Turbulent times like ours call for people who understand systems of violence and conflict, and who are prepared to build peace with justice. This involves identifying and transforming systems of violence, marginalization, and oppression, including racist, gendered and colonial violence at home as well as around the world. Whether working locally or globally, Peace and Conflict Studies is committed to imagining, educating, and ongoing learning that equips our graduates to pursue justice and peace.
PACS as a department is located on territory that is governed by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum and land promised to the Six Nations Confederacy in 1784 as part of the Haldimand Declaration. For more information, see Conrad Grebel University College's land acknowledgement and read about decolonization at the University of Waterloo's Office of Indigenous Relations.
Why Study Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS)?
Learn diverse ways to promote peace, equitable justice, and social change through a vibrant interdisciplinary program that combines the study of history, political science, sociology, and psychology to understand better the causes and impact of interpersonal, communal, and international conflicts and violence in different societies. You will explore theory, research, and practice in classes taught by leading peace and justice scholars and practitioners. As an arts student, you will bring a unique perspective and set of skills to peace and conflict studies. Your creativity, critical thinking, and empathy can help contribute to finding new and innovative solutions to the complex challenges of peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
Take courses on conflict mediation, non-violent social change, gender and peacebuilding, religion and culture, environment, community transformation, human rights and social justice, refugees and forced migration, negotiation strategies, trauma, healing, and restorative justice.
Prepare to become a peace practitioner, community leader, or entrepreneur in conflict management programs or work with community and international development organizations, education systems, law firms, social services, refugee resettlement program support agencies, and more after graduation.
Who are PACS graduates?
PACS graduates have gone into many careers and used their training in different ways.
To learn more about what students can do after they graduate from PACS, check out our alumni profiles
News
Abigail Persaud: Exploring Global Opportunities in Uganda
The journey of figuring out what you want to do after high school isn’t linear, and Abigail Persaud is an example of how seizing new opportunities can lead to the most profound experiences of self-discovery and impact. As she completes her final term of her undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, the experiences she has gained through her time at the university have provided a strong foundation for her to be a part of the meaningful change that Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) alumni are making around the world.
Abigail Persaud, a 4th-year Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) student, explored global opportunities through the Beyond Borders program at St. Jerome’s and completed a co-op term working abroad in Uganda. The Beyond Borders program provides students with an international service-learning experience where they can explore new cultures and discover alternative perspectives and ways of life around the world. She worked with Reach One Touch One Ministries (ROTOM) in Mukono, Uganda, a non-for-profit organization that supports international fellowship to provide care to older adults and the grandchildren that depend on them in both Uganda and Ethiopia. As an Intergenerational Support Worker, she provided direct hands-on support in Uganda.
Her experience working abroad gave her a new perspective on how she approaches work and how peace and conflict studies can fit into that.
Zoe Masseo: On Embracing Discomfort and Creating Meaningful Change
Fueled by her passion for mediation and advocacy, Zoe knew the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program at the University of Waterloo offered her the perfect opportunity to deepen her knowledge and create meaningful change. After earning her undergraduate degree in social justice and peace studies, she began exploring new opportunities and fell in love with the program and the warm community at Grebel. The small class sizes and seminar-based courses were a big part of what shaped her decision.
Willow Carmount: On Exploring Research, Community Trauma, and Healing
“It’s not just ideas about peace, Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) gives you the tools to know how to make it happen in your community and the world”, says Willow Carmount, a recent graduand of the Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) program at the University of Waterloo. Her journey at the university began as a Social Development Studies student, however after taking her first PACS course, she knew immediately it was the perfect program for her. She felt empowered to challenge the way she sees things; something she was not getting from her other courses.