjhc.rice.edu/) at the beginning of each semester. Please note that not all courses listed below will be offered every academic year.
Non-Western Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 1-2 from the following: | 3-6 | |
| PERSPECTIVES ON MODERN ASIA | ||
| NEOLIBERALISM AND GLOBALIZATION | ||
| NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS IN AFRICA | ||
| THE WORLD AND SOUTH ASIA | ||
| RELIGIONS FROM INDIA | ||
| SEX, MONEY, AND POWER AROUND THE WORLD | ||
| TEMPLES, TECHNOLOGY, AND TRANSITION: INDIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY | ||
| MODERN GIRL AND ASIA IN THE WORLD | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO THIRD WORLD LITERATURE | ||
| CONTEMPORARY ANGLOPHONE LITERATURES | ||
| CONTEMPORARY CHINA | ||
| BLACKS IN THE AMERICAS | ||
| COLONIAL SPANISH AMERICA | ||
| LATIN AMERICAN CULTURAL TRADITIONS | ||
| MODERN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN HISTORY: NORTH, WEST, AND CENTRAL AFRICA: EARLY TIMES TO PRESENT | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN HISTORY: EAST, CENTRAL, AND SOUTHERN AFRICA, EARLY TIMES TO PRESENT | ||
| CONTINUITIES AND CHANGES IN BRAZILIAN HISTORY | ||
| MODERN SLAVERY | ||
| HISTORY OF SOUTH ASIA | ||
| MODERN ARAB HISTORY | ||
| THE CARIBBEAN IN THE AGE OF REVOLUTION, 1770-1820 | ||
| POVERTY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AND THE ORIGINS OF AFRO AMERICA | ||
| THE CULTURE OF IDENTITY POLITICS IN CONTEMPORARY BRAZIL | ||
| CARIBBEAN HISTORY TO 1838 | ||
| CARIBBEAN HISTORY 1838 TO PRESENT | ||
| MODERN CHINA | ||
| NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE CARIBBEAN | ||
| MIGRATIONS AND DIASPORAS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN WORLD | ||
| MODERN SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING: GLOBAL AND LOCAL | ||
| TOPICS IN LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS (minimum of 3 credit hours, Note: not all topics will count towards the minor) | ||
| COMPARATIVE URBAN POLITICS AND POLICY | ||
| GENDER AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST | ||
| SEX, GENDER, AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN RELIGIONS | ||
| GENDER AND ISLAM | ||
| THEOLOGY IN AFRICA | ||
| CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IN AFRICA | ||
| MAJOR ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY ISLAM | ||
| RELIGION AND POLITICS IN AFRICA | ||
| RELIGION AND LITERATURE IN AFRICA | ||
| THE CITY IN LATIN AMERICA | ||
Race and Ethnicity Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select 1-2 from the following: | 3-6 | |
| ASIAN AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITIES | ||
| ANTHROPOLOGY OF RACE, ETHNICITY AND HEALTH | ||
| RACE, CLASS, GENDER IN EDUCATION | ||
| URBAN EDUCATION: ISSUES, POLICY, AND PRACTICE | ||
| THE AMERICAN WEST AND ITS OTHERS | ||
| CHICANO/A LITERATURE | ||
| YOUTH STUDIES | ||
| BLACK MANHATTAN: 1915-1940 | ||
| THE BLACK IMAGINARY: 1775-PRESENT | ||
| STUDIES IN CHICANO/A LITERATURE | ||
| BLACKS IN THE AMERICAS | ||
| U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY I: COLONIAL BEGINNINGS TO THE CIVIL WAR | ||
| U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY II: CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT | ||
| CONTINUITIES AND CHANGES IN BRAZILIAN HISTORY | ||
| SLAVERY AND THE FOUNDING FATHERS | ||
| MODERN SLAVERY | ||
| THE CARIBBEAN IN THE AGE OF REVOLUTION, 1770-1820 | ||
| THE AMERICAN SOUTH | ||
| CARIBBEAN HISTORY 1838 TO PRESENT | ||
| 19TH CENTURY WOMEN'S NARRATIVES | ||
| JEWISH HISTORY, 1500-1948 | ||
| THE TEN MOST IMPORTANT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS IN U.S. HISTORY | ||
| RACE, EDUCATION AND SOCIETY IN THE URBAN SOUTH | ||
| MODERN SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING: GLOBAL AND LOCAL | ||
| U.S.: MEXICO BORDER ISSUES IN COMPARATIVE PERSEPCTIVE | ||
| RELIGION AND HIP HOP CULTURE IN AMERICA | ||
| 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 | ||
| RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS | ||
| MULTIRACIAL AMERICA | ||
| AFRICAN AMERICAN-JEWISH RELATIONS: RACE, RELIGION, POLITICS, AND POPULAR CULTURE | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION | ||
| IMMIGRATION IN A GLOBAL WORLD | ||
| INEQUALITY AND URBAN LIFE | ||
| THE FUTURE OF FOOD: FEMINIST, QUEER, AND CRITICAL APPROACHES | ||
General Elective Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select up to 1 from the following (or select an additional Non-Western or Race and Ethnicity Elective) | 0-3 | |
| ETHNOGRAPHIES OF CARE | ||
| MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS (minimum of 3 credit hours. Note: not all topics will count towards the minor) | ||
| APPROPRIATE DESIGN FOR GLOBAL HEALTH | ||
| HEALTH ECONOMICS | ||
| QUEER LITERARY CULTURES | ||
| FEMINIST THEORY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL HEALTH | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY HEALTH | ||
| DISPARITIES IN HEALTH IN AMERICA | ||
| HISTORY OF FEMINISM | ||
| AMERICAN RADICALS AND REFORMERS | ||
| GENDER AND HISTORY | ||
| WESTERN EUROPEAN WELFARE STATE, 1880-1980: ORIGINS, CONSOLIDATIONS, CRISIS | ||
| HISTORY OF HUMAN RIGHTS | ||
| SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY | ||
| THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE | ||
| URBAN POLITICS | ||
| REPRESENTATION AND POLICY MAKING | ||
| EDUCATION POLICY | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF WORK AND OCCUPATIONS | ||
| MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF DISASTER | ||
| HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| GENDER SEMINAR | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF FOOD | ||
| POPULATION HEALTH SEMINAR | ||
| FAMILY SEMINAR | ||
| GENDER AND HEALTH | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN & GENDER | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER STUDIES | ||
| SEXUAL DEBATES IN THE U.S.: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS OF SUPREME COURTS DECISIONS | ||
| ADVANCED SEMINAR IN POVERTY, JUSTICE, AND CAPABILITIES | ||
| ENGAGED RESEARCH SEMINAR | ||
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 http://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. The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: http://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s transfer credit advisor 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 guidelines:
- Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director (and/or the program’s official transfer credit advisor) on an individual case-by-case basis.
For additional information, please see the Poverty, Justice and Human Capabilities website: http://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 HUMA 371/SOCI 371, SOCI 394/SWGS 394, and at least one approved elective by the end of the spring semester before their internships. Funding supports student interns’ direct service work with international or US-based community service organizations. Students receive 3 service credits upon the completion of their Susan McAshan Summer Service Internship. Additional details may be found at the PJHC website: http://pjhc.rice.edu/summer-service-internship-funding/.
See https://humanities.rice.edu/student-life for tables of fellowships, prizes, and internships/practica that may be relevant to this minor.