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Do you care about Workers’ Rights?

Learn about your own rights and the rights of other working people. Consider how rights have been expanded historically. Discuss how efforts to reduce rights today might be countered – or how to expand upon existing rights and make them available to more groups of employees.

The focus of this certificate is on workers' rights in the U.S.  However, coursework in this program allows for the opportunity to learn about rights in other countries because some international experience could inform proposals for change in the U.S.  And if you are an international student, the same insight applies – by learning about workers' rights in the U.S., you can examine potential ways to improve conditions for workers in your own country.

As with other SMLR graduate certificates, this certificate program requires successful completion, with a B or better, of four 3-credit graduate courses.  If you later decide to continue on to the full Master of Labor and Employment Relations program, all these courses would count toward that degree.

Part A:  Current legal rights and their enforcement

At least one course is required in this area. Students may choose to take up to two more.

  • Employment Law (38:533:566)  
  • Immigration Law (38:578:521)
  • Labor Law (38:578:550)
  • Enforcing Worker Rights (38:578:515)

Part B:  The context of rights; their institutional variety; how worker action and public policy can expand rights 

At least one course is required in this area. Students may choose to take up to two more.

  • Organizing for Social Change (38:578:559) 
  • Collective Bargaining (38:578:560)
  • Global Employment Relations Today (38:578:566)
  • Economics and Public Policy in a Global Context (38:578:527)
  • Globalization and the Future of Employment (38:578:555)
  • Public Sector Employment Issues (38:578:525)
  • Employment Relations in Sports (38:578:528)
  • Labor/Employment History (38:578:612)
  • Shaping the Future of Work (38:578:567)