Labor Studies

Labor Studies Major & Minor

The major in labor studies provides students with a curriculum that focuses on the world of work. The purpose of the program is to give students a rigorous framework for the analysis of the labor force, workers’ organizational affiliations, and the dynamics of labor-management relations. Drawing on the various social science disciplines, the labor studies major offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of labor and related subjects.

A degree in labor studies prepares students to pursue careers in labor relations, including labor organizing, working for not for profit organizations that advocate for, or promote the interests of workers, or worker-related policies; working for private industries, in human resources, compliance, or related positions; federal, state, and local government agencies that focus on labor regulations and related issues, or in the area of labor compliance. Finally, a labor study major provides excellent preparation for law school or graduate study.

The labor studies major consists of 36 credits: 18 credits in a core sequence, and 18 in approved electives. Click here for a detailed list of required and elective courses. These courses are aimed at developing an understanding of the following: the history of the labor movement; the impact of technology on labor and industry; changes in the labor process; labor relations and their economic context; shifts in the composition of the labor force; the social and political role of labor unions; the legal framework of labor-management relations; theories of work, the workplace, and the labor movement. In addition to the required core sequence, students must complete 18 elective credits from a list of approved elective courses. The purpose of the program is to give students a rigorous framework for the analysis of the labor force, workers’ organizational affiliations, and the dynamics of labor-management relations. Drawing on the various social science disciplines, the labor studies major offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of labor and related subjects.