Empowerment Self-Defense
Minor
About this program
The Minor in Empowerment Self-Defense helps you build skills to prevent violence and support safer communities. You’ll learn practical strategies for safety, emotional awareness and effective communication. This 19-unit program prepares you to teach an introductory ESD class and sit for the national certification exam. It pairs well with majors like Kinesiology, Public Health, Sociology or Criminal Justice and supports careers in advocacy, education and community work.
Program Curriculum and Requirements
Program Scope
The Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) Minor is a dynamic and interdisciplinary program that explores evidence-based strategies to prevent violence, foster personal empowerment, and build safer communities. The program gives you the opportunity to develop the competencies needed to sit for the ESD national certification exam and teach an introductory ESD class to your community or workplace. Spanning 19 units, this program complements majors in departments, including but not limited to Kinesiology, Sociology, Psychology, Public Health, Criminology, Women and Gender Studies, and Ethnic Studies.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Identify the physiological, psychological, and social aspects of violence and how systems of oppression perpetuate abuses of power in interpersonal relationships.
- Teach, demonstrate, and apply a wide range of mental, verbal, and physical strategies to avoid or interrupt violence.
- Apply trauma-informed pedagogy to an ESD class or workshop.