Careers in public ser vice are particularly attractive to those who wish to approach their employment with a strong sense of personal commitment and even idealism, and to derive from it a greater sense of satisfaction and reward. Students may major in Peace Studies through the Individualized Major prog ram of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Peace Studies curriculum is coordinated by the UConn Council on Peace Education, appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to promote proj ects relating to Peace Education at the University. Over 300 colleges and unive rsities nationwide currently offer courses in the field of Peace Studies. Many o ffer minors or majors in Peace Studies and some, such as Syracuse, also offer gr aduate programs.
Peace is , thus, more than merely the absence of discord or war.
Positively, it denotes a state of active cooperation among individuals, social groups, and the natural world surrounding them. It is achieved by the prevalenc e of attitudes and strategies that promote a non-violent and just society at all levels of human activity. Peace must be built on a foundation of social justic e and human rights. When these are violated, the inevitable result, sooner or l ater, is the loss of peace. Peace Studies as an academic discipline provides kno wledge about the various ideologies and outlooks which guide social decision mak ing.