Peace and Conflict Studies (B.A.)

Program Overview

Director: George Pickens

Mission. This is an interdisciplinary major drawing upon resources from three core departments: Biblical and Religious Studies, History, and Sociology. The primary focus of this major is to help students understand and appreciate the Christian foundations for peacemaking/ reconciliation; to understand the nature of conflict and nonviolent approaches to resolving conflict; to understand the relationship of justice to peacemaking, and to become actively involved in peacemaking, nonviolent conflict resolution, and reconciliation. This major enables students to pursue careers and graduate study in peace and conflict studies and related fields including law and mediation.

Curriculum. The core disciplines of the major — Biblical and Religious Studies, History, and Sociology — are essential to understanding and resolving conflict, since in order to achieve reconciliation it is crucial to understand conflict holistically. To this end, in the PACS core there are courses directly related to peace and conflict studies in each of these disciplines, and then to further develop disciplinary perspectives and methods, students will take at least one course in five “spheres” of human experience where peace and conflict are experienced.

To further develop students’ skills, perspectives, and experience, each PACS major is required to take Basic Conflict Mediation and an internship or practicum that will enable them to practice their skills in a specific arena. Students are also strongly encouraged to study off-campus for a semester in order to build their skills and experience a culture different from their own. The Senior Seminar, which is the capstone course, enables students to bring together all the disciplinary and experiential work that they have done and integrate it into a whole that will enable them to successfully pursue peace and conflict studies as a vocation.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s Peace and Conflict Studies program can:

1. Describe the fundamental characteristics of social conflict.
2. Trace continuities and discontinuities between historically situated approaches to conflict transformation.
3. Produce original research that demonstrates the application of foundational content in the field of Peace and Conflict Studies.
4. Demonstrate foundational skills in conflict transformation and mediation.
5.  Demonstrate awareness of and basic skills in a contemporary vocational setting in Peace and Conflict Studies.
6. Analyze biblical perspectives on issues of war, peace, and social justice and apply them to contemporary efforts in peacemaking, living.
7. Explain Christian theological foundations for peacemaking, social justice and reconciliation.

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

Three to four credits from the following: (Experiential Learning)

Sphere 1: Religious and Theological.^ Three credits from the following:

Sphere 2: Ecological and Economic. Three credits from the following:

Sphere 3: Political and Institutional. Three to six credits from the following:

Sphere 4: Socio-Cultural.^ Three credits from the following:

Sphere 5: Historical.^ Three to four credits from the following:

^ Course selection in discipline-based electives can allow an additional 6 credits of General Education overlap.

Note: In addition to drawing upon relevant courses in Communication, Politics and Economics, majors may also choose PYSC 242, PHIL 325, or THEA 363 because of their specific relevance to PACS majors.

QuEST Requirements

^ Course selection in discipline/major selectives can allow for an additional 6 credits of General Education overlap.

Course selection in discipline-based electives can allow an additional 6 credits of General Education overlap. (Decreases QuEST req and increases free electives available).