Art and Social Change - Certificate

The Certificate in Art and Social Change allows students to engage with some of the most urgent issues in our societies, as they relate to justice, equality and diversity. Artists and activists play an increasingly important role in advancing justice and promoting social change at the local, national and global levels.

The interdisciplinary approach of this certificate enables students to examine the role of different forms of artistic productions as a catalyst for social change. By intersecting disciplinary and geographic boundaries, courses in this certificate explore topics such as cinema and visual cultures, media activism, theater and environmental justice, creative design, migration and religious diversity, gender and community engagement. The certificate emphasizes a pedagogical and scholarly approach rooted in critical thinking, anti-oppression practices, and community building. Thanks to its interdisciplinary nature this certificate is suitable for students in different social sciences, humanities and business fields across colleges.

Requirements

Students are required to complete a total of 18 credit hours. Nine credit hours must be completed at the upper-division level (3000- or 4000-level courses). A minimum of 12 credit hours must be taken on campus or with a CU-sponsored Study Abroad program. No more than 9 credits should be taken from any one department. No more than 3 semester transfer credit hours from other institutions will count towards the certificate.

The certificate is open to all degree-seeking undergraduate students at CU Boulder.

Students are required to take the introductory course ITAL 1350/FREN 1350 Introduction to Social Change in the Arts. Students will choose three courses from Category A "Arts, Media and Social Change" and two courses from the list of Electives.