Labor Studies Certificate
Requirements
Dear Prospective Labor Studies Student,
Below, you will find detailed information about the Labor Studies Certificate program at UMass Boston's College of Public and Community Service (CPCS).
If you have any questions about whether the program is suited to your needs, or if you are interested in applying to the program, please contact Wally Soper (617-287-7267) at the Labor Resource Center.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Labor Studies Certificate Program at CPCS
The Certificate in Labor Studies offers an abbreviated labor studies program for people who do not wish to enroll in the undergraduate program at UMass Boston. The Certificate in Labor Studies is a six (6) competency program--instead of the 40 competencies required in the Bachelor of Arts degree.
Students who complete the Certificate in Labor Studies receive credits that can be applied toward a Bachelor of Arts degree at UMass Boston.
All certificate students must demonstrate mastery of the following six (6) Labor Studies competencies:
- Analyzing the Problems of Workers & their Organizations (LABCOM 200)
- Assessing Workers' Power (LABCOM 220)
- Negotiation (LEGLED 230)
- Legal Advocacy (LEGLED 265)
- Leading & Strengthening Workers' Organizations (LABCOM 300)
- Strategic Analysis for Worker Organizations (LABCOM 400)
Labor Studies Certificate students may choose to substitue competencies in the following areas for Labor Studies competencies:
Labor Studies Certificate students may demonstrate Labor Studies competencies in a variety of ways: through course work at CPCS, through transfer credit from other institutions or organizations, through demonstrations of prior learning, through directed or independent study, through project-based learning, or through a field placement.
Students who have completed classes or workshops with the following organizations can often demonstrate mastery of Labor Studies and other CPCS competencies:
- The Labor Guild
- The Labor Extension Program at UMass Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, or Lowell
- The Women's Institute for Leadership Development (WILD)
- The Harvard Trade Union Program (HTUP)
If you are interested in applying for the Labor Studies Certificate program, click here to contact the Labor Resource Center, or call us at 617-287-7426. There is no deadline for applications—you can begin working toward your Labor Studies Certificate at the beginning of each UMass Boston term.