Humanitarian Studies Major
The humanitarian studies program provides students with the technical knowledge and analytical tools necessary to examine and critique the humanitarian action ecosystem at the international, regional, and national levels. This includes learning the governance mechanisms and policies, International Humanitarian Law and principles, humanitarian access and protection of civilians, and internal and external displacement, and a wide range of humanitarian activities at the sectoral level such as food assistance, water and sanitation programming, medical assistance, and refugee and IDP settlements. The combination of rigorous interdisciplinary coursework and experiential learning opportunities prepare students for a host of graduate studies and careers, such as disaster relief, global public health, human rights, and international law. Additionally, the IIHA's New York City location provides students with exposure to various United Nations Agencies, the US Mission to the UN, international NGOs, and prominent research institutions.
Learning Goals
Upon completion of the undergraduate humanitarian studies programs, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the actors and actions in international responses to humanitarian crises;
- Employ a wide range of disciplines and case studies to examine complex humanitarian emergencies, including natural disaster, famine, war, and pandemic disease;
- Recognize the value of different kinds of knowledge (including both academic and experiential) in formulating appropriate responses to humanitarian crises;
- Critically evaluate the way in which humanitarian interventions are understood and assessed, specifically contrasting the differences between effectiveness, efficiency, outcome, and impact.
Our mission for students in the humanitarian studies program at Fordham extends beyond simply satisfying the course requirements for the major or minor, and the IIHA and their advisor will support them in a number of ways. Students are encouraged to:
- Participate in the life of the humanitarian community at Fordham. Examining contemporary humanitarian issues with their peers through debates, clubs and other activities is an important part of their humanitarian education;
- Cultivate an in-depth knowledge of a specific area of humanitarian assistance through their elective choices, their internship, and—if in the major—their thesis;
- Consider their professional development and their range of career options while making use of the IIHA's relationships with practitioners as well as Fordham's location in New York City.
The following ten courses are required for the major in humanitarian studies:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HUST 4001 | 4 | |
| HUST 4500 | 1 | |
| HUST 4800 | International Humanitarian Internship 1 | 4 |
| HUST 4888 | Senior Thesis Seminar 1 | 4 |
| Two required electives from each of the following subject areas: | 20 to 24 | |
History, Philosophy, and Anthropology Area Studies (see below) | ||
Humanitarian Affairs, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics (see below) | ||
Communications, Women’s Studies and Literary Studies (see below) | ||
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Please note:
Elective Courses
Students must complete a total of six electives, two from each of the following subject areas.
Note: Because of the diverse range of relevant disciplines and knowledge, the list of electives may not be inclusive of all possible courses. If you are interested in courses that seem relevant but are not listed below, please contact the executive director, Brendan Cahill (brcahill@fordham.edu), to seek approval for your course.
History, Philosophy, and Anthropology Area Studies
Courses in this group have the HHPA attribute
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFAM 3070 | African Politics | 4 |
| AFAM 3072 | Civil Wars in Africa | 4 |
| ANTH 3380 | Hazards, Disasters, and Human Experience | 4 |
| ANTH 3476 | Latin American Social Movements | 4 |
| ANTH 3725 | Anthropological Theory | 4 |
| ANTH 4200 | Climate Change and Culture | 4 |
| ANTH 4373 | Environment and Human Survival | 4 |
| ANTH 4490 | Anthropology of Political Violence | 4 |
| HIST 3570 | Genocide | 4 |
| HIST 3670 | The Modern Middle East | 4 |
| HIST 3675 | History of Modern Israel | 4 |
| HIST 3911 | U.S. and East Asia | 4 |
| HIST 3946 | African Economies and Humanitarianism | 4 |
| HIST 3969 | Latin America and the U.S. | 4 |
| HIST 3983 | Apocalypticism and Messianism in Islamic Thought and History | 4 |
| HIST 4011 | Why America Fights | 4 |
| HIST 4331 | US in the Middle East: 1945-Present | 4 |
| HIST 4631 | Seminar: US in the Mid East: 1945-Pres | 4 |
| HIST 4910 | Seminar: Genocide | 4 |
| PHIL 3000 | Philosophical Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 3711 | Humanitarianism and Philosophy | 4 |
| PHIL 3712 | Global Environment and Justice | 4 |
| PHIL 3713 | Human Rights and Global Justice | 4 |
| PHIL 4205 | Seminar: Justice and Social Identity | 4 |
| PHIL 4418 | Issues of Life and Death | 4 |
| THEO 3542 | Catholic Social Teaching | 3 |
| THEO 3711 | Sacred Texts of the Middle East | 3 |
| THEO 3715 | Classic Islamic Texts | 3 |
| THEO 3720 | Hindu Literature and Ethics | 3 |
| THEO 3724 | Classic Buddhist Texts | 3 |
| THEO 5400 | Topics in Islam: Texts and Traditions | 3 |
Humanitarian Affairs, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics
Courses in this group have the HPSE attribute.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 3210 | Development Economics | 4 |
| ECON 3235 | Economy of Latin America | 4 |
| ECON 3240 | World Poverty | 4 |
| ECON 3244 | International Economic Policy | 4 |
| ECON 3248 | Migration and Development: A Social Justice Perspective | 4 |
| ECON 3346 | International Trade | 4 |
| ENST 3308 | Catastrophe and Human Survival | 4 |
| FREN 3492 | Climate Change and Sustainable Development in the Francophone World | 4 |
| HUST 2001 | Introduction to Community and Global Public Health | 4 |
| HUST 4100 | Refugee and Asylum Law | 4 |
| HUST 4200 | Forced Migration and Humanitarian Action | 4 |
| HUST 4501 | Humanitarianism and Global Health: Unequal Access for the Displaced and Marginalized | 4 |
| LACU 3492 | Climate Change and Sustainable Development in the Francophone World | 4 |
| PJST 4200 | Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking | 4 |
| POSC 3131 | Politics, Urban Health, and Environment | 4 |
| POSC 3418 | Islamic Political Thought | 4 |
| POSC 3507 | International Human Rights | 4 |
| POSC 3516 | Conflict Analysis/Resolution | 4 |
| POSC 3521 | Global Governance | 4 |
| POSC 3522 | United Nations | 4 |
| POSC 3527 | United Nations Peace Operations | 4 |
| POSC 3530 | U.S. Foreign Policy | 4 |
| POSC 3610 | Political Economy of Development | 4 |
| POSC 3616 | Political Economy of Poverty | 4 |
| POSC 3645 | Politics of Immigration | 4 |
| POSC 3651 | Comparative Politics of the Middle East | 4 |
| POSC 4400 | Seminar: Global Justice | 4 |
| POSC 4515 | Seminar: International Politics of Peace | 4 |
| POSC 4526 | Seminar: The Politics of Humanitarian Intervention | 4 |
| SOCI 3046 | International Sociology | 4 |
| SOCI 3110 | Global Conflict: Wars/Religion | 4 |
| SOCI 3148 | Population and Economic Development Issues | 4 |
| SOCI 3401 | Gender, Crime, and Justice | 4 |
| SOCI 3410 | Migration/Globalization | 4 |
| SOCI 3418 | Contemporary Immigration in Global Perspective | 4 |
| SOCI 3714 | Terrorism and Society | 4 |
Communications, Women’s Studies, and Literary Studies
Courses in this group have the HCWL attribute.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CISC 4631 | Data Mining | 4 |
| CISC 4650 | Cyberspace: Issues and Ethics | 4 |
| COMC 3247 | Race and Gender in Media | 4 |
| COMC 3330 | Peace, Justice, and the Media | 4 |
| COMC 3380 | International Communication | 4 |
| COMC 4360 | Communication Ethics and the Public Sphere | 4 |
| ENGL 3059 | Creating Dangerously: Writing Across Conflict Zones | 4 |
| ENGL 3333 | Captives, Cannibals, and Rebels | 4 |
| ENGL 3683 | Literature Beyond Borders | 4 |
| FREN 3490 | Africa: Society and Culture Through Film | 4 |
| HUST 5215 | Accountability for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Settings | 3 |
| PSYC 3810 | Trauma and Family Violence | 4 |
| VART 3030 | Art Design and Politics | 4 |
| WGSS 3004 | Transnational Feminisms | 4 |
Availability
The major in humanitarian studies is available at Fordham College at Rose Hill and at Fordham College at Lincoln Center. Students in Fordham's School of Professional and Continuing Studies may major in humanitarian studies only if they receive the approval of their advising dean and/or department, and their schedules are sufficiently flexible to permit them to take day courses at the Rose Hill or Lincoln Center campuses.
Fordham College at Rose Hill students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the Core Curriculum.
Fordham College at Lincoln Center students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the Core Curriculum.
Professional and Continuing Studies students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the PCS Core Curriculum and any additional electives that may be required to earn a minimum of 124 credits.
CIP Code
24.0103 - Humanities/Humanistic Studies.
You can use the CIP code to learn more about career paths associated with this field of study and, for international students, possible post-graduation visa extensions. Learn more about CIP codes and other information resources.