Distinction in Poverty Studies Program

The Distinction in Poverty Studies (DPS) program examines the complexities of poverty and inequality from multiple perspectives. As access to resources shapes all aspects of the human experience, the program complements and enriches any major area of study, and provides valuable preparation for students pursuing professional careers in health services, law, business, education, public policy, ministry, journalism, and other fields.

As part of the program, students complete an approved internship that allows them to place their own experiences in the contexts of poverty and social inequality. Relevant internships may include those completed through the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP), appropriate Hess Fellows advocacy internships, or other approved venues. To earn this distinction, students must also achieve a minimum 2.500 grade point average in all coursework at the College. 

Upon completion of the Distinction in Poverty Studies, students will be able to

• explain the causes and consequences of poverty using relevant critical and theoretical frameworks (e.g., economic, sociological, psychological, religious, or historical)
• identify and assess competing moral, ethical, and policy interests in addressing the challenges related to poverty
• critically reflect on their own past, present, and future relationships to poverty

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Keely Sutton, Program Coordinator
Office: Humanities 120
Phone: 205-226-4973
Email: [email protected]