Students | Center on Race and Social Problems

Educating Students

The Center educates, trains, and mentors scholars from the undergraduate to the postdoctoral level. A position on a research project allows individuals to gain not only valuable skills and experience, but also funding for their education. Students employed as assistants on Center-sponsored research projects have come from the School of Social Work, the School of Education, the School of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Public Health, the School of Law, the College of Business Administration, and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

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Connect with the Center on Race and Social Problems to engage in meaningful research, attend thought-provoking events and collaborate with faculty and peers dedicated to social justice! Contact us at CRSP@pitt.edu.

Community and Racial Equity Leadership Fellowship

The Community and Racial Equity Leadership (CREL) Fellowship provides graduate students with opportunities to learn while working in community-engaged programs, which may also include applied research projects, focused on topics related to race, color, ethnicity, location, and their influence on the quality of life for all Americans.

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Race and Social Problems Course

This course is designed to provide students with a historical understanding of why we see the racial issues and disparities in the US that we see today. We discuss the history of race relations in the US, with particular but not exclusive attention to Black-White race relations. The course starts with what pre-colonial Africa was really like, the nature and consequences of West African and Native American encounters with Europeans, and the origins of racial concepts in the world, and their roots in economic interests. In this course students will learn about historical and contemporary race-related social problems in America, including their consequences, causes, and some promising solutions. Readings, documentaries, films, music, guest speakers, and class discussions will address race in relation to disparities in economics, education, mental health, family structures, and criminal justice. There are no prerequisites, although enrollment priority is given to students in the School of Social Work.