Certificate Overview

The Race and Social Policy Certificate Program is a 12-hour concentration, providing an opportunity for Master's and Ph.D. level graduate students to develop understanding of issues of race, ethnicity and culture, especially as they relate to public policy. The certificate program's practical value includes the enhancement of knowledge and analytical abilities regarding the intersection of race, ethnicity and social policy issues. The certificate is a credential that is applicable to a wide range of careers, including law, secondary and higher education, human resources, criminal justice, health care, housing, and welfare. The overarching aim of the program is to provide a coherent, interdisciplinary grounding in race and social policy scholarship and to create an intellectual community among faculty and graduate students sharing similar scholarly interests.

How to Apply:
Fill out the online application for participation in the certificate program.

Upon processing of the application, you will be contacted
with information about the submission of additional
required materials. Thank you for your interest.

Admission Requirements

Graduate students accepted in any graduate program at Virginia Tech may be admitted to the Race and Social Policy certificate program. Decisions for admission to the certificate program for non-degree seeking students would be made by the Sociology Graduate Admissions Committee, based on transcripts, a writing sample, and a statement of purpose.

Course Requirements

RSP concentration students are required to complete AFST 5984: Survey of Race and Social Policy in the U.S. (3 credits), plus 9 additional credits in approved graduate-level (5000 and above) electives. In addition to the pre-approved courses listed below, other courses may be approved by the Director upon review of a course syllabus to ascertain that sufficient attention is given to issues of race and ethnicity in the respective courses. Students planning to take courses not included in the pre-approved list should consult the Director prior to enrolling to insure that the desired course will meet the criteria established.

RSP Concentration Courses

Course Name and Number Credit Hours

A. Required Core Course

AFST 5984, Special Study: Survey of Race and Social Policy in the U.S. (Offered
every other year) 3

B. Elective Courses (9 hours)

Africana Studies

AFST 5314, Theories in Africana Studies 3

AFST 5354, Topics in Africana Studies 3

AFST 5434, History of Africana People 3

History

HIST 5114, the U.S. to 1877 3

HIST 5684, the U.S. South 3

HIST 5914, Race & Slavery in Comparative Perspective 3

Human Development

HD 5634, Legislation and Policy in Human Development 3

Sociology

SOC 5034, Social Inequity (Offered every other year)                                                                3

SOC 5917, Aging in Social Context (Offered every other year)                                   3

SOC 5984, Race and Social Inequity (Offered every other year)                                               3

SOC 5414, Crime, Control and Social Inequity                                                                             3

SOC 6214, Race and Mental Health (Offered every other year)                                               3