Labor Studies Major Related Careers
The following careers are directly or indirectly related to the study of this major. Click the job title to learn more about it. To search for more career options, visit OnetOnline.org.
Labor Studies
The IU Department of Labor Studies, located within the Indiana University School of Social Work, has been a leader in labor studies for nearly 75 years. Labor Studies is an interdisciplinary area of study that draws on law, industrial relations, social sciences, and the humanities. The discipline explores issues of labor from both academic and practical perspectives including but not limited to the economy, politics, history, labor law and regulations, as well as social and economic justice. The IU Department of Labor Studies operates statewide with faculty on four of the nine IU campuses. The department offers online, asynchronous courses and currently has four full-time faculty and fourteen adjunct faculty. Labor Studies serves a broad array of undergraduate students from various academic disciplines with an average annual enrollment of 1,300 students over the last five years.
The department offers a variety of courses for both traditional and non-traditional students from working-class and undeserved constituencies, providing opportunities for lifelong learning, university credit for work-life experience, a Certificate, an Associate of Science, and Bachelor of Science degrees, as well as a minor in Labor Studies. Additionally, practical labor education programs are offered across Indiana. The faculty are engaged in research from their respective backgrounds, examining local, regional, national, and global issues as they relate to their impact on workers and their world of work.
A Bachelor of Science in Labor Studies (B.S.) focuses on topics such as work, the workplace, organized labor, labor and social movements, the impact of global markets, and changing institutions, prepares students to assume leadership roles in the workplace and communities, and equips students to respond to challenges faced by labor institutions and strengthen the qualities of the workforce. There are no prerequisites or co-requisites for this degree, allowing students to take major coursework in any order, although the department suggests a logical progression (100 level, 200 level, 300 level, etc.).
For detailed information about this major and degree requirements, visit the departmental website and the School of Social Work’s Academic Bulletin.
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Academic information
University Division's Explore Programs tool is the place to go for academic information about any IUB major, minor, or certificate.
Open in Explore ProgramsCareer Interests
John Holland developed a theoretical framework consisting of six general themes that describe broad areas interest relating to self and the working world. If you are interested in discovering your career interests, visit our Learn more about yourself page to learn about the Strong Interest Inventory.
This major consists of the following themes:
- Investigative
- Social
- Enterprising
Labor Studies Major Related Skills
Below is a sampling of skills related to this major mapped from the Skillscan Driver Assessment. The SkillScan assessment provides a simple 3-step process to help you learn about your strengths and weaknesses, the skills you enjoy and want to use in a career and those skills needing development. Consider taking the SkillScan assessment to better understand your skills as it relates to majors at IU.
Relationship Skills
- Provide Care and Support
- Resolve Conflict
- Counsel
- Demonstrate Social-Cultural Sensitivity
Communication
- Listen
- Speak or Interact
- Write
Management or Leadership
- Organize or Plan
- Manage Projects
- Coordinate
Student Organizations
Sample Resume
Related Majors
Career Guides
Our unique IU Career Guides offers the A-Zs of each field’s preferred educational backgrounds, as well as employment opportunities and insider tips, industry-related interview questions, and a lot more. Below are related career guides for this major.