The Employment and Labor Relations major provides students with the critical skills necessary to analyze employment, labor, and workplace issues. An interdisciplinary program that draws from fields as varied as anthropology, economics, history, law, literature, management, political science, psychology and sociology, the ELR program trains professionals in labor relations and human resources. As an interdepartmental unit, the ELR program provides students with a knowledge of employment and labor law, human resource management, compensation and benefits, conflict resolution and negotiation in the workplace, and other focused skills in the context of a broad liberal arts education. Through their course of study, students will gain the competencies necessary for work in management, government, non-profit organizations, and labor unions. Graduates with a BA-ELR find careers as labor organizers and union researchers, labor and community educators and advocates, human resource and personnel managers, and dispute resolution arbitrators, among other positions, in business, labor, public sector, and non-profit organizations. The BA-ELR program is good preparation for pursuing a professional degree in business or law, particularly in the area of labor and employment law.

Candidates must complete 120 credits in course work including satisfaction of the University General Education Requirements and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Group Requirements, as well as the departmental major  requirements cited below. All course work must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the University and the College governing undergraduate scholarship and degrees.

Students are referred to the program director for information concerning courses, directed study, internships, career information, and graduate study.