About the Program

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Peace and Conflict Studies has been an undergraduate major at UC Berkeley since 1985. Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) was founded on the belief that war and other forms of conflict, despite their ubiquity, can be mitigated and transformed through critical knowledge and active engagement. PACS, as an interdisciplinary major, provides students with both the academic training and the tools to engage critically the complex issues of conflict and peace in local, national and global contexts, hence it is excellent training and preparation for postgraduate education in social science disciplines or careers in either the public or private sectors. The ultimate goal of the program is to produce not only a generation of well-informed students but also global citizens who are actively engaged in the change process.

Towards these ends, the PACS major’s requirements are designed to help students develop an integrative understanding of global issues, conflict resolution and peace building theories, research, and practice. They are structured to provide students with both breadth of knowledge through the major’s core and concentration courses, and depth of knowledge through the concentration and senior capstone project. In consultation with an academic adviser, students choose courses that will fulfill major requirements, select a concentration, and propose an academic plan that reflects clear intellectual coherence. The areas of concentration are:

• Human Rights and Human Security
• Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
• National Politics, International Institutions, and World Order
• Student’s self-designed concentration

Declaring the Major

Applications are accepted during fall and spring semesters beginning the third week of instruction and through the last week of instruction (not the week of finals). Applications are accepted during summer session beginning in June through mid-August.

Students who have completed the required prerequisite coursework may apply to PACS in their freshmen or sophomore year. We recommend that students interested in declaring a major in Peace and Conflict Studies do so at least 2 semesters prior to the semester in which they intend to graduate. If students are ineligible to declare PACS at that time (please see the Eligibility to Declare section below), they should see an L&S adviser to discuss their options. Students may not declare and graduate in the same semester.

Declaring a major in Peace and Conflict Studies follows guidelines established by the College of Letters & Science (L&S). Students wishing to declare PACS:

1. Must be currently enrolled in or have completed PACS 10 with a grade of C or better (PACS 10 can be repeated only once in order to obtain a grade of "C" or better; there are no transferable equivalents for PACS 10 from California community colleges).
2. Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher.
3. Must have attended a major declaration workshop.
4. Must not be in their final semester of undergraduate work.
5. Are encouraged but not required to have completed at least two semesters of college-level foreign language or the equivalent before applying to the major.

To declare the major, students must meet with a program adviser in person to submit the PACS application materials.

Bring a completed PACS Application, including all materials and transcripts listed below, to the IAS Office at 101 Stephens Hall. The PACS application can be found on the PACS webpage: http://iastp.berkeley.edu/pacs . Students will not be officially declared until they have submitted all declaration materials.

Honors Program

To graduate with honors from the group major in Peace and Conflict Studies, students must enroll in the two-semester honors seminar, IAS H102 Scope and Methods of Research in International and Area Studies (fall only) and PACS H195 (spring only), and must obtain GPAs of 3.6 in the major and 3.5 in overall university coursework. The honors seminar (PACS H195) is taken in addition to a student's regular coursework for fulfilling requirements for the major and culminates in the writing of a senior thesis. The thesis is read by the PACS H195 instructor and at least one other faculty member who is selected by the student in consultation with the thesis class instructor. Eligibility for participating in the honors program is determined in the IAS office. Note: There is no guarantee that students accepted into the honors program will graduate with honors. Honors recommendations are made after graduation and are based on a number of factors including (but not limited to) major GPA, grades received for IAS H102 and PACS H195, and faculty adviser recommendations.

Minor Program

The PACS minor is open to all undergraduates except PACS majors. Applications for the minor and a list of approved courses are available from the IAS office. To apply for the minor, students must have completed at least one PACS course with a grade of B or better and have an overall GPA of 2.0. Completed applications and a Petition for Confirmation of Minor Program must be submitted to the IAS office at 101 Stephens Hall no later than the last day of instruction of the term immediately preceding your final semester.

Visit Program Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

1. All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
2. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, with the exception of minors offered outside of the College of Letters & Science.
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper and lower division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Summary of Major Requirements

Lower Division Requirements: Three courses
Foreign Language Requirement: Proficiency equivalent to four college-level semesters
Upper Division Requirements: Nine courses, divided into three categories

Lower Division Requirements

PACS 10	Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies 1	4
Select two from the following:
AFRICAM 4B	Africa: History and Culture
AFRICAM 5B	African American Life and Culture in the United States
ANTHRO 3AC	Introduction to Social/Cultural Anthropology (American Cultures)
ANTHRO 3	Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
DEV STD C10/GEOG C32	Introduction to Development
ECON 1	Introduction to Economics
ECON 2	Introduction to Economics--Lecture Format
ECON C3	Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy
ENVECON C1	Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy
ETH STD 41AC	A Comparative Survey of Protest Movements Since the 60's
GEOG 10	World Regions, Peoples, and States
GEOG 31	Justice, Nature, and the Geographies of Identity
GEOG C32/DEV STD C10	Introduction to Development
HISTORY 6B	Introduction to Chinese History from the Mongols to Mao
HISTORY 8B	Latin American History: Modern Latin America
HISTORY 10	African History
HISTORY 14	Introduction to the History of Japan
IAS 45	Survey of World History
LATAMST 10	Introduction to Latin American Studies
M E STU 10	Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies
POL SCI 2	Introduction to Comparative Politics
POL SCI 4	Introduction to Political Theory
POL SCI 5	Introduction to International Relations
SOCIOL 3AC	Principles of Sociology: American Cultures

1	This course can only be repeated once.

Foreign Language Requirement

Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) majors must demonstrate proficiency in a modern language other than English by the last semester of their senior year. Proficiency is equivalent to the ability achieved in four college-level semesters (two years). Language courses taken in high school do not satisfy this requirement. See below for details on how to fulfill the foreign language requirement.

Languages accepted by the College of Letters & Science are not automatically accepted by the PACS department. Please check with a PACS adviser for eligible languages.

There are a variety of ways to fulfill the four-semester language requirement for PACS, depending on the individual and his or her background and ability:

1. Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) test: An AP score of 5 or an International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 7 will complete this requirement. An AP score of 4 will place a student into the fourth-semester college level course. A score of 3 will place a student into the third-semester college level course. Documentation of AP scores must be provided.
2. Coursework: Any combination of college courses, summer programs, or college-level study abroad programs can satisfy the language requirement. At a minimum, students must complete the fourth semester (i.e., the second semester of intermediate level) of a language with a grade of C- or better in order to fulfill the requirement. The first, second, and third-level courses may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis. Language courses need not be taken at UCB. Courses taken at a community college or any accredited school or university may be acceptable. Transcripts must be submitted and evaluated by a PACS adviser. A one-semester upper division course taken abroad in the target language may satisfy the foreign language requirement, depending on the school and program followed. For more information, see a PACS adviser concerning language study abroad.
3. Proficiency exam: Some, but not all, language departments on campus offer proficiency testing for students with advanced skills in that language. Please note that if a particular language is not taught on the UC Berkeley campus, then students are not able to test in that language. A student would then need to choose one of the other methods for fulfilling the foreign language requirement. Please speak with a PACS adviser about proficiency testing.
4. High school completion in a non-English language: Students who were educated in a non-English language through the completion of high school or the equivalent may wish to satisfy this requirement with that experience. This requires a language proficiency exam. 

Upper Division Requirements

Core Courses
PACS 100	Peace Theory: Approaches and Analyses
PACS 190A	Course Not Available
PACS 190B	Course Not Available
(PACS 190A and 190B are taken in the senior year. PACS majors are required to enroll in this year-long senior seminar in which they undertake and complete a rigorous research and writing intensive senior capstone project.)
Methodology
Select one course from either the Statistical Methods category or the Research Design category:
Statistical Methods
DEMOG 110	Introduction to Population Analysis
ECON 140	Economic Statistics and Econometrics
ECON C142/POL SCI C131A/PUB POL C142	Applied Econometrics and Public Policy
ENVECON/IAS C118	Introductory Applied Econometrics
POL SCI C131A	Applied Econometrics and Public Policy
PUB POL C142	Applied Econometrics and Public Policy
IAS/ENVECON C118	Introductory Applied Econometrics
PSYCH 101	Research and Data Analysis in Psychology
PB HLTH 142	Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Biology and Public Health
SOCIOL 106	Quantitative Sociological Methods
STAT 135	Concepts of Statistics
STAT 152	Sampling Surveys
Research Design
AFRICAM 101	Research Methods for African American Studies
ANTHRO 169B	Research Theory and Methods in Socio-Cultural Anthropology
ETH STD 101A	Social Science Methods in Ethnic Studies
ETH STD 101B	Humanities Methods in Ethnic Studies
ETH STD 195	Selected Issues in Comparative Ethnic Studies Research Course content varies from semester to semester. An IAS adviser's pre-approval is required.
IAS 102	Scope and Methods of Research in International and Area Studies
M E STU 102	Scope and Methods of Research in Middle Eastern Studies Entry into MES 102 by non-MES majors is through permission of the instructor only.
NATAMST 110	Theories and Methods in Native American Studies
SOCIOL 105	Research Design and Sociological Methods
Concentration
The Concentration is intended to provide students with the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of a particular issue or topic in Peace and Conflict Studies. Students can choose from two options.
Option One: The Pre-Designed Concentration (descriptions below)
Option Two: The Self-Designed Concentration

1	Course content varies from semester to semester. A faculty adviser's preapproval is required.

Completing the Concentration

To complete a concentration, students must:

1. Construct and submit a thoughtful course list, along with a statement about the intellectual coherence of the courses proposed. In constructing this list, students must clearly demonstrate the following:

• How the proposed courses align with the selected concentration topic.
• How the proposed courses align with one another.

2. Take five courses that:

• Have explicit content focus in the proposed or selected concentration topic.
• Clearly relate to each other.
• As a cluster, present a coherent intellectual trajectory.
• Include at least two courses from PACS.

3. Secure approval from the IAS Faculty Committee for the proposed academic plan; IAS advisers will keep students apprised of their progress towards program approval.

Pre-Designed Concentration Descriptions

Conflict Resolution and Peace Building: Processes for Advancing Peace

Courses in this concentration engage students in the analysis of the root causes of conflict and introduce them to theories and approaches for resolving conflicts peacefully and for building foundations for sustainable peace. These include conflict management and transformation, nonviolence and mediation, and strategies of war prevention and postconflict reconciliation among state and non-state actors at global, national, and local levels. Students in this area of concentration will acquire a deeper understanding of the different forms and levels of conflict and be better prepared to engage in conflict resolution and peace building processes through theories, cutting edge research, innovative project development, and self-reflection.

Note: Students must choose two of these courses:PACS 151, PACS 154, PACS 164, PACS 170.

AFRICAM 111	Race, Class, and Gender in the United States	3
ANTHRO 157	Anthropology of Law	4
ASAMST 132	Islamaphobia and Constructing Otherness	4
EDUC 189	Democracy and Education	4
ESPM 100	Environmental Problem Solving	4
ESPM 169	International Environmental Politics	4
HISTORY 125B	History of African-Americans and Race Relations in the United States: Soul Power: African American History 1861-1980	4
HISTORY 162A	Europe and the World: Wars, Empires, Nations 1648-1914	4
IAS 150	Advanced Studies in International and Area Studies 1	4
LEGALST 107	Theories of Justice	4
LEGALST 109	Aims and Limits of the Criminal Law	4
LEGALST 170	Crime and Criminal Justice	4
M E STU 150	Advanced Study in the Middle East 1	4
PACS 135	Special Topics in Regional Conflict 1	3
PACS 149	Global Change and World Order	3
PACS 150	Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice	3
PACS 151	International Conflict: Analysis and Resolution	3
PACS 154	Multicultural Conflict Resolution	4
PACS 164A	Introduction to Nonviolence	3
PACS 170	Conflict Resolution, Social Change, and the Cultures of Peace	4
POL SCI 124A	War!	4
PSYCH 167AC	Stigma and Prejudice	3
SOCIOL 130AC	Social Inequalities: American Cultures	4
SOCIOL 131AC	Race and Ethnic Relations: U.S. American Cultures	4

National Politics, International Institutions, and World Order

This concentration addresses theories, concepts, and issues of governance through critical examination of structures, systems and processes through which power is exercised in local, national, regional and global arenas. It places analytic focus on formal and informal institutions, mechanisms, relationships, and processes between and among various political actors, namely state authorities, inter-and nongovernment organizations, private sector entities, and civil society in the articulation, contestation, and negotiation of interests. It is especially attentive to the definition and identification of key features of good governance in relationship to peace building. International relations, regimes, the United Nations system, international law and diplomacy, international, regional and community-based organizations, state and non-state actors, and transnational advocacy networks are among the topics covered in this concentration.

Note: Students must choose two of these courses: PACS 149, PACS 135, PACS 119. If students select PACS 135 or PACS 119 (special topics courses), the course must bear explicit and significant relevance to topics covered in the concentration.

ASIANST 150	Special Topics 1	4
CY PLAN 115	Urbanization in Developing Countries	4
DEV STD C100/GEOG C112	History of Development and Underdevelopment	4
ESPM 165	International Rural Development Policy	4
GWS 141	Interrogating Global Economic "Development"	4
GEOG C112/DEV STD C100	History of Development and Underdevelopment	4
GEOG 130	Food and the Environment	4
HISTORY 109C	The Middle East From the 18th Century to the Present	4
HISTORY 112B	Africa: Modern South Africa, 1652-Present	4
HISTORY 112C	Colonialism and Nationalism in Africa	4
HISTORY 114B	India: Modern South Asia	4
HISTORY 124A	The Recent United States: The United States from the Late 19th Century to the Eve of World War II	4
HISTORY 130B	Course Not Available
HISTORY 160	The International Economy of the 20th Century	4
HISTORY 162B	War and Peace: International Relations since 1914	4
IAS 150	Advanced Studies in International and Area Studies 1	4
L & S 150A	International Studies	3,4
L & S C180U	Wealth and Poverty	4
LATAMST 150	Advanced Studies in Latin American Studies 1	4
LEGALST 132AC	Immigration and Citizenship	4
LEGALST 158	Law and Development	4
LEGALST 177	Survey of American Legal and Constitutional History	4
LEGALST 182	Law, Politics and Society	4
NATAMST 101	Native American Tribal Governments	4
PACS 119	Special Topics in Peace and Conflict Issues 1	4
PACS 125AC	War, Culture, and Society	4
PACS 135	Special Topics in Regional Conflict 1	3
PACS 149	Global Change and World Order	3
POLECON 101	Contemporary Theories of Political Economy	4
POL SCI 122A	Politics of European Integration	4
POL SCI 124C	Ethics and Justice in International Affairs	4
POL SCI 138E	The Varieties of Capitalism: Political Economic Systems of the World	4
POL SCI 141C	Politics and Government in Eastern Europe	4
POL SCI 143A	Northeast Asian Politics	4
POL SCI 144B	Politics of Divided Korea	4
POL SCI 146A	African Politics	4
POL SCI 148A	Latin American Politics	4
POL SCI 149E	Special Topics in Area Studies	4
POL SCI 157B	Constitutional Law of the United States	4
PUB POL 103	Wealth and Poverty	4
SOCIOL 127	Development and Globalization	4
SOCIOL 131AC	Race and Ethnic Relations: U.S. American Cultures	4

Human Rights and Human Security: Foundations for Sustainable Peace

This concentration focuses on empirical and theoretical discussions of relevant issues of well-being, dignity, and equity considered as foundational to the building of sustainable peace, as they are linked to the concepts of rights, their definitions, characteristics, application, and evolution. It also examines local, regional, and global forces and conditions that assist or undermine their promotion, as well as addresses the roles and obligations, both normative and legal, of states and non-state actors in mitigating the many forms of threats that encroach upon the rights of individuals and communities and advancing human rights and human security agendas. Students will be introduced to the intellectual and situated histories of rights regimes and given an opportunity not only to engage the discourse on human rights and human security but to also explore ways to contribute to their advancement. Topics in this concentration include traditional notions of security as embedded in the notion of “freedom from fear” as well as the people-centered human security concerns with the protection and promotion of the survival and well being of individuals and groups such as economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, community security, and political security.

Note: Students must choose two of these courses: PACS 126, PACS 127, PACS 128AC.

AFRICAM 111	Race, Class, and Gender in the United States	3
AFRICAM 112A	Political and Economic Development in the Third World	4
AFRICAM 112B	Political and Economic Development in the Third World	4
ASAMST 125	Contemporary Issues of Southeast Asian Refugees in the U.S	4
ASAMST 126	Southeast Asian Migration and Community Formation	4
ASAMST 141	Law in the Asian American Community	4
CHICANO 159	Mexican Immigration	4
CHICANO 174	Chicanos, Law, and Criminal Justice	4
ENE,RES 175	Water and Development	4
ESPM 155	Course Not Available
ESPM 162	Bioethics and Society	4
ESPM 163AC	Environmental Justice: Race, Class, Equity, and the Environment	4
ESPM 169	International Environmental Politics	4
GWS 141	Interrogating Global Economic "Development"	4
GEOG 130	Food and the Environment	4
GPP 115	Global Poverty: Challenges and Hopes in the New Millennium	4
HISTORY C187	The History and Practice of Human Rights	4
ISF 100E	The Globalization of Rights, Values, and Laws in the 21st Century	4
LATAMST 150	Advanced Studies in Latin American Studies 1	4
LEGALST 140	Property and Liberty	4
LEGALST 154	Human Rights, Research & Practice	4
L & S C180T	Language and Power	4
PACS 119	Special Topics in Peace and Conflict Issues 1	4
PACS 126	International Human Rights	4
PACS 127	Human Rights and Global Politics	4
PACS 128AC	Human Rights and American Cultures	4
POL SCI 124C	Ethics and Justice in International Affairs	4
POL SCI 157B	Constitutional Law of the United States	4
SOCIOL 124	Sociology of Poverty	4
UGIS 110	Introduction to Disability Studies	3

1	Course content varies from semester to semester. A faculty adviser's preapproval is required.

Self-Designed Concentration

Students must submit the Self-Designed Concentration Approval Form, along with a 1-2 page statement explaining how the proposed courses align with the proposed topic and how the courses align with each other. Students must propose five courses of their choosing, two of which must be PACS courses. PACS advisers are available to meet with students regarding their concentration proposals.

To get started on the Self-Designed Concentration, students should think about an existing or potential issue or question in peace and conflict studies. Then they should choose four courses that will inform or increase their understanding about that issue. These courses should all relate to the topic as well as to one another. Students are encouraged to be imaginative in defining a Concentration. A concentration issue is formulated by the student with the assistance of a PACS adviser who can help to explain, clarify, or perhaps challenge that issue.

When choosing concentration courses, students should be mindful of the following:

• No more than two courses from the same department may count toward the concentration.
• Only courses that are demonstrably relevant to the concentration topic will be approved. Therefore, it is not advisable for a student to take courses they hope to count for their concentration prior to getting declared. There is no guarantee they will be accepted for the major.
• Up to three courses taken abroad may count, provided they conform to the concentration topic. A syllabus in English must be provided.
• All courses, including those taken abroad, must be upper division, 3 units or more, and taken for a letter grade.

​Getting a Concentration Approved

To have a concentration approved, students must submit a two-paragraph description of the particular issue they would like to study. Students must also submit a list of their four proposed courses along with a brief explanation (1-2 sentences each) of how each course relates to their proposed concentration. Please use the form provided on the PACS website .

Concentration proposals must be submitted in person to a PACS adviser along with the complete PACS application. Students may be asked to provide syllabi for certain courses. All concentration proposals are reviewed by the IAS Faculty Committee, and students are notified by email whether their concentration has been accepted or is being returned for revisions.

Any subsequent changes to already approved concentration topics and/or courses must be submitted to a PACS adviser for review and approval by the IAS Faculty Committee prior to altering the concentration.

Minor Requirements

Students who have a strong interest in an area of study outside their major often decide to complete a minor program. These programs have set requirements and are noted officially on the transcript in the memoranda section, but they are not noted on diplomas.

General Guidelines

1. All courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements below must be taken for graded credit.
2. A minimum of three of the upper division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required for courses used to fulfill the minor requirements.
4. Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth requirement for Letters & Science students.
5. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.
6. All minor requirements must be completed prior to the last day of finals during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Students who cannot finish all courses required for the minor by that time should see a College of Letters & Science adviser.
7. All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (For further information regarding the unit ceiling, please see the College Requirements tab.)

Minor Requirements

Upper Division
Choose three from the following PACS courses:
PACS 100	Peace Theory: Approaches and Analyses
PACS 119	Special Topics in Peace and Conflict Issues
PACS 126	International Human Rights
PACS 127	Human Rights and Global Politics
PACS 135	Special Topics in Regional Conflict
PACS 149	Global Change and World Order
PACS 150	Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice
PACS 151	International Conflict: Analysis and Resolution
PACS 154	Multicultural Conflict Resolution
PACS 164A	Introduction to Nonviolence
PACS 170	Conflict Resolution, Social Change, and the Cultures of Peace

Choose three courses from one of the following Areas of Concentration:

I. National Politics, International Institutions and World Order

ASIANST 150	Special Topics
CY PLAN 115	Urbanization in Developing Countries
DEV STD C100	History of Development and Underdevelopment
ESPM 165	International Rural Development Policy
GEOG 110	Economic Geography of the Industrial World
GEOG 130	Food and the Environment
GPP 115	Global Poverty: Challenges and Hopes in the New Millennium
GWS 141	Interrogating Global Economic "Development"
HISTORY 109C	The Middle East From the 18th Century to the Present
HISTORY 112B	Africa: Modern South Africa, 1652-Present
HISTORY 112C	Colonialism and Nationalism in Africa
HISTORY 114B	India: Modern South Asia
HISTORY 124A	The Recent United States: The United States from the Late 19th Century to the Eve of World War II
HISTORY 130B	Course Not Available
HISTORY 160	The International Economy of the 20th Century
HISTORY 162B	War and Peace: International Relations since 1914
IAS 150	Advanced Studies in International and Area Studies
L & S 150A	International Studies
L & S C180U	Wealth and Poverty
LATAMST 150	Advanced Studies in Latin American Studies
LEGALST 132AC	Immigration and Citizenship
LEGALST 158	Law and Development
LEGALST 177	Survey of American Legal and Constitutional History
LEGALST 182	Law, Politics and Society
NATAMST 101	Native American Tribal Governments
PACS 125AC	War, Culture, and Society
PACS 149	Global Change and World Order
POLECON 101	Contemporary Theories of Political Economy
POL SCI 122A	Politics of European Integration
POL SCI 124C	Ethics and Justice in International Affairs
POL SCI 138E	The Varieties of Capitalism: Political Economic Systems of the World
POL SCI 141C	Politics and Government in Eastern Europe
POL SCI 143A	Northeast Asian Politics
POL SCI 143B	Japanese Politics
POL SCI 144B	Politics of Divided Korea
POL SCI 146A	African Politics
POL SCI 148A	Latin American Politics
POL SCI 157B	Constitutional Law of the United States
PUB POL 103	Wealth and Poverty
SOCIOL 127	Development and Globalization
SOCIOL 131AC	Race and Ethnic Relations: U.S. American Cultures

II. Human Rights and Human Security

AFRICAM 111	Race, Class, and Gender in the United States
AFRICAM 112A	Political and Economic Development in the Third World
AFRICAM 112B	Political and Economic Development in the Third World
ASAMST 125	Contemporary Issues of Southeast Asian Refugees in the U.S
ASAMST 126	Southeast Asian Migration and Community Formation
ASAMST 141	Law in the Asian American Community
ASIANST 150	Special Topics
CHICANO 159	Mexican Immigration
CHICANO 174	Chicanos, Law, and Criminal Justice
ENE,RES 175	Water and Development
ESPM 155	Course Not Available
ESPM 162	Bioethics and Society
ESPM 163AC	Environmental Justice: Race, Class, Equity, and the Environment
ESPM 169	International Environmental Politics
GEOG 130	Food and the Environment
GEOG 159AC	The Southern Border
GPP 115	Global Poverty: Challenges and Hopes in the New Millennium
GWS 141	Interrogating Global Economic "Development"
HISTORY C187	The History and Practice of Human Rights
IAS 150	Advanced Studies in International and Area Studies
ISF 100E	The Globalization of Rights, Values, and Laws in the 21st Century
L & S C140V	The History and Practice of Human Rights
L & S C180U	Wealth and Poverty
LATAMST 150	Advanced Studies in Latin American Studies
LEGALST 140	Property and Liberty
LEGALST 154	Human Rights, Research & Practice
PACS 119	Special Topics in Peace and Conflict Issues
PACS 126	International Human Rights
PACS 127	Human Rights and Global Politics
PACS 128AC	Human Rights and American Cultures
POL SCI 124C	Ethics and Justice in International Affairs
POL SCI 157B	Constitutional Law of the United States
PUB POL C103	Wealth and Poverty
SOCIOL 124	Sociology of Poverty
UGIS 110	Introduction to Disability Studies

 III. Conflict Resolution and Peace Building

AFRICAM 111	Race, Class, and Gender in the United States
ANTHRO 157	Anthropology of Law
ASAMST 132	Islamaphobia and Constructing Otherness
EDUC 189	Democracy and Education
ESPM 100	Environmental Problem Solving
ESPM 169	International Environmental Politics
HISTORY 125B	History of African-Americans and Race Relations in the United States: Soul Power: African American History 1861-1980
HISTORY N162A	Europe and the World: Wars, Empires, Nations 1648-1914
IAS 150	Advanced Studies in International and Area Studies
LEGALST 107	Theories of Justice
LEGALST 109	Aims and Limits of the Criminal Law
LEGALST 170	Crime and Criminal Justice
MEDIAST 150	Topics in Film
PACS 135	Special Topics in Regional Conflict
PACS 150	Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice
PACS 151	International Conflict: Analysis and Resolution
PACS 154	Multicultural Conflict Resolution
PACS 164A	Introduction to Nonviolence
PACS 170	Conflict Resolution, Social Change, and the Cultures of Peace
POL SCI 124A	War!
PSYCH 167AC	Stigma and Prejudice
SOCIOL 130AC	Social Inequalities: American Cultures
SOCIOL 131AC	Race and Ethnic Relations: U.S. American Cultures

College Requirements

Undergraduate students in the College of Letters & Science must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please see the College of Letters & Sciences  page in this Guide.

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

American Cultures

American Cultures is the one requirement that all undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition. Students must complete a first-level reading and composition course by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

• 120 total units, including at least 60 L&S units

• Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

• Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department

Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters & Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through University Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to see an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your BA degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley summer session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the college.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) or the UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding EAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Student Learning Goals

Learning Goals for the Major

Analytical Skills

1. Demonstrate the ability to read, interpret, and evaluate arguments and evidence.
2. Identify and understand assumptions and values, the construction of narratives, and causal logics employed in the framing of problem-solution definitions.
3. Develop competence in interdisciplinary literacy and cross-national perspectives.
4. Achieve an integrative understanding of peace theory research and practice.
5. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of policies, programs, and actors.

Communication Skills

1. Develop written fluency in ideas and applications.
2. Participate constructively in debate discussion and dialogue.
3. Formulate a thesis and argument supported by evidence.
4. Present and defend oral argument.

Citizenship Skills

1. Achieve an understanding of civic and ethical responsibility.
2. Cultivate the habits of mind for active multi-level citizenship.
3. Develop the skills for lifetime learning and public service.

Courses

Peace and Conflict Studies