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Political Science Minor

The structure of the Political Science minor mirrors that of the major. In both, there is a “general” program of study that provides a wide array of choices among courses, as well as three “tracks” that afford students the opportunity for specialization. All students in the minor must complete at least seven courses (28 credits), of which at least 3 courses (12 credits) must be taken at Oregon State University. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in their OSU courses. In addition, no more than 4 credits from PS 401 – PS 410 may count toward the minor. No more than 8 credits may be from courses taken S/U.

Course List
Code Title Credits
General Minor  
Select two from the following introductory level courses: 8

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  
Select five upper-division 300/400 level courses in political science 20
Total Credits 28

Minor Tracks

Students can select one of three tracks in the minor: Law and Politics, International Affairs or Environmental and Energy Politics. These tracks correspond to the options within the Political Science major.

To complete any of these tracks within the minor, students must take the two introductory courses for the track, and at least four courses from the list of upper-division courses in the track. One of these may be a non-political science course on the list. The fifth upper-division course may be a political science course on the list, or may be an upper-division PS course not on the list.

LAW AND POLITICS TRACK

Course List
Code Title Credits
Introductory Courses  
PS 201 *INTRODUCTION TO UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 4
PS 206 *INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THOUGHT 4
Upper-Division Political Science Courses  
Select four courses from the following: 16

PS 311

CONGRESSIONAL POLITICS  

PS 312

PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS  

PS 325

*GENDER AND THE LAW  

PS 326

JUDICIAL PROCESS AND POLITICS  

PS 331

*STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS  

PS 361

CLASSICAL POLITICAL THOUGHT  

PS 362

MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT  

PS 363

*GENDER AND RACE IN AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT  

PS 365

AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT  

PS 371

PUBLIC POLICY PROBLEMS  

PS 372

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION  

PS 375

*THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND POLICIES  

PS 381

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: GOVERNMENT POWERS AND CONSTRAINTS  

PS 382

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: CIVIL LIBERTIES  

PS 383

*CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: CIVIL RIGHTS  

PS 384

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED  

PS 454

INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ORGANIZATIONS  

PS 462

THEORIES OF LAW  
Upper-Division Non-Political Science Courses  

ECON 461

LAW, ECONOMICS, AND REGULATION  

SOC 340

DEVIANT BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL CONTROL  

SOC 438

US IMMIGRATION ISSUES IN THE 21ST CENTURY  

SOC 440

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY  

SOC 441

CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY  

SOC 442

SOCIOLOGY OF DRUG USE AND ABUSE  

SOC 448

LAW AND SOCIETY  
Select one of the following: 4

Upper-division course from the list above

 

Upper-division PS course not on the list

 
Total Credits 28

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS TRACK

Course List
Code Title Credits
Introductory Courses  
PS 204 *INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS 4
PS 205 *INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 4
Upper-Division Political Science Courses  
Select four courses from the following: 16

PS 341

*EUROPEAN AND EU POLITICS  

PS 343

*RUSSIAN POLITICS  

PS 344

*LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS  

PS 345

*POLITICS OF DEVELOPING NATIONS  

PS 348

*CHINESE POLITICS  

PS 350

*JAPANESE POLITICS  

PS 351

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY  

PS 356

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS OF ASIA PACIFIC  

PS 441

DEMOCRATIZATION  

PS 446

EAST ASIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY  

PS 454

INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ORGANIZATIONS  

PS 455

*THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE  

PS 457

US-CHINA RELATIONS  

PS 458

INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY  

PS 470

GLOBAL FOOD POLITICS AND POLICY  

PS 477

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY  
Upper-Division Non-Political Science Courses  

ECON 340

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS  

ECON 440

ECONOMICS OF GLOBALIZATION  

ECON 441

INTERNATIONAL FINANCE THEORY AND POLICY  

ECON 455

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT  

SOC 360

*POPULATION TRENDS AND POLICY  

SOC 460

THE SOCIOLOGY OF GLOBALIZATION  
Select one of the following: 4

Upper-division course from the list above

 

Upper-division PS course not on the list

 
Total Credits 28

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY POLITICS TRACK

Course List
Code Title Credits
Introductory Courses  
PS 201 *INTRODUCTION TO UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 4
PS 205 *INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 4
Upper-Division Political Science Courses  
Select four courses from the following: 16

PS 314

INTEREST GROUP POLITICS  

PS 331

*STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS  

PS 371

PUBLIC POLICY PROBLEMS  

PS 372

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION  

PS 374

*SUSTAINABLE LIVING: PRACTICES AND POLICIES  

PS 455

*THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE  

PS 461

ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICAL THEORY  

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  
Upper-Division Non-Political Science Courses  

ECON 352/AEC 352

*ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY  

ECON 466

ECONOMICS OF TRADITIONAL AND RENEWABLE ENERGY  

FES 485

*CONSENSUS AND NATURAL RESOURCES  

SOC 381

SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY  

SOC 456

*SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIAL CONTEXT  

SOC 475

RURAL SOCIOLOGY  

SOC 480

*ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY  

SOC 481

*SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES  
Select one of the following: 4

Upper-division course from the list above

 

Upper-division PS course not on the list

 
Total Credits 28

*

Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)

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Writing Intensive Course (WIC)