Taylor 103A
541-552-6124
Dustin Walcher, Chair

The mission of the political science program is to promote in our students an appreciation for the rich history and dynamics of political thought and life. Political science at SOU encourages an awareness of our students’ obligations as citizens, their potential as active participants in public life, and their connections through political and cultural institutions to the rest of the world.

The political science program provides a solid liberal arts curriculum that prepares students for active engagement in public and private settings with a keen understanding of political institutions and processes. The curriculum, with its emphasis on political behavior, law, public opinion research, and political thought, is designed to interface with a variety of other majors. In particular, the program strives to engender in students a balance between the theoretical and philosophical “politics of ideas” and the pragmatic applied processes and behaviors of “politics on the street.” Through service-learning and internship programs, the program offers students experiences in politics, government, law, and social research. The political science faculty provides active mentorship to students seeking academic challenge and community involvement.

Combining Majors and Minors

With the exception the Political Science minor, students pursuing a Political Science major are eligible for any other majors, minors, and certificates offered by any other program on campus without restriction.  Courses that count toward the degree requirements of other majors and minors - including courses, cross-listed or otherwise, that may be applied to both History and Political Science degree requirements - may be applied toward each of the relevant majors and minors pursued.

Program Requirements

Programs

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science

• •  Political Science, BA or BS

Minor

• •  Political Science Minor

Courses

Political Science

• •  PS 199 - Special Studies
• •  PS 201 - Power and Politics
• •  PS 202 - Introduction to American Government and Politics
• •  PS 310 - Media and American Politics
• •  PS 311 - Public Opinion and Survey Research
• •  PS 312 - Health Care Policy
• •  PS 313 - American Politics
• •  PS 317 - American Collective Action
• •  PS 320 - International Law
• •  PS 324 - Political Campaigns
• •  PS 325 - Elections, Money, and Democracy in America
• •  PS 329 - American Legal History
• •  PS 332 - Money and Power in the United States since 1929
• •  PS 340 - Law, Science, and the Environment
• •  PS 341 - The Constitution and the Supreme Court
• •  PS 343 - The U.S. Presidency
• •  PS 344 - Congressional Politics
• •  PS 350 - World Politics
• •  PS 355 - Comparative Politics
• •  PS 358 - Terrorism
• •  PS 360 - Politics and Film
• •  PS 364 - Empire & Decolonization
• •  PS 371 - Topics in Political Philosophy
• •  PS 372 - Twentieth-Century Revolutions
• •  PS 382 - Vietnam War and Film
• •  PS 393 - Oil, Politics, and the Environment
• •  PS 399 - Special Studies
• •  PS 401 - Research
• •  PS 403 - Thesis
• •  PS 405 - Reading and Conference
• •  PS 407 - Seminar
• •  PS 409 - Practicum
• •  PS 452 - United States Foreign Relations through 1945
• •  PS 453 - The Cold War
• •  PS 454 - U.S.-Latin American Relations
• •  PS 460 - Grand Strategy
• •  PS 461 - U.S. Foreign Relations Since 1991
• •  PS 498 - Senior Seminar
• •  PS 501 - Research
• •  PS 503 - Thesis
• •  PS 505 - Reading and Conference
• •  PS 507 - Seminar
• •  PS 509 - Practicum
• •  PS 521 - International Law
• •  PS 530A - Nonprofit Grantwriting and Government Relations
• •  PS 530B - Nonprofit Volunteerism, Board Development, and Community Mobilization
• •  PS 536 - Health Care Policy: “Obamacare and Beyond”
• •  PS 569 - Topics in Political Philosophy