Labor Studies (BA) | CUNY Queens College

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 13-1075.00

Skills

Active ListeningSpeakingNegotiationReading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingPersuasionSocial Perceptiveness

Knowledge

Personnel and Human ResourcesEnglish LanguageLaw and GovernmentAdministration and Management

Abilities

Oral ExpressionOral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionWritten ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningSpeech ClaritySpeech RecognitionFluency of Ideas

Tasks

Negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
Investigate and evaluate union complaints or arguments to determine viability.
Propose resolutions for collective bargaining or other labor or contract negotiations.

Technology

Human resources softwareApplication server softwareData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software

Tools

Digital copiersHandheld calculatorsImage scannersLaptop computersLaser facsimile machinesOffice inkjet printersPersonal computers

Work Values

AchievementRelationshipsSupportWorking ConditionsRecognitionIndependence

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium13-1075.00	Labor Relations Specialists	title_inference	—	—	—

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: proficient (Level 3)(based on Bachelor's Degree)

Collective bargaining agreements — lead end-to-end negotiation of multi-year contracts autonomously, managing complex multi-issue sessions across large unionized organizations.
Union complaint evaluation — conduct in-depth, independent investigations of sophisticated grievances, applying deductive and inductive reasoning to determine merit and recommend disposition.
Strategic contract proposals — author comprehensive employer proposals and counter-proposals that balance legal defensibility, operational needs, and labor relations strategy.
Non-routine contractual interpretations — resolve ambiguous or disputed contract language for novel fact patterns, providing authoritative guidance to both management and union representatives.
Disciplinary hearing advocacy — build and present evidentiary cases at arbitration or formal hearings, including expert witness preparation and cross-examination strategy.
Mediation of labor disputes — independently mediate contentious impasses between employer and employee representatives, applying principled negotiation and problem-solving frameworks.
Systems-level compliance analysis — design and execute periodic audits of wage, hour, and employment condition data across business units, identifying systemic risk using ERP and database tools.
Labor law application — interpret and apply evolving statutory and regulatory requirements to organizational practices, advising leadership on legal exposure and corrective action.
Complex problem resolution — synthesize legal, operational, and interpersonal factors to develop durable solutions to multi-party labor conflicts in high-stakes environments.
Cross-functional coordination — collaborate with legal counsel, finance, and operations leaders to align collective bargaining strategy with broader organizational objectives.

Course Pathway

29 courses in this program

Program Requirements

Courses required to complete this program

LABST 101Introduction to Labor Studies

3 cr

ECON 101Introduction to Macroeconomics

3 cr

LABST 273Labor and Globalization

3 cr

URBST 200Methods in Urban Research

3 cr

LABST 215Development of Labor Movements

3 cr

LABST 310Critical Perspectives on Labor and the Law

3 cr

ECON 102Introduction to Microeconomics

3 cr

ECON 213Economics of the Labor Force

3 cr

ECON 214Economics of Organized Labor

3 cr

ECON 219Economics of Class, Race, and Sex

3 cr

ECON 249Statistics as Applied to Economics and

3 cr

HIST 275Business in American Life

3 cr

LABST 265Special Topics in Labor Studies

3 cr

PSCI 222Power in America

3 cr

PSCI 225Women in Politics and Government

3 cr

PSYCH 226Introduction to Industrial and

3 cr

SOC 219Social Class in American Society

3 cr

SOC 224Complex Organizations

3 cr

SOC 228Work, Industry, and Society

3 cr

URBST 101Urban Issues: Poverty and Affluence

3 cr

URBST 103Urban Diversity

3 cr

URBST 105Urban Politics

3 cr

URBST 202Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration

3 cr

URBST 210Urban Social Movements

3 cr

URBST 244Human Resource Management

3 cr

URBST 246Human Resource and Law

3 cr

URBST 257Public Budgeting

3 cr

URBST 310Community Organization and Advocacy

3 cr

URBST 310WCommunity Organization

3 cr

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.