Migration Studies Minor (COF)

Coordinator: Dr. Ravagnoli

Please, if you have questions send an email to ravagnoliv@emmanuel.edu

MINOR OVERVIEW

Migration and Immigration are experiences shared by virtually every society. Migration is the connective tissue that brings individuals from different backgrounds into close contact to manage heterogeneity, surmount adversity, and build communities. It is also an engine of economic and technological progress, source of cultural flourishing, and cause for tension and heated political debate. Without understanding human experiences of migration, in other words, we cannot get to the heart of some of the most pressing—but often intangible and abstract—issues of our day: inclusion and exclusion; diversity and pluralism; ethnic and national identity formation; bridges, borders, and walls.

The CoF Shared Minor in Migration Studies addresses an urgent need to prepare undergraduate students for professional and civic lives in a world increasingly marked by diversity. The program enhances student understandings of migration and immigration through strong historical foundations, interdisciplinary case studies, and service learning and engagement with the Boston community. Participating students will earn a Minor in Migration Studies after completing the intro-level course “Introduction to Migration Studies,” three elective classes, and a service learning/community partnership course. Students planning careers in business, education, social work, health care, the arts, policy and government, law, nongovernmental organizations, and nonprofit administration (to name just a few) will likely come from, work with, and serve immigrant communities. By adding an interdisciplinary repertoire of courses specifically addressing questions about immigration and migration to their undergraduate careers, students will be well positioned to succeed in these fields and others and to bring a comprehensive and deep understanding of key contemporary issues to their professional work.

REQUIREMENTS

Total number of courses required: four including one service learning/community partnership course.

Coursework

1 Introduction to Migration Studies

3 Electives: All Migration Studies Minor students must select three electives from the list of approved classes, bearing in mind the following requirements:
-It is highly recommended that at least one course be taken away from the student’s home institution within the COF.
-Students must take at least one advanced seminar (3000-level at Emmanuel, 300-level at Simmons, etc), selected from the list of approved courses.
-Students must take one course not in their declared major’s discipline
(Total 4 classroom-based courses)

Service Learning or Community Partnership Course

All Migration Studies minors are required to take a class on immigration issues with a Service Learning/Community Partnership component. The service experiences are arranged through organizations that cater to the needs of local communities in the Boston area.