Driven by student demand and an evolving job market the Faculty of Social Sciences will be launching four new minors in fall 2017. New opportunities include Muslim Studies, Social Justice and Inclusive Communities, Social Studies of Mental Health and Addiction, and Public Leadership

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This fall, McMaster undergraduates will see some major additions to the existing list of Social Sciences minors.  Four new minors, including two interdisciplinary minors will be available.

New programs include: Muslim Studies, Social Justice and Inclusive Communities, Social Studies of Mental Health and Addiction, and Public Leadership.

“These new minors offer our students an even greater opportunity to tailor their educational pathways to their unique interests” says Associate Dean Lori Campbell. “The Faculty of Social Sciences is committed to shaping its curriculum to further our commitment to academic excellence and respond to the evolving needs of our student”

New minors in detail

Muslim Studies – interdisciplinary

The minor in Muslim Studies provides the opportunity to study Muslim beliefs, practices, thought, and history in a variety of geographic locales and timeframes.

The academic objectives of this minor include fostering students’ understanding of the diversity and pluralism found in Muslims’ beliefs and practices in historical contexts; regional locations; the globalized world; and in relationship to other religions.

Social Justice and Inclusive Communities – interdisciplinary

The minor in Social Justice and Inclusive Communities provides students with the opportunity to understand structures and processes underlying social marginalization, and to explore the range of ways people and communities work to bring about social justice, equity, and inclusion.

Students will complete courses from the Faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities that address these themes and they will be able to select courses based on their own specific interests.

Social Studies of Mental Health and Addiction

The minor in Mental Health and Addiction provides students with opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of the relationship between mental health, addiction, and society. It involves examining the links between mental health and wider social processes, including marginalization, the construction of deviance, and the social determinants of health.

Students will also gain a solid understanding of mental illness and some of the ways in which social change and other non-biomedical interventions can be harnessed to address issues related to mental health and addiction and promote wellbeing.

Public Leadership

This minor is intended to provide students with a strong theoretical, practical and applied understanding of leadership and the role that political and/or public actors can play in the public domain of both democratic and non-democratic states to achieve their policy goals, affect positive social change and impact the policy choices of governments. Students will be prepared for further studies or careers in politics, government, public policy, community organization and activism, education, human rights and law.

This minor is intended to provide students with a strong theoretical, practical and applied understanding of leadership and the role that political and/or public actors can play in the public domain of both democratic and non-democratic states to achieve their policy goals, affect positive social change and impact the policy choices of governments.  Students will be prepared for further studies or careers in politics, government, public policy, community organization and activism, education, human rights and law.

To see a complete list of all of our undergraduate program visit the Social Sciences website.