Building on a foundation of history, sociology and cultural understanding, a career in social justice allows you to turn your passions into purpose, supporting communities to eliminate inequality and expand accessibility to essential services.
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Now more than ever there’s a demand for social justice and reform.
This makes those who combine their professional expertise with a passion for supporting those experiencing hardship exceptionally valuable.
Social justice jobs empower you to make an impact in the communities you care about at a variety of scales, from to projects that influence national policy.
At its core, a career in social justice is about advocating for human rights, something that can be made more effective with a Â鶹ӰÊÓ or underÂ鶹ӰÊÓ degree.
While official degrees in social justice studies are uncommon, there are many programs and pathways that can lead to lifelong careers with a social justice focus.
Join us as we explore several of the most common careers in social justice and the degree programs that can help you land them.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS Support Those Looking for Representation
Community organizers network, mobilize and advocate for groups of people interested in a shared goal that directly impacts their lives or the lives of those around them.
Because of this, a career in community organizing is very hands-on, with an emphasis in effective leadership, conflict management and skilled communication.
Many different underÂ鶹ӰÊÓ and Â鶹ӰÊÓ degrees can prepare you for a community organizing career — or to pursue a career where community organizing is a large part of your responsibilities — so you can tailor your interests to best align with programs that speak to you.
Some of these career-degree alignments include:
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Working for nonprofits. Community organizers thrive in nonprofit settings, whether as boots-on-the-ground activists or in leadership positions.
Want to align people and nature? Try a degree in environmental studies. Interested in education? Pursue a PhD in education & leadership. Healthcare your passion? A bachelor’s in public health has you covered. -
Working within the government. At the local, regional and national level, governmental agencies use community organizers to help people learn about new initiatives and programs.
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Working with political candidates. Working to help influence policies that can have an immediate impact, community organizers can make use of a variety of degrees to help further the goals of those seeking office.
UnderÂ鶹ӰÊÓ degrees in politics and government, criminal justice and international studies can all contribute to advocacy careers in the political space. -
Working alongside cultural groups. Supporting the growth of historically marginalized communities is one of the key aspects associated with community organizing.
From expanding healthcare access to creating new spaces for expression to celebrating cultural heritage, a career in community organizing can have a strong cultural impact.
CHILD WELFARE CASEWORKERS Give a Voice to the Voiceless
Helping to support the total welfare of children and their families, child welfare caseworkers practice social justice by advocating for young people in school, at home and in court.
Whether dealing with individual issues of neglect and abuse or helping families navigate social challenges such as poverty, homelessness and discrimination, child welfare caseworkers can work in a wide variety of settings.
The minimum degree required to become a child welfare caseworker is a bachelor’s, most commonly in social work or in a related field such as psychology or sociology.
However, many child welfare caseworkers choose to continue on and pursue advanced education, primarily a master’s degree in social work, to better serve young people.
While many child, family and school social workers are employed by local or national governments, opportunities in fields like foster care, refugee services and education are also available.
LAWYERS Help Individuals and Communities Navigate the Justice System
Whether working alongside organizations interested in social justice or helping defend the rights of individuals facing mistreatment, lawyers and criminal justice professionals are the front line of systemic reform.
Using the justice system as a tool to help eliminate obstacles preventing people from accessing essential services, lawyers act as skilled advocates that can challenge discrimination at the highest level.
The first step to becoming a lawyer and making an impact in the justice system is getting an underÂ鶹ӰÊÓ degree in a field that prepares you for law school.
Pre-law programs not only allow you to gain the training necessary for law school, but also enable you to discover specializations that align with your passions.
Related coursework in criminal justice, civics and history can combine to create a firm foundation for pursuing law school, putting yourself on the pathway to a lifelong, rewarding career helping others.
URBAN PLANNERS Create More Just Spaces
In an ever-evolving landscape, urban planners integrate social justice in their practice by designing spaces that address inequality and promote social mobility.
Most urban planners need at least a master’s degree to begin a career, and that master’s degree is often supported by an underÂ鶹ӰÊÓ degree in a related field.
UnderÂ鶹ӰÊÓ training in areas like anthropology, disability studies, environmental studies and cultural awareness all contribute to the creation of just urban areas.
Urban planners use this core of knowledge to help create cities that serve the needs of a diverse population, making the underÂ鶹ӰÊÓ degrees best for urban planning quite varied.
From creating walkable neighborhoods to eliminating food deserts, urban planning puts social justice at the forefront through a nuanced understanding of how to create an inclusive physical environment.
EPIDEMIOLOGISTS Keep Communities Safe
Inequity in healthcare and public health is something many epidemiologists are working toward addressing, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Epidemiologists implement the core concepts of social justice when they examine the occurrence and spread of disease and investigate solutions.
Degrees for epidemiology vary from biology to pharmaceutical sciences, public health to psychology, meaning that the issues epidemiologists seek to investigate can be looked at from a range of perspectives.
Research is a major part of a career in epidemiology, so finding underÂ鶹ӰÊÓ or Â鶹ӰÊÓ programs that emphasize the importance of inquiry can boost your chances of landing an epidemiology role.
Social epidemiologists frequently work alongside healthcare professionals within disenfranchised populations to better inform people about their access to preventative care.
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