Build a broader justice perspective, change your world.
Do you want to be more effective and employable as an agent of change for equity, inclusion, and justice? If you have training in community development, labor studies, law enforcement, criminal justice, public safety, or paralegal studies, Antioch’s Bachelor of Applied Arts in Urban Communities and Justice (BAAUCJ) is the ideal degree for you. Because we recognize the value of your prior training, the BAAUCJ accepts professional credits that other degree programs do not transfer in. Through coursework and hands-on learning, you will gain skills in community organizing, social change-making, environmental and economic sustainability, and leadership. You’ll explore how race, gender, citizenship, and age, as well as social and economic disadvantages, impact our communities.
This degree is offered by Antioch University's Los Angeles Campus.
Program Overview
The Bachelor of Applied Arts in Urban Communities and Justice is part of a suite of Applied Studies degrees. Each provides an opportunity for students with occupational training to apply that learning toward the completion of an interdisciplinary undergraduate degree. Students reflect on past experiences and explore a variety of disciplines while gaining the skills to work as community professionals. BAAUCJ students take courses alongside other Applied Studies and Liberal Studies students in small, diverse, and highly interactive classes.
The length of time a student takes to complete the degree depends upon (1) the number of credits transferred into the program and (2) the number of credit hours taken each term. For example, a student who transfers in 90 quarter credits (60 semester credits) can complete the degree in 6 to 7 quarters of full-time enrollment, or 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 years. Students with scheduling challenges can also earn credit for independent study projects or use a qualified job or volunteer commitment to earn internship credit. BAAUCJ degree requirements are listed below. Note that many of these requirements can be earned at Antioch and/or transferred in. Students can transfer in up to 135 quarter/90 semester credits from a previous college or university. Of those, up to 105 quarter/70 semester credits can be lower division, or 100- and 200-level courses.
180 quarter credits to graduate.
27 or more transferred credits in one cohesive professional area related to the major.
A minimum of 30 semester or 45 quarter credits must be completed with Antioch University.
75 or more upper-division credits (almost all of Antioch’s courses are upper division).
Successful completion of our gateway course, Educational Foundations, during the first quarter of enrollment.
36 credits of General Studies courses (6 credits in each of the following domains): Communications, Science, Humanities, Quantitative, Social Science, Fine Art.
8 credits of experiential, non-classroom learning such as internships, self-directed independent studies or prior learning.
10 credits of hybrid professional seminars focused on topics such as leadership, business communications, group dynamics, cultural contexts, and technology in society.
9 credits (about 3 courses) of core courses related to Urban Studies, Social Justice, Sustainability, and Cultural Studies. Examples of BAAUCJ core courses include:
Students completing this degree will demonstrate the ability to:
Design innovative approaches and identify leadership strategies for dealing with a variety of social issues within a professional context
Identify ways in which oppression, privilege, discrimination, and social and economic disadvantage contribute to inequalities and injustices within communities and justice systems
Engage in critical thinking and ethical decision making, evidencing an awareness of the challenges faced by community professionals while considering the individual, organizational, and societal implications of policy and justice decisions
Antioch’s academic year is comprised of 4 quarters: fall (October), winter (January), spring (April), and summer (July). Quarters are 10 weeks long with 3-week breaks in between, during which instructors review and evaluate students’ work. Bachelor’s degree classes have anywhere from 8 to 18 students in each class, and are offered in 3 formats:
3- and 4-credit regular classes that meet face-to-face for one 2-hour and 50-minute session per week for 10 weeks. This is the most common format.
3- and 4-credit online and hybrid classes that alternate face-to-face or video-conference meetings with online activity.
1- and 2-credit workshops that meet for just 1 or 2 full days during the quarter and occur on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays.
Additionally, students have a variety of options for earning credit through non-classroom learning activities: internships, prior learn
Undergraduate students can earn up to forty-four university credits for learning gained outside of school, for example, in a professional setting or through personal experience. Demonstration of prior learning can take many forms but typically involves showing evidence of the student’s knowledge of the topic and situating that knowledge in an academic context. Unlike our formal classes, prior learning projects are not tied to the quarterly schedule. Earning academic credit for prior learning activities may accelerate a student’s time to degree completion and significantly reduce tuition costs. Students wanting to explore this option must take the Prior Learning workshop before earning this type of credit.
The internship office maintains partnerships with over 200 organizations in Los Angeles and supports students who wish to earn academic credit for hands-on, workplace experience. As interns, students expand their social networks, apply new skills, and actively contribute to community life. As part of the internship process, they also reflect upon the relationship between academic studies and real-world activities. The following are just a few examples of the many exciting internships our students pursue:
Community Advocacy at the UCLA Labor Center
Veterans Engagement and Mentorship at a College Veterans Resource Center
Inner City Youth Mentoring at the Boys and Girls Club
Workforce Development at the Downtown Women’s Center
Archiving African American History at the Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum
Internship placements at students’ own jobs
Internships represent one way for students to satisfy the non-classroom learning degree requirement.
Fast Track to Graduate Programs
Antioch offers “Fast Track” options in two of our graduate programs. Once accepted, undergraduate students complete their remaining bachelor’s degree credits by taking first-term graduate courses. Credits earned in Fast Track apply toward both the student’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees, saving significant time and money in the process. Prior to applying for the graduate program, undergraduate students must consult with their Academic Advisors to determine their eligibility to become a Fast Track candidate and gain approval from the Undergraduate Studies Chair. Our Fast Track option is available for the following graduate programs: Master of Arts in Psychology (MAP) and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA).
Undergraduate New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation is scheduled every term. It’s a chance for students to visit the campus, meet faculty, register for classes, and get started on their educational journey. Upon acceptance into the program, students receive specific information for the New Student Orientation designed for them.To RSVP for an orientation, admitted students should email:[email protected] or call 310.578.1080 x.3210.
Submit the Application Fee of $50. Note: Contact Admissions to request a fee waiver at admissions [email protected].
Request official transcripts from every accredited institution from which you have received academic credit. You must provide evidence that you have successfully completed 36 quarter credits (24-semester credits) or more of college-level learning.
All materials are submitted to the Admissions Office. All application materials submitted become part of an applicant’s file and cannot be returned.
For students interested in receiving federal and state financial aid, high school graduation or an equivalency such as a GED is required. Students can also fulfill this requirement by completing six credit hours or equivalent course work toward a degree or certificate or by receiving a passing score on an exam, demonstrating an ability to benefit from higher education. Students seeking governmental financial assistance may be asked to provide proof of high school completion or equivalency, as well as transcripts from previous college-level work. Official transcripts should be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to: Office of Admissions Antioch University Los Angeles 400 Corporate Pointe Culver City, CA 90230 All application materials submitted become part of an applicant’s file and cannot be returned.
Please note: Additional fees for all Antioch University Los Angeles programs may include (but are not necessarily limited to) charges for materials, late registration, enrollment maintenance, parking, graduation, transcripts, tuition payment plan, late payments, late registration, and returned checks.
A majority of AULA students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public, and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AULA. Returning to school is a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful one.
A special scholarship exists for undergraduate students transferring from a community college with whom AULA has an articulation agreement. If granted a Community College Scholarship, students receive 3 credits worth of free tuition in the first term, and 3 credits in the second term, a savings of $4,000. You are eligible for this scholarship if you have earned a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and at least 24 transferable semester credits at a qualifying community college.
Providing University level education for students who may not otherwise have access to higher education
Transfer Credits and Prior Learning
Transfer Credits
Prospective students with at least 36 quarter credits (equivalent to 24 semester credits) of college credits from an accredited institution can apply to complete their degree in one of Antioch’s Bachelor’s degrees. Our undergraduate programs accept a maximum of 120 quarter credits/80 semester credit lower-division credits that can be transferred toward your degree program. Antioch will accept 135 quarter credits (90 semester credits) of lower-division and upper-division learning that can be transferred toward your degree. The formal evaluation of previously earned transfer credits starts during the admission process. For more information regarding the specifics of transfer credits, please talk with your admissions counselor.
*Note: See specific articulation agreements for any exceptions to these parameters
Prior Learning Credits
Undergraduate students can earn up to 45 university quarter credits (30 semester credits) for demonstrating college-level learning gained outside of school, such as through work experience, professional training, military training, or personal experience. Demonstration of prior learning involves showing evidence of the student’s knowledge of the topic and situating that knowledge within an academic context. Earning academic credit for prior learning activities may accelerate a student’s time to degree completion and significantly reduce tuition costs. Antioch offers a workshop and course to support students interested in earning credit through prior learning.
Free Unofficial Transcript Evaluation
Want to know how long it’ll take to finish your degree at Antioch? Upload your unofficial transcripts for a free evaluation, and our advisors will contact you. No strings attached.
