Regional Studies and Applied Research Certificate

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The Regional Studies and Applied Research (RSAR) Certificate program is a 34-credit interdisciplinary concentration within the Social Sciences Policy and Culture (SSPC) department. The overall goal of the Regional Studies and Applied Research Certificate program is to provide students with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand interrelationships among the social, cultural, economic, geographic and environmental aspects of a region. Although the region of southern Oregon will be emphasized in some of the classes, students pursuing this certificate will learn modeling processes that are widely transferable and applicable to other settings.

A second related goal is to give students a strong foundation in research methodology and applied research. Students will have sustained engagement in research projects that will build skills in data gathering and analysis, as well as synthesizing results and communicating findings. These skills will be directly applicable in the workplace or graduate school.

Introductory Course (4 credits)

GEOG 101 - Introduction to Geography: The Rogue Valley 4 credits

Core/Methods Courses (12 credits)

SOC 326 - Introduction to Social Research Methods 4 credits
Plus two courses drawn from the following:
ANTH 360 - Ethnographic Research Methods 4 credits
ANTH 462 - Cultural Resource Management 4 credits
EC 332 - Quantitative Methods and Application 4 credits
EC 364 - Benefit-Cost Analysis in Project Assessment 4 credits
PS 311 - Public Opinion and Survey Research 4 credits
SOC 327 - Quantitative Data Analysis 4 credits

Subject Area Courses (8-12 credits)

Courses meeting this requirement should have a regional, applied or policy orientation. Subject area classes will be determined by the student and advisor. Examples of subject area classes include:

ANTH 336 - Topics in Global/Local Interconnections 4 credits
ANTH 460 - Applied Anthropology 4 credits
ANTH 464 - Cultural Rights 4 credits
EC 310 - The Environment and the Local Economy 4 credits
EC 351 - Oregon’s Future 4 credits
EC 478 - Business Cycles and Macroeconomic Forecasting 4 credits
ES 423 - Sustainability and Natural Resources 4 credits
ES 492 - Field Geography 4 credits
or
GEOG 492 - Field Geography 4 credits
GEOG 108 - Global Lands and Livelihoods 4 credits
GEOG 350 - Urban Environments 4 credits
SOC 304 - Poverty, Family, and Policy 4 credits
SOC 310 - Community Studies 4 credits
SOC 425 - Food, Power, and Agriculture 4 credits

Research Experience (10-12 credits)

Students will engage in applied research for several quarters, optimally spread over three terms as 2-4-4 credits per term. This may be accomplished by working on a specific resarch project at SOURCE (Southern Oregon University Research Center), working on SOURCE’s annnual regional report and/or working with a faculty member on a research project.