Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership

Courses

The list below includes descriptions of all graduate courses offered by the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership program, though some courses may be taught more frequently than others. When admitted to the program, students will be paired with an academic advisor who will help them select a range of courses that best support their individual needs.  

Visit our master’s and certificate program pages for the course requirements of each program. 

Course Descriptions

DEIJ 201/202 Core Seminar: Survey of the current questions, relevant social and institutional theories, and contemporary perspectives that form the context for the broad field of diversity and inclusion leadership studies. Topics change from year to year.  

DEIJ 237 Cultural Sensitivity: This course will facilitate student appreciation of the significance of knowledge about one's own cultural background, identity and related experiences as critical influences on the study of and interactions with others. Centered on children and families, there are two foci: 1) cultural sensitivity in research, and 2) cultural sensitivity in practice. The focus on research examines culture as a contextual influence on human development and briefly addresses issues in conducting culturally sensitive research, including theory, methodology, analyses and interpretation. With various media, primarily audio-visual, the focus on practice will examine specific cultural constructs (e.g., race, ethnicity, religiosity) and their impact on interpersonal interactions. 

DEIJ 247 Diversity and Inclusion Leadership: This course gives students the theoretical knowledge and practical skills they need to lead effectively in diversity and inclusion workspaces. Students will examine how their own experiences shape their ability to effectively lead across multiple dimensions of difference, including generational, racial, ethnic and gender differences etc. and discuss strategies to develop diversity leadership competency. Students will be asked to examine the long-standing barriers of racism and other forms of oppression in systematic structures and how to create a new systemic vision for leadership. Students will also consider diversity at the organizational and community levels, exploring principles of equal opportunity and inclusive engagement for all employees. It also considers paradigms that limit and promote inclusion and what each individual student, employers, employees, and society can do to promote inclusivity. This course will explore analyses of interpersonal communication and conflict. An emphasis on skills to develop culturally proficient leaders will be explored. 

DEIJ 248 Organizational Change, Leadership, and Influence: This course will explore the tools and concepts required for successfully leading strategic organizational change and fostering inclusive climates. Ability/skills to assess the change needed, the political and complex process of introducing change, which includes motivating others, dealing with resistance and the emotional elements of change, and finally, extending change over time and sustaining it. Approaches and techniques needed to anticipate, measure, and evaluate the changes needed, facilitate the change, and sustain the change will be considered. 

DEIJ 249 Laws, Policies, and Practices of DEI: This course we will explore the history and ethics of law and policy as it applies to issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additionally, we will examine the various policies and laws in existence as they relate to DEI issues in employment, education, and health, and how policies solve or exacerbate existing problems. We will also build the skills needed to implement and enforce policies and regulations effectively. 

DEIJ 254 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution: Techniques of negotiation and mediation applied to a broad range of conflict situations from interpersonal differences to labor relations, environmental disputes, and international relations. Combines practice in basic methods with theoretical and applied aspects of conflict resolution. 

DEIJ 255 Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation: This seminar-style course will focus on skills and tools for effective facilitation and interventions in navigating the waters of privilege and subjugation across various DEI Contexts (Non-profit, corporate, Higher Ed, Government and Pre-K-12). Drawing from the knowledge and skills of all involved, course participants will collaboratively explore listening/facilitation skills and intervention creation/implementation/monitoring skills as foundational skills in working for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. This course will also engage us in critical examination of how our “individual SELVES” interact with other selves in different interpersonal and group interactions. The course will cover topics like motivational interviewing, racial literacy skills, intergenerational trauma and healing, community care, and mechanisms for monitoring interventions. 

DEIJ 265 Program Evaluation: Purposes for, and types and techniques of, program evaluation. Study of the evaluation process, including design, implementation, and dissemination, with focus on development of relevant data collection, analysis, and report-writing skills. Emphasis on learning to match individual programs with particular models of evaluation. 

DEIJ 266 Communicating with Data: This course focuses on communication, visualization, and presentation of different types of data. The formats to be examined include written, graphical, and presentational methods. The focus is on how to create and design in each domain to best communicate information and ideas to a variety of audiences. This course will examine data communication as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

DEIJ 297/298: Capstone 

Section 1 – Final Project Course, Capstone Planning: This course supports students in the DEIJ Leadership program in the design and proposal phase of their Capstone. Students will develop competency in the skills needed to conduct research through the systematic review of responsible research practices. The course will support students as they establish their research committees, produce, present, and defend a well-developed research proposal at the conclusion of the semester. The course includes online options to accommodate students across the different tracks in the program. Main outcomes: - Establish and meet with research committee - Complete CITI training - Produce capstone proposal - Institutional Review Process - Present/defend proposal to your research committee - Submit defended proposal and approval to the program (this must be done before you can enroll in Section 2).

Section 2 – Final Project Capstone Implementation: Note: registration for Section 2 requires program approval and is done after the typical course registration period. The course is an “independent study” where you will be primarily guided and supported by the Research Committee you established during the proposal phase – following the completion schedule outlined with your project chair and 2nd/3rd readers. Additionally, you will have 2 check-in meetings organized by the DEIJ-L program as administrative support. These meetings will be held online to accommodate students across the different tracks in the program. Main outcomes: - Regular meetings/check-ins with your project chair and/or research committee - Implement project as specified and approved by committee and/or IRB - Present/defend capstone to your research committee - Submit final project and approval. 

A current sampling of approved courses for the program is below. Students are welcome to submit a petition to the program to take additional courses that are in line with their area of academic interest and career goals. When admitted to the program, students will be paired with an academic advisor who will help them select a range of courses that best support their individual needs. Availability of courses varies by semester and department. For up-to-date information on course offerings, schedules, room locations and registration, please visit the Student Information System (SIS).

Approved DEIJ-L Alternative Courses

The program allows for master’s students* to petition for alternative courses offered through Tufts. If the student believes that another graduate-level course offered by Tufts would advance their studies and understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, they may petition for the program to accept this course as an acceptable elective or alternative course. A sampling of approved alternative courses for the program is below. Since these are alternative courses offered through other departments, the DEIJ-L program cannot guarantee when and how often these courses are offered.  

*Certificate students are not able to petition alternative courses for the program.  

Individuals, Groups & Society 

  • CSHD 121: Working with Communities 
  • DEIJ 206/ ED 162: Critical Histories of U.S. Education  
  • DEIJ 208/ ED 167: Critical Race Theory 
  • ED 172: Creating Inclusive Learning Spaces

Organizational & Interpersonal Leadership  

  • DEIJ 243/ UEP 276: Leadership & Organizational Development 
  • DEIJ 254/ CSHD 281: Consultation Strategies  

Research Design, Measurement, & Analytics 

  • DEIJ 263/ ED 170: Critical Education Policy Studies  
  • DEIJ 275/ UEP 232: Intro to GIS 
  • SOC 101 & 102: Quantitative & Qualitative Research Methods  

Electives 

  • ANTH 137: Language and Culture  
  • ANTH 148: Medical Anthropology 
  • FAH 283: Art, Whiteness, & Empire  
  • CSHD 177: Bilingual Studies 
  • UEP 285: Environmental Ethics