Program Overview

Public Policy Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)

Overview

The Public Policy Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS) at Oregon State University is designed to equip students with the necessary research, analytical, and management skills to understand the complexities of policymaking. The program connects students with policymakers and knowledge-producers, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the political, economic, and social constraints faced by policymakers.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:

• Apply social science methods and policy analysis to practical problems of government, communities, regions, and/or global issues.
• Apply oral and written communication skills in public appearances, written reports, and documents.
• Demonstrate critical thinking about public policy issues.
• Demonstrate the ability to conduct professional analyses of social, political, and economic structures and bureaucratic processes.

Requirements

• Majors are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 across public policy major requirements.
• Majors must have a C or better for courses applied to the methods core.
• Majors are required to take a minimum of five courses in their major specialization within the School of Public Policy (ECON, PPOL, PS, SOC).
• Majors must complete a minimum of 60 credits in major-required courses. None of the 60 credits may be taken S/U.
• A maximum of 8 credits from any combination of PPOL blanket courses may be applied to the major, although additional credits from courses in this range may be applied to general graduation requirements. PPOL 410 is allowed for a maximum of 4 credits.

Course List

Core

• PPOL 201: Introduction to Public Policy (4 credits)
• PS 331: State and Local Politics (4 credits)
• PS 371/PPOL 371: Public Policy Problems (4 credits)
• PS 372/PPOL 372: Public Administration (4 credits)
• PPOL 413: Ethics in Public Policy (4 credits)
• PPOL 415: Professional and Career Development Skills (2 credits)
• PPOL 460: Power, Inequality, and Public Policy (4 credits)
• Select one course from the following: ECON 435, PS 458, or SOC 360 (4 credits)

Methods

• ST 243Z: Elementary Statistics I (4 credits)
• PPOL 421: Introduction to Policy Research (4 credits)
• PPOL 422: Policy Analysis (4 credits) or PS 300: Research Methods (4 credits)

Specialization

Students must select at least 5 courses for a minimum of 18 credits from one of the following specializations:

• Environmental Policy Specialization
• Rural Policy Specialization
• Social Policy Specialization
• General Policy Specialization

Specializations

Environmental Policy Specialization

• ECON 352/AEC 352: Environmental Economics and Policy
• ECON 439: Public Policy Analysis
• ECON 466: Economics of Traditional and Renewable Energy
• PPOL 410: Internship/Work Experience
• PPOL 441/SOC 482: Energy, Climate and Society
• PPOL 446: The Policy and Law of U.S. Coastal Governance
• PPOL 447: Integrated Policy: Food, Energy, Water, Climate
• PPOL 448: Marine Policy in the United States
• PS 374: Sustainable Living: Practices and Policies
• PS 455: The Politics of Climate Change
• PS 470: Global Food Politics and Policy
• PS 473: US Energy Policy
• PS 475: Environmental Politics and Policy
• PS 476: Science and Politics
• PS 477: International Environmental Politics and Policy
• PS 478: Renewable Energy Policy
• SOC 381: Social Dimensions of Sustainability
• SOC 454: Leisure and Culture
• SOC 480: Environmental Sociology
• SOC 481: Society and Natural Resources

Rural Policy Specialization

• ECON 352/AEC 352: Environmental Economics and Policy
• ECON 455: Economic Development
• PPOL 410: Internship/Work Experience
• PPOL 447: Integrated Policy: Food, Energy, Water, Climate
• PS 345: Politics of Developing Nations
• PS 453/PPOL 453: International Development Policy
• PS 470: Global Food Politics and Policy
• PS 475: Environmental Politics and Policy
• SOC 381: Social Dimensions of Sustainability
• SOC 454: Leisure and Culture
• SOC 475: Rural Sociology
• SOC 480: Environmental Sociology
• SOC 481: Society and Natural Resources

Social Policy Specialization

• ECON 464: Economics of Education
• ECON 383: The Economics of Discrimination
• ECON 414: Behavioral Economics
• ECON 439: Public Policy Analysis
• ECON 440: Economics of Globalization
• ECON 455: Economic Development
• ECON 480: Labor Economics and Social Policy
• ECON 491: Economics of Inequality
• PPOL 410: Internship/Work Experience
• PPOL 441/SOC 482: Energy, Climate and Society
• PPOL 450: Leadership Lessons from Higher Education
• PPOL 455: Housing Policy
• PS 110: Governing After the Zombie Apocalypse
• PS 315: The Politics of Media
• PS 317: Gender and Politics
• PS 325: Gender and the Law
• PS 345: Politics of Developing Nations
• PS 363: Gender and Race in American Political Thought
• PS 375: The Civil Rights Movement and Policies
• PS 470: Global Food Politics and Policy
• SOC 312: Sociology of the Family
• SOC 350: Health, Illness and Society
• SOC 355: Death and Dying
• SOC 412: Sociology of Work and Family
• SOC 426: Social Inequality
• SOC 430: Gender and Society
• SOC 432: Sociology of Aging
• SOC 437: Race and Ethnic Relations
• SOC 438: US Immigration Issues in the 21st Century
• SOC 439: Welfare and Social Services
• SOC 452: Sociology of Religion
• SOC 454: Leisure and Culture
• SOC 460: The Sociology of Globalization
• SOC 470: Collective Behavior
• SOC 471: Protests and Social Change

General Policy Specialization

• ECON 352/AEC 352: Environmental Economics and Policy
• ECON 383: The Economics of Discrimination
• ECON 414: Behavioral Economics
• ECON 439: Public Policy Analysis
• ECON 440: Economics of Globalization
• ECON 455: Economic Development
• ECON 461: Law, Economics, and Regulation
• ECON 464: Economics of Education
• ECON 466: Economics of Traditional and Renewable Energy
• ECON 480: Labor Economics and Social Policy
• ECON 491: Economics of Inequality
• PPOL 410: Internship/Work Experience
• PPOL 441/SOC 482: Energy, Climate and Society
• PPOL 446: The Policy and Law of U.S. Coastal Governance
• PPOL 447: Integrated Policy: Food, Energy, Water, Climate
• PPOL 448: Marine Policy in the United States
• PPOL 450: Leadership Lessons from Higher Education
• PPOL 453/PS 453: International Development Policy
• PPOL 455: Housing Policy
• PPOL 474/PS 474: International Energy Politics and Policy
• PS 315: The Politics of Media
• PS 325: Gender and the Law
• PS 345: Politics of Developing Nations
• PS 363: Gender and Race in American Political Thought
• PS 374: Sustainable Living: Practices and Policies
• PS 375: The Civil Rights Movement and Policies
• PS 455: The Politics of Climate Change
• PS 470: Global Food Politics and Policy
• PS 473: US Energy Policy
• PS 475: Environmental Politics and Policy
• PS 476: Science and Politics
• PS 477: International Environmental Politics and Policy
• PS 478: Renewable Energy Policy
• SOC 312: Sociology of the Family
• SOC 350: Health, Illness and Society
• SOC 355: Death and Dying
• SOC 381: Social Dimensions of Sustainability
• SOC 412: Sociology of Work and Family
• SOC 426: Social Inequality
• SOC 430: Gender and Society
• SOC 432: Sociology of Aging
• SOC 437: Race and Ethnic Relations
• SOC 438: US Immigration Issues in the 21st Century
• SOC 439: Welfare and Social Services
• SOC 452: Sociology of Religion
• SOC 454: Leisure and Culture
• SOC 455: Education & Inequality
• SOC 460: The Sociology of Globalization
• SOC 470: Collective Behavior
• SOC 471/PPOL 471: Protests and Social Change
• SOC 475: Rural Sociology
• SOC 480: Environmental Sociology
• SOC 481: Society and Natural Resources

Additional Requirements

• Remaining Core Ed, CLA Core, BS Requirements and Electives: 120 credits
• Total Credits: 180 credits

Plan of Study

The plan of study is subject to change, and students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them.

First Year

• Fall: PPOL 201, WR 121Z, Math, Core Ed: Transitions
• Winter: Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society, Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General, Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis, Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations
• Spring: Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global, Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis, CLA Core: Humanities, CLA Core: Social Science

Second Year

• Fall: ST 243Z, CLA Core: Non-Western Culture, Core Ed: Writing Elevation, Core Ed: Seeking Solutions
• Winter: PPOL 372, CLA Core: Fine Arts, Elective, Elective
• Spring: PPOL 371, PS 331, Specialization Course, Elective

Third Year

• Fall: PPOL 415, CLA Core: Additional Course, Elective, Elective
• Winter: PPOL 421, ECON 435 or PS 458 or SOC 360, Specialization Course, Elective
• Spring: PPOL 413, PPOL 422 or PS 300, PPOL 460, Specialization Course

Fourth Year

• Fall: BS Science Course, Specialization Course, Elective, Elective
• Winter: BS Computer Science, Elective, Elective, Elective
• Spring: Specialization Course, Upper-Division Elective, Elective, Elective

Major Code

The Major Code for the Public Policy Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS) is 801.