This program is subject to final approval by the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education.

In a changing and increasingly interdependent justice sector, expanding your knowledge is key to success in an evolving justice landscape.

Founded on a transdisciplinary approach to justice studies for solving complex social issues, our unique program is problem-focused, drawing from diverse disciplines to help you deal with ever-evolving problems in action-oriented, solution-focused and context-specific ways.

The MA in Justice Studies is a two-year, interdisciplinary graduate program and stresses the importance of a collaborative and problem-focused approach to justice. Recognizing the multi-problematic aspects of complex social issues, this transdisciplinary approach is essential in understanding the complexity of a problem and in developing effective solutions often missed under more traditional approaches to justice.... [-]

The Royal Roads approach to conflict analysis and management is unique in that it reflects the full spectrum from interpersonal to international conflict. We view conflict as neither good nor bad, but as a necessary element of all relationships. Conflict exists everywhere and opportunities exist to work with it, change it, and utilize it.

Our program focuses on both the theory and understanding of the effects of conflict. We provide you with the skills to work with conflict, and we help you create a self-awareness of what your role is within that system of conflict and how you can have an impact to make a difference. You will be introduced to a wide range of skills – facilitation, negotiation, mediation, and others – and learn to appreciate the strengths and limitations of them all.... [-]

Overview

The MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding program is a two-year, interdisciplinary graduate program that responds to the increasing demand for leadership in humanitarian assistance, social reconstruction, conflict management and peacebuilding in international contexts. Peacebuilding is viewed as a broad concept which emphasizes social transformation integrating short-term (development) initiatives into long-term, sustainable peace processes. The program provides working professionals, or those aspiring to work in the field, with the theoretical and practical skills necessary to help restore peace and civil society in post-conflict contexts.

A one-year Graduate Diploma in Human Security & Peacebuilding is also offered.... [-]

The Department of Political Science offers a Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science. Graduate students interested in Political Science should apply to do an MA in Political Science and NOT to the Cultural, Social and Political Thought program as the Department does not participate in the CSPT Program.

Because of the small number of faculty members and graduate students, graduate programs are individually created for each graduate student. Students typically complete four or more graduate-level courses, usually through independent studies or by sitting in on 4000-level undergraduate courses and completing additional work. Besides the coursework, students must complete a thesis, following the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies.... [-]

The Cultural, Social, and Political Thought major in the Master of Arts (MA) program is interdisciplinary within the humanities and social sciences and is based on a cohort learning model that fosters an environment of interdisciplinary engagement and exchange, research, peer mentoring, collaboration among a small group of students, within a team-based learning experience.

The overall academic aims of the major are to emphasize social, cultural, and political thought and to install the intellectual and practical tools to work successfully with community partners and agencies to facilitate social change. Students graduating from the Cultural, Social, and Political Thought major will demonstrate a range of professional skills (e.g., peer review, public presentations, critical thinking) and research competencies. Graduates are capable of producing novel, relevant, and rigorous research that makes significant contributions to interdisciplinary knowledge.... [-]

Human Rights Advocacy Concentration

This program provides students with an understanding of how to apply internationally established human rights standards, laws and treaties to advocate in domestic and international settings. Students will learn to create, analyze, write and campaign for policies at multiple levels of government. A focus on excellent communication skills will enable students to successfully work as policy professionals, lead organizations, advance an advocacy agenda and problem-solve in complex situations.

Through community-based learning, students will gain experience working directly on policy issues in nonprofit or government settings. Fieldwork will provide students with opportunities to apply a human rights agenda to domestic or international advocacy work. Potential fieldwork sites may include organizations such as Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch, and the Global Fund for Women.... [-]