Office of Student Life

Center for Belonging and Social Change

Diversity and Social Justice in Leadership

Diversity and Social Justice in Leadership is a three-credit course designed to bring together students from different cultural and social identity groups in a facilitated learning environment. Interactive dialogues engage students in exploring issues of diversity and inequality as well as their personal and social responsibility for building a more just university and society. Students gain valuable leadership skills that they can effectively utilize long beyond the classroom.

Classes are listed on Buckeyelink as Educational Studies: Higher Education and Student Affairs (ES HESA) 2577.

To enroll in ES HESA 2577

Log in to Buckeyelink and use the 5-digit course number for the course you wish to enroll in. If you have any questions, need help registering or are interested in the range of offerings please email Adrian Bitton at bitton.5@osu.edu.

ES HESA 2577 courses are carefully structured to explore social group identity, conflict, community and social justice. Overall, the course will be guided throughout by the following questions:

  • How have you come to learn about race/gender/sexuality/religion? How has this shaped your worldview?
  • In what ways can you use the information gained in this course to become an actively engaged, socially just global citizen within the Buckeye, Columbus and greater communities?

At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to

  • Identify micro-aggressions within their daily lives and within society as a whole.
  • Define power, privilege, value systems and difference and be able to identify their different forms.
  • Recognize the commonalities and differences that exist among people and cultures and how these factors influence their relationship with others.
  • Demonstrate a personal ethic geared towards civic responsibility.
  • Identify ways in which they can challenge or address systems of power and privilege.
  • Demonstrate an appreciation for other points of view and other cultures.
  • Recognize the influence of culture on communication and be willing to address any difference of one's own culture and communication style.
  • Use observation, conflict management, dialogue and active listening as a means of understanding and engaging with others.
  • Discuss how they will be socially just global citizenship as part of their lifelong learning.

Why is racism always a black/white thing? Am I expected to represent everyone in my group? Are guys always expected to pay on a date? Spend the semester exploring these and many other questions in the Student Life Multicultural Center's three-credit hour course. Classes meet twice a week and aim to expand self-awareness and develop valuable dialogue skills. Receive credit for the Leadership Minor and/or the Social Diversity in the U.S. GE while examining and discussing issues and experiences relevant to Ohio State and society. 

This course explores social identities in general, including gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and religion. Participants also learn important dialogue skills.