Cesar Chavez. Ronald Reagan. Indira Gandhi. Mao Zedong. Sojourner Truth. These are all such different people with different political goals, and yet they all have something in common: they all understood the nature of power and political action, and they used their knowledge to change the world. A political science degree from Portland State University will give you the tools to understand power and to make changes in the world that you believe in. Maybe these changes will be very small, maybe they will be very big, but the knowledge you gain from getting a degree in political science will give you what you need to take your vision for our neighborhoods, city, state, country, or world and put it into action.
Your classes in the political science department will teach you the nature of power in our world through an option of lenses based on your interest. We offer a wide variety of perspectives so that you can pick the approach that is most interesting to you.
- In our American Politics classes, students learn about the political system of the United States, as well as the history, culture, and social movements in this country. Classes in this field also engage the local politics of Portland as well as state politics in Oregon.
- In our Comparative Politics classes, students learn about the domestic politics of other countries. If you wonder about how the Prime Minister is chosen in Germany, how Augusto Pinochet -the former dictator in Chile- overthrew the democratically elected government, or how government restrictions affect the lives of women in Iran, this is the field for you.
- Our International Relations classes teach our students to understand how governments interact with one another. This sometimes means the study of war, but more often means learning about the role of international organizations and international law in facilitating negotiation and communication among countries.
- Students in our Political Theory classes read books that challenge commonly held views of what constitutes politics and how political change occurs. In exploring contending ideas of power, justice, authority, freedom, and so forth, political theory students develop their own theories of politics.
At Portland State University, we offer four specializations in American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory, along with two Political Science tracks in International Development and Public Service, and two minors in Law & Legal Studies and Political Science.
Major in Political Science
The standard major offers a traditional course of study in political science that involves some exposure to four basic areas of the discipline. In addition to meeting the University's general education requirements, a student wishing to pursue a basic major in political science must take a minimum of 48 credits in political science distributed as follows. The distinguishing feature of the B.S. degree is that it requires either PS 295 or PS 495 as one of the Upper Division Requirements, while the B.A. does not require either of these courses.
Minor in Political Science
The minor in political science requires fewer credits than the standard major and may be combined with other majors offered at PSU. Of the 28 required course credits, students must complete at least 16 at PSU. This minor can be completed entirely online.
Public Service Option
The Public Service option is designed for Political Science majors who want more hands-on experience or are interested in practical politics. The curriculum provides students with a strong foundation in American government while instilling in them an understanding of public service. Students in this track are required to serve an internship in a governmental or political office. This track requires 48 credits of coursework and is only an option for students adhering to degree requirements in effect as of the 2013-14 academic year.
International Development Option
The International Development option is designed for political science majors who want to pursue a directed course of study on such topics as global governance, international and development economics, foreign aid and humanitarian assistance, poverty reduction and human development, sustainable development, and international and intergenerational justice. This track requires 60 credits of coursework and is only an option for students adhering to degree requirements in effect as of the 2013-14 academic year.
Honors
The Honors Program in Political Science is designed for our top students who seek out additional intellectual challenges, including research and writing an honors thesis during their senior year. It is distinct from the University Honors Program, but political science majors may be admitted to both programs. Contact the Political Science Department for more information.
Bachelor's + Master's Program
Our Bachelor's + Master's Program allows currently admitted political science undergraduates to get a head-start on their master's degree! Students admitted into our Pathway Program are able to take up to 20 credit hours of 500 level course work as an undergraduate and apply the credits to their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Admitted Pathway students have the potential to start their graduate program with 20 credits already completed. Contact Graduate Committee Chair, Professor David Kinsella for further details.