At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
The 12-credit Justice, Ethics, Diversity in Space (JEDIS) certificate helps students to cultivate a diverse set of theoretical and methodological skills that geographers use to engage in a diverse and changing planet. Increasingly as students enter the workforce they will be challenged to not only interact with diverse populations, but will also have to understand the way diverse populations are impacted by a range of economic, political, and environmental challenges. They will also need to be exposed to ethical frameworks that can be productively leveraged within non-academic environments. Students who undertake a JEDIS certificate will take courses across the broad spectrum of human geography and will cultivate the intellectual capacity to address issues of inequality and diversity from an ethically informed perspective.
Learning objectives: recognize and respect diverse experiences and perspectives; apply ethical frameworks to challenging economic, political, and environmental challenges; and think critically about the multiple implications of human choices and practices.
What is Justice, Ethics, Diversity in Space?
The discipline of geography draws from a range of perspectives including traditions in the natural and social sciences as well as humanities. Questions of justice, (in)equality, and diversity across space are core to what human and environment-society geographers study. The Justice, Ethics and Diversity In Space certificate specifically addresses how geographers approach questions concerning uneven power relations, inequalities, justice, social responsibility, and ethics across space and in place; it is more focused than the complementary Human Geography and Environment-Society Geography certificates. Students will learn about different ethical frameworks that can be productively leveraged in the workplace. As a result, students will be prepared to manage and work in diverse settings and to think critically about their position in society.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You care about issues of diversity, ethics, and social justice and wish to understand how geographers explore these challenges in local to global contexts.
- You want to learn about diverse cultures, environmental racism, immigration, and assimilation experiences of marginalized groups.
- You would like to become knowledgeable of people’s biases based on race, ethnicity, culture, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, social and economic status, political ideology, and disability, and how these contribute to discrimination and oppression.
Program Requirements
To earn an undergraduate certificate in Justice, Ethics, Diversity in Space, a minimum of 12 credits is required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Select 3 credits from: | 3 | |
Perspectives on Human Geography  | ||
| Geographic Perspectives on Environment, Society and Sustainability | ||
| Select 9 credits from: | 9 | |
| Place, Space and Culture | ||
| War, Peace, and Diplomacy: Understanding Contemporary Geopolitics | ||
| Geography of Race, Class, and Poverty in America | ||
GEOG 426Y | ||
| Political Geography | ||
| Geographies of Justice | ||
| Non-Course Requirements | ||
| Per University policy, all credit courses for a certificate require a grade of 'C' or higher, and at least two-thirds (2/3) of the credits used to complete a certificate must be earned at Penn State. If student is completing multiple certificates in Geography, no more than one (1) course may double-count for each. | ||
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Jodi Vender
Undergraduate Advising Coordinator
305 Walker Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-5730
advising@geog.psu.edu
Career Paths
Students graduating with the Justice, Ethics and Diversity in Space certificate will thrive in organizations that interact with diverse populations influenced by a range of economic, political, and environmental challenges. This is one of several geography-related certificates that can help students prepare for the job market. In addition to Justice, Ethics and Diversity in Space, the geography department offers certificates in Environment and Society Geography, Geospatial Big Data Analytics, Geographic Information Systems, Human Geography, Landscape Ecology, and Physical Geography.
Careers
Successful performance in today's workforce requires sensitivity to human differences and the ability to relate to people from different cultural backgrounds. Students with justice, ethics, and diversity training learn critical thinking, research, and analytical skills that are highly valued by employers. They are well positioned to find employment with organizations spanning business, government, and nonprofit sectors. Such organizations may include (but are not limited to): American Red Cross; Amnesty International; Heifer International; United Nations; U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; local, regional, and state planning agencies; environmental and engineering consulting firms; State Department; and humanitarian organizations.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
A certificate in Justice, Ethics and Diversity in Space is useful for students who are interested in pursuing graduate degrees in the social sciences, humanities, and environmental sciences. Alumni enter graduate and professional studies in a variety of programs, including (but not limited to) geography, planning, international development, urban studies, sustainability, public policy, emergency management, education, and law. They sometimes begin graduate or professional programs directly after finishing undergraduate studies, but often get several years’ work experience before returning to school, either full or part-time.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
Professional Resources
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
302 Walker Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-3433
geography@psu.edu