Labor Studies

College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Labor Studies

Program Description

Labor Studies focus on all aspects of working life from the point of view of workers. Emphasis is placed on understanding the labor movement as it relates to historical, economic, and social issues of the twenty- ﬁrst century. The Labor Studies Department offers a major, a minor, and a certiﬁcate program. In 1977, the Labor Studies program was developed at CSU Dominguez Hills to provide Southern California with the only state-supported bachelor of arts program in this ﬁeld. Our program was designed with the assistance of state and local labor leaders and was coordinated with Labor Studies programs at nearby community colleges.

Features

Besides being unique in Southern California, the CSU Dominguez Hills Labor Studies Department offers students a wide variety of courses taught by professors in a range of different disciplines. Labor Studies is an interdepartmental program, which means that along with specialized courses in labor studies, students also take related classes in ﬁelds such as history, sociology and economics. The student will acquire a good liberal arts education and an education in the more practical aspects of labor studies. Such courses as LBR 412 Labor Law are taught by labor lawyers and unionists who are currently involved in the workplace.

Evening Program

Every effort is made to schedule courses in the evening and on weekends. There are also internet and hybrid classes.

Academic Advisement

The faculty members comprising the Labor Studies Committee are available for advising students. Students should ﬁrst contact the chair of the Labor Studies Program for counsel or direction to someone with the expertise to assist them. Upon enrollment, a student should establish a relationship with an advisor who can help provide continuity during the student's college years.

Preparation

Students coming from high school must meet the California State University requirements for admission to CSU Dominguez Hills. Otherwise, prospective Labor Studies majors do not need to have taken any speciﬁc courses. It is recommended that community college transfer students complete their General Education courses before entering the Labor Studies program.

Student Organizations

Labor and Social Justice Club. Students interested in the ﬁeld can participate in the Labor and Social Justice Club, which organizes discussions and forums on current topics, holds social events, and advises faculty and students on aspects of the program.

Graduation With Honors

An undergraduate student may be a candidate for graduation with Honors in Labor Studies provided he or she meets the following criteria:

A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills;
A minimum grade point average of at least 3.5 in all courses used to satisfy the upper-division requirements in the major.

Career Possibilities

Careers for Labor Studies majors can be found within the labor movement and in private and public sector organizations that deal with labor relations. Many labor studies students are union ofﬁcers or staff members seeking wider background knowledge for their current or future positions. A number of these students plan careers in the personnel and industrial relations divisions of corporations. Others wish to become professional mediators or arbitrators. Besides the careers typically sought by Labor Studies majors, a student also might consider a B.A. in Labor Studies as a background for teaching, labor journalism, or labor law.

Courses

LBR 101. Introduction to Labor Studies: Work, Wealth and Power. (3 Units)

Explore questions including: What is work's purpose? What are our rights on the job? How have labor struggles uplifted working class communities and shaped the global political economy? How can unions fight for social, racial, and gender justice across borders?

Offered Fall

LBR 200. Labor and the Environment. (3 Units)

The course will pursue an understanding of the consequences of climate policies for different categories of workers, identified by economic sector, geographic location, gender, migration and immigration, and national status.

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 201. Work/Life: Purpose, Power, and Identity. (3 Units)

Explore: What is the role of work in a life well-lived? How do various cultures view work? should we pursue work we love? That society needs? How do we handle workplace stress, occupational health, and integrating careers with other commitments?

Offered All terms

LBR 202. Class Struggles in Film and Popular Culture. (3 Units)

How are workers' lives portrayed in popular culture? We examine media in global context, discussing how image, text, and sound are used to tell workers' stories across gender, race, and sexual orientation as they stand up for dignity and justice.

Offered Spring

LBR 310. Success and Values. (3 Units)

Explores the various ways people and institutions i the Americas define success, with the underlying question, does one have to sacrifice one's values to achieve success.

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 312. Decade of the Sixties. (3 Units)

Explores the sociopolitical milieu that incited the unrest of the Sixties, with the war in Vietnam at the center. Focuses on the interaction between writers, musicians, activists, labor and religious leaders, and the social movements of the time.

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 313. The Future of Workers and Work. (3 Units)

Will the robots take our jobs? Course explores how automation, climate change, labor unions, and precarious work arrangements will affect the workplace in decades to come, and outcomes for women, immigrants and workers of color

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 314. Key Issues: American Dream. (3 Units)

Explores the concept of the American Dream as it is expressed through literature, art, film, etc. and how people interpret the meaning of the concept in their own lives in a multiracial society.

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 316. Working Class and Education. (3 Units)

What is the purpose of education? What functions does it perform and whose interests does it advance? Investigation of education as a network of institutions operating differently on different classes, races and genders. Evaluation of its position in relation with economy and governance.

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 350. Research Methods for Social Change. (3 Units)

Research methods developed by social movements to guide organizing and advocacy for social, economic, and political change. Proficiency in a range of illuminating statistical survey, interview, and mapping techniques used to expose and challenge exploitation and injustice.

Offered Spring

LBR 365. Racial Capitalism. (3 Units)

Prerequisite: Upper division integrative coursework must be taken after 60 semester units and the lower division components of General Education (or their equivalent) have been completed. Focuses on the ways in which race and racism have been central to the political economic development of the U.S., with a particular focus on understanding how they were used to develop capitalism and how it impacts workers in our society.

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 395. Special Topics in Labor Studies. (1-4 Units)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Course of special interest for students in the selected area of study. Topic and content will vary as announced.

Offered As needed

LBR 411. Contracts & Negotiations. (3 Units)

The process of negotiating, writing and enforcing a labor contract. An overview of the historical events that have affected contemporary negotiation practices. A survey and analysis of labor contracts in various sectors of industry, including a workshop in contract writing and negotiation.

Offered Fall

LBR 412. Labor Law. (3 Units)

Legal history of the American labor movement. Survey of federal and state laws regulating employment, collective bargaining, contract clauses, arbitration, collective actions, lockouts, unfair labor practices and fair employment practices.

Offered Spring

LBR 490. Seminar In Labor Studies. (3 Units)

Prerequisite: Senior standing or consent of instructor. An integrative course to study selected topics, to develop an overview of the field and to relate theory and practical application. Students will develop seminar papers as they complete an internship in a labor organization or research an area of labor studies. Three hours of seminar per week.

Offered Infrequent

LBR 494. Independent Study. (1-3 Units)

Prerequisites: Consent of the instructor Independent study of particular topics in the subject area under the direction of a member of the subject department faculty. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring, Summer

LBR 495. Special Topics. (1-4 Units)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Advanced course of special interest for students in the selected area of study. Topic and content will vary as announced.

Offered Fall, Spring

LBR 496. Practicum Labor Studies. (3 Units)

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor is required. Directed field research or supervised internship. Training and research in the practice and policies of a labor organization or labor-related governmental agency. Repeatable course.

Offered Spring

LBR 590. Graduate Seminar. (3 Units)

Co-requisite: MUS 180 is required. Studio instruction in an applied area that complements and provides additional depth to that which is offered in MUS 180. In depth study of Etudes, scales, arpeggios, and supplemental solo repertoire.

Offered As needed

LBR 594. Independent Study. (3 Units)

A special project involving research or creative work in consultation with a faculty member. Repeatable for credit.

Offered As needed

LBR 595. Special Topics in Labor Studies:. (3 Units)

Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor required. An intensive study of an issue or a concept in Labor Studies of special interest to faculty and students. Topics vary. Repeatable course

Offered As needed

LBR 598. Directed Research. (1-3 Units)

Independent research under direction of supervising faculty member in Labor Studies or related field. A-B/NC grading only.

Offered As needed

LBR 599. Graduate Capstone. (1-3 Units)

Supervised thesis or special project in Labor Studies.

Offered As needed

Labor Studies

Program Description

Features

Evening Program

Academic Advisement

Preparation

Student Organizations

Graduation With Honors

Career Possibilities

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor

Minor

Certificate

Faculty

Courses

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