At the heart of our core curriculum are two consecutive, 6 credit hour courses. Based on the belief that protracted conflict and injustice are rooted in systems that permeate all levels of social organization, CJP’s foundations classes aim to ground students in a holistic approach to fostering systemic change. While it is anticipated that most people will come into the program to develop an area of specialization, this comprehensive foundation will develop an appreciation for how their work interconnects with causes and change processes at other system levels.

The Foundations classes are structured around a series of modules that focus on theories and methods for building peace and restoring justice at different levels of social organization. The Foundations 1 class includes: (1) overview of the field; (2) personal transformation; (3) interpersonal and small group processes; and (4) organizational peacebuilding. Building on the first course, Foundations 2 focuses on (5) community, (6) societal and (7) global, structural and ecological levels of transformation. We will engage with theories that describe and explain conflict and injustice, as well as theories of change to help us strategically design approaches to reduce injustice and violence and harness the constructive energy of conflict. We will also begin to develop a repertoire of skills for practice. There will be a strong emphasis on honing the values and ethics of practice, cultivating resilience and fostering the habits of being a reflective practitioner.
We will work to integrate key concepts, analytical tools, theory and skills-building. These approaches will be applied in class through case study-based learning, complemented by personal and small group work. We will combine more traditional academic coursework with a portfolio-based assessment.

Foundations 1 would normally be taken in the first fall semester and Foundations 2 would normally be taken during the first spring semester, with each meeting all day one day a week.