Peacebuilding, major

Owned by Jenni Piper
Last updated: Apr 09, 2024 by Amber Tobey
2 min read

Contact: Timothy Seidel
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Semester Hours: 37-40
Core Intensives: Fulfills all Core intensives.

Peacebuilding explores efforts designed to consolidate peaceful relations and strengthen viable political, socio-economic and cultural institutions capable of mediating conflict and to strengthen other mechanisms that will either create or support the necessary conditions for sustained peace. Peacebuilding addresses structural issues and long-term relationships between conflicting parties with the goal of establishing infrastructure across levels of society that empowers the resources for reconciliation from within that society and maximizes contributions from outside. It includes a wide range of activities that contribute to helping societies meet needs by handling conflict and promoting constructive, nonviolent ways of dealing with issues.

Whereas the peacebuilding and development (PXD) major is designed for students who want a focus in both peacebuilding and development, the peacebuilding major is designed as a stand-alone major for students particularly interested in careers in conflict transformation and restorative justice. 

This major benefits students with bi-vocational interests. It cannot be taken as a double major with the PXD major or the global development major. Peacebuilding majors have the option of taking Summer Peacebuilding Institute (SPI) courses that may substitute for a major requirement when approved by the PXD advisor. Participating in the Summer Peacebuilding Institute of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding provides students with a unique opportunity to connect with professionals in justice and peacebuilding and related areas of practice.

Foundation (14-16 SH)

  • PXD 151 Exploring Conflict and Peace (3) OR SOC 101 Intro to Sociology (3) 

  • PXD 225 Theories of Social Change (3) 

  • PXD 431 Peacebuilding and Development Practicum (1-3) 

  • SOC 336 Methods of Social Research (3) 

  • SSC 490 Social Sciences Capstone (2) 

  • STAT 120 Descriptive Statistics (2) 

Theory (12 SH)

  • PXD 331 Restorative Justice and Trauma Awareness (3) OR THEO 323 Biblical Theology of Peace and Justice (3) 

  • *PXD 335 Understanding Violent Conflict (3) OR *SOC 255 Social Movements (3)

  • PXD 345 Peacebuilding Theory and Action (3) 

  • PXD 365 Social and Political Economy (3) 

Practice/Skills (6 SH)

  • *PXD 261 Community and Conflict Analysis Techniques (3) 

  • PXD 341 Mediation and Facilitation (3) 

Electives (5-6 SH)
Choose two courses from this list:

  • Any PXD course not taken above

  • BUAD 465 Project Management and Grantwriting (3) 

  • *ENGL 344 Ways of War and Peace (3) 

  • POL 113 International Relations (2) OR an approved PPX course

  • SOWK/SOC 210 Social Stratification (3) 

  • SOWK 330 Social Policy Analysis (3)

  • SOWK 360 Race and Gender (3) 

* indicates the course is offered in alternate years

Summer Peacebuilding Institute
Students have the option of choosing one course to replace one core course as approved by a PXD advisor.

For information about the BA in Peacebuilding and Development, Peacebuilding, or Global Development to MA in Conflict Transformation or MA in Restorative Justice accelerated program, refer to this page, which falls after the Peacebuilding and Development major.