Academic Catalog

Employment and Labor Relations (B.A.)

The Employment and Labor Relations major provides students with the opportunity to develop the critical skills necessary to analyze employment and workplace issues. An interdepartmental program, employment and labor relations examines the social, political and economic dimensions of these issues in the context of a broad liberal arts education. Students become familiar with employment and labor law, human resource management, compensation and benefits, and techniques associated with the resolution of conflict in the workplace. Students prepare for careers in business, government, nonprofits (including the healthcare sector), and labor unions. The program is also good preparation for pursuing a professional degree in business or law.

Admission requirements for this program are satisfied by the general requirements for undergraduate admission to the University.

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.

Required Core Courses
ECO 5480Economics of Work3
HIS 5290American Labor History4
ELR 2500Introduction to Labor Studies4
ELR 4700Senior Seminar3
PSY 2100Psychology and the Workplace3
Applied and Specialized Curriculum
Select four of the following:12
Anthropology of Business
Labor Economics
Black Workers in American History
Applied Labor Studies (twelve credits may be elected as: Labor Relations: 3 cr.; Collective Bargaining: 3 cr.; Labor Law: 3 cr.; and Labor, Politics and Public Policy: 3 cr.)
Human Resource Management
Employee Relations
Dispute Resolution
Training and Employee Development
Political Parties and Elections
Political Interest Groups
The Legislative Process
Social Psychology
Social Inequality
Seminar in Social Inequality
Total Credits29

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

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