Program: Social Science, B.A. - Western Oregon University

Apr 08, 2025

2022-2023 Catalog

Professors: Mark Henkels, Mary Pettenger

Mission

Combines a general social science perspective with a specific discipline focus. The program prepares graduates for a specialized field as well as giving mobility across fields. Students learn the methods developed by their discipline to understand both the past and the present. Graduates apply these methods to resolving local, national and international issues.

Learning Outcomes

Critically analyze social issues from two or more disciplinary perspectives.
Effectively communicate about social issues in speech and in writing.
Demonstrate the ability to research the nature and consequences of social action in specific contexts.

Core Courses

The major requires 65 credits which must be from the following disciplines: Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Sustainability, History, Political Science or Sociology. A minimum of 36 credits must be upper division courses. No more than 20 credits may be in Criminal Justice. Courses should be chosen in consultation with a Social Science faculty advisor.

Students must also take at least one theory course and one methods course from the following lists:

Theory Courses

ANTH 311 Human Evolution Credits: 4
ANTH 324 Anthropological Theory Credits: 4
ANTH 480 History and Theory of Archaeology Credits: 4
CJ 450 Criminology Credits: 4
PS 414 Political Parties, Pressure Groups and Elections Credits: 4
PS 419 American Presidential Elections Credits: 4
PS 426 Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations Credits: 4
PS 440 Causes of War Credits: 4
PS 441 Causes of Peace Credits: 4
PS 449 Environmental Values and Political Action Credits: 4
PS 451 Political Theory: Plato to Marx Credits: 4
PS 452 Political Theory: Marx to Habermas Credits: 4
PS 469 Congress and the Presidency Credits: 4
PS 492 Political Ideologies Credits: 4
SOC 420 Political Sociology: Theories of the State Credits: 3
SOC 460 Feminist Theory Credits: 3
SOC 471 Classical Sociological Theory Credits: 4
SOC 472 Contemporary Sociological Theory Credits: 3
SUST 495 Senior Seminar Credits: 4
Any course approved by the academic adviser for this purpose

Methods Courses

ANTH 325 Ethnographic Methods Credits: 4
ANTH 326 Ethnographic Writing Credits: 4
ANTH 350 Research Methods in Archaeology Credits: 4
ANTH 352 Laboratory Methods in Archaeology Credits: 4
ANTH 360 Museum Studies Credits: 4
CJ 327 Research Methods in Criminal Justice Credits: 4
CJ 427 Quantitative Methods in Criminal Justice Credits: 4
HST 301 Introduction to Historical Research Credits: 4
PS 375 Scope and Methods of Political Science Credits: 4
SOC 325 Participant Observation and Qualitative Research Methods Credits: 4
SOC 327 Social Research Methods Credits: 4
SOC 328 Introduction to Social Data Analysis Credits: 4
Any course approved by the academic adviser for this purpose

Capstone

SSC 405 Capstone Credits: 1-4 Credits: 1
Note: Students must complete SSC 405 Capstone (1 credit) in consultation with a social science division advisor.

Total Credits: 65

Satisfactory Grade Use

Program requirements may be fulfilled with a grade of S.