Skip to Main Content
UCLA Logo Labor Studies

Labor Studies Capstone Pathways

Labor Studies Capstone Pathways

Major Research Capstone

Labor Studies capstone courses offer UCLA Labor Studies graduating students the opportunity to be exposed to labor-related community organizations, worker centers, labor coalitions or labor government agencies, through an applied-research and community engagement experience. The Labor Studies Capstone is a 4-unit requirement. Students may fulfill this requirement by choosing one of the two following pathways:

Option 1: LBR STD 191 — Research Principles, Methods, and Practices (This course will be offered every quarter)

  • Class format: 2 hours and 50 minutes, once a week, in-person
  • This course is designed for Labor Studies majors who have Senior Standing. Students will need to be well-versed in Labor Studies and have an understanding of Los Angeles’ movements, past and present. Students must have completed Labor Studies 10 and Labor Studies 101 in advance of the capstone or enroll in 101 concurrently with 191.
  • Through lectures, key readings, and in-class exercises, students develop an understanding of critical debates regarding the role of research within socioeconomic and political contexts that impact workers, organizations, and communities at large. Overview of various research methods and techniques, literature review, data collection, analysis, and culminating in an original research proposal.  

Option 2: Labor Summer Research Program (LSRP) 

The UCLA Labor Summer Research Program is a seminar course combined with a 15 hour per week field work. It offers students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in an applied research experience focused on the Los Angeles Labor Movement which is leading national efforts to promote social justice for working people. This research-oriented summer program will introduce students to qualitative applied research methods utilized by researchers and scholars engaged in labor studies. Through a combination of lectures, key readings, and active participation in hands-on research, participants develop an understanding of critical debates regarding the role of research and socioeconomic contexts that impact low-wage workers and their families.

  • LBR STD 194A (4 Units): Research Group Seminars: Labor Summer Research Program.
    • This course fulfills the capstone requirement.
  • LBR STD 194B (4 units): Research Group Seminars in Labor Studies.
    • This course will count as an upper division elective for the Labor Studies major or minor.

If you have questions or would like to discuss which capstone option works best for you, feel free to email laborstudies@irle.ucla.edu or sign up for a virtual or on-campus appointment with Gloria Chan, Labor Studies Student Affairs Officer.