In the Peace and Global Studies (PAGS) Program, students explore strategies for constructing a just and peaceful world. They study issues of violence in all its forms, including war, poverty, racism, sexism and colonialism; nonviolent initiatives for social change and peacebuilding; and conflict resolution and conflict transformation. The primary goal of the program is to develop students' competencies in fields contributing toward social transformation and peace.

The course of study begins with a sequence of classes in Economics, History, Philosophy and Politics. These classes help students understand the extant structures of our society to open an exploration into the root causes of injustice and violence. At the upper-division level, the program offers courses that analyze ways of transforming existing structures on all levels, from the personal to the global. Courses such as International Law, Conflict Resolution, Philosophy of Social Science, Marxism, Urban Political Economy and Methods of Peacemaking expose advanced students to theories of and methods for change.

The program is committed to creating opportunities for students to apply what they have learned to particular sites under the guidance of experienced organizers and activists. These activities sometimes take the form of semester-long courses in Northern Ireland, on the Mexico-U.S. border or at the Indianapolis Peace Institute. They may also involve May Term experiences, internships, workshops and participation in some of the many Earlham student groups committed to progressive social change.

PAGS graduates work around the globe. They are affiliated with non-governmental organizations, human rights groups, political campaigns, environmental organizations, alternative media, religious organizations and international agencies. In the United States, they are employed as mediators, rights advocates, journalists, lobbyists, community organizers, doctors, lawyers, ministers, teachers and university professors.