Political Science Department
The program in Political Science prepares students for careers in local, state, federal, and international agencies, for the law and for service in private-sector organizations. It is also designed to provide a solid subject matter background for those who may wish to become certified teachers in the Social Science area. Western's program emphasizes three major subfields of Political Science: International Relations and Comparative Politics; Administration and Political Processes; Public Policy and Law (the latter two focusing on American Government). For more information, please contact Dr. Mark Henkels, 838-8544, henkelm@wou.edu, of contact any of the following Political Science faculty members.
- Oregon Politics and Government: Progressive versus Conservative Populism - Internet Resources
Political Science Faculty:
Edwin Dover, Professor
Mark Henkels, Professor, Department Head
Mary Pettenger, Assistant Professor
BA/BS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
For more information, please contact Dr. Mark Henkels, 838-8544, HSS 207.
Political Science Major (72 Credits Total)
PS 201 American National Government (3)
PS 202 State and Local Government (3)
PS 203 International Relations (3)
PS 350 Introduction to Public Policy (3)
PS 351 Introduction to Public Administration (3)
PS 352 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3)
--- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Choose two in International Relations and Comparative Politics (3)
- PS 303 Politics and Governments of Europe
- PS 460 Government and Politics of Asia
- PS 461 Politics and Governments of Post-Communist States
- PS 463 Governments and Politics of Developing States
- PS 477 International Environmental Politics
- PS 478 Political Fiction and Film
- PS 481 International Law
- PS 492 Ideologies of the Twentieth-first Century
- PS 493 International Organizations
- PS 497 American Foreign Relations
- (depending on content, PS 199, 399, 406, 407, 409, 410)
Choose two in Administration and Political Processes (3)
- PS 325 Democracy in Theory and Practice
- PS 414 Political Parties, Pressure Groups and Elections
- PS 415 Politics and Psychology
- PS 416 Politics and Communication
- PS 419 American Presidential Elections
- PS 426 Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations
- PS 454 Public Personnel and Administration
- PS 466 Governmental Budgeting
- PS 469 Congress and the Presidency
- PS 490 Community Politics
- PS 495 Public Sector Labor Relations
- (depending on content PS 199, 399, 406, 407, 409, 410)
Choose two in Public Policy and Law (3)
- PS 423 Issues in National Policy
- PS 424 Policy-making in the States
- PS 430 Aging Society
- PS 435 Women and Politics
- PS 436 Gender and Politics
- PS 445 Introduction to Policy Analysis
- PS 446 Land Resource Politics and Policy
- PS 447 Environmental Politics and Policy
- PS 449 Environmental Values and Political Action
- PS 479 Constitutional Law
- PS 480 Administrative Law
- PS 484 American Jurisprudence
- PS 485 Legal Research and Writing
(depending on content, PS 199, 399, 406, 407, 409, 410)
Electives in Political Science (12)
Electives in Social Science/Political Science (24)
Note: For the B.S. degree in Political Science, students may take any combination of Math/Computer Science/Statistics courses as long as it includes at least one Math course beyond MTH 105 and one Computer Science course beyond CS 101.
For more information, please Dr. Mark Henkels, 838-8544, HSS 207.
Political Science Minor (27 Credits Total)
PS 201 American National Government (3)
PS 202 State and Local Government (3)
PS 203 International Relations (3)
PS 350 Introduction to Public Policy (3)
PS 352 Introduction to Public Administration (3)
Upper division electives in Political Science (9)
