Program Overview

Political Science Undergraduate Major (BA, BS, HBA, HBS)

The Political Science Undergraduate Major at Oregon State University offers students a comprehensive education in the systematic study of politics. This major provides students with the opportunity to think critically, write clearly, and speak persuasively, while exploring the ideas of great political thinkers and the political fundamentals behind current events.

Overview

Political Science is the systematic study of politics wherever it takes placein governmental institutions, the international arena, and civil society. Students in this major can choose from a general political science major or one of three options: Environmental and Energy Politics, International Affairs, or Law and Politics.

Major Requirements

Students selecting the Political Science major must complete 52 credits of political science coursework, of which at least 36 credits must be upper-division courses. The major requirements include:

• Comprehending the basic structures and processes of government systems and/or theoretical underpinnings
• Analyzing political problems, arguments, information, and/or theories
• Applying methods appropriate for accumulating and interpreting data applicable to the discipline of political science

Course Requirements

The major requires the following courses:

Foundation Courses

• Select three courses from the following:
  • PS 201: Introduction to United States Government and Politics
  • PS 204: Introduction to Comparative Politics
  • PS 205: Introduction to International Relations
  • PS 206: Introduction to Political Thought

Methods/WIC

• PS 300: Research Methods (4 credits)

Upper-Division Subfield Courses

• Select one course from at least three of the four following subfields:
  1. American national government and politics
  2. Comparative politics
  3. International relations
  4. Political philosophy

Additional Upper-Division PS Courses

• 24 credits

Options

The Political Science major offers three transcript-visible options:

1. Environmental and Energy Politics
2. International Affairs
3. Law and Politics

Additional Requirements

• Majors are required to maintain a minimum cumulative 2.00 grade-point average for all political science coursework.
• Majors must earn a C grade or better in PS 300.
• Students must complete the BA or BS requirements specified by the College of Liberal Arts.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Political science majors are strongly encouraged to pursue experiential learning and other educational opportunities outside of the classroom, such as research, thesis writing, projects, or internships. A maximum of 8 credits from any combination of PS 401PS 410 may be applied to the major.

Major Code

The major code for the Political Science Undergraduate Major is 960.