The General Social Sciences Program (GSS) offers students the flexibility to design a major that combines courses from several departments across campus into a thematic concentration. All concentrations combine career training with the analytical skills of a liberal arts education and each concentration has its own core courses and a range of relevant electives.
Students can obtain a bachelor of arts (BA) or a bachelor of science (BS) degree while majoring in GSS. Bachelor of arts degrees require a second year of a second language, and a bachelor of science requires one year of math.
GSS Concentrations
Each concentration serves as a central focus for required and elective courses within the major. After declaring a concentration, students select courses from a wide range of social sciences departments as well as the university’s professional schools (Business, Education, Journalism, and Planning and Public Policy Management).
- The minimum GPA is a 2.0, similar to the university required GPA.
- Courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
- GSS students can change one of their major courses from graded to a P/NP.
- Only three classes which count for the GSS major may also count for another major, minor, or certificate. Additional electives may be required if there are more than three overlapping classes.
- At least 24 graded credits of major coursework must be completed in residence at the University of Oregon to qualify for a bachelor’s degree in general social sciences.
Students must select one of the following concentrations:
Applied Economics, Business, and Society
Globalization, Environment, and Policy
All courses counting for one of the four GSS concentrations in a given term can be found in the UO Class schedule with the subject codes below. GSS students are encouraged to use this as a tool before and during registration:
- GSAE for GSS: Applied Economics, Business, & Society
- GSCL for GSS: Crime, Law, & Society
- GSGE for GSS: Globalization, Environment, & Policy
- GSST for GSS: Social Studies Teaching
Applied Economics, Business and Society
Applied Economics, Business, and Society (AEBS) combines technical training in business with the analytical training of the liberal arts. This concentration draws heavily from courses in the Business School and the Economics department so that it offers specific business skills while also exploring how business works in society, on the national level, and in the global context. This concentration is designed specifically for students who wish to work in business or to pursue an MBA.
Students must complete 52 credits with a minimum of 24 upper division credits within the major. Students in the Applied Economics concentration cannot major in Business or minor in Business Administration.
Preliminary Core
Complete all three courses:
- BA 101Z - Introduction to Business
- EC 201Z - Principles of Microeconomics
- EC 202Z - Principles of Macroeconomics
Methods Requirement
Complete two courses:
- BA 215 - Accounting: Language of Business Decisions
- or BA 211Z Principles of Financial Accounting (formerly ACTG 211)
- STAT 243Z - Elementary Statistics I
- or SOC 312 - Statistical Analysis in Sociology
- or Math 425 - Statistical Methods I
Research Methods Requirement
Complete one of the following courses:
- GEOG 391 - Social Science Inquiry and Research
- PS 102 - Thinking Like a Social Scientist
- SOC 311 - Research Methods
- PPPM 415 - Policy and Planning Analysis
Specialization Requirements
Must complete 7 of the following courses. At least two of the courses must be outside of Economics and Business. Courses offered in either Marketing or Management subjects are considered to be Business classes and therefore do not count as outside EC or BA.
Anthropology
- ANTH 209 - Business Anthropology
- ANTH 311 - Anthropology of Globalization
Asian Studies
- ASIA 480 - Chinese Economy: Transition, Development, Globalization
Business Administration
- BA 316 - Management: Creating Value through People
- BA 317 - Marketing: Creating Value for Customers
- BA 318 - Finance: Creating Value through Capital
College of Arts and Sciences
- CAS 417 - Career Readiness (only 2 credits)
Economics
All 300+ and 400+ EC courses approved except 400–409. See course descriptions in UO Catalog - Economics Courses
Environmental Studies
- ENVS 345 - Environmental Ethics
Geography
- GEOG 342 - Geography of Globalization
- GEOG 410 - Experimental Course: [Topic] "Economic Geography" (Fall 2025 Only)
- GEOG 442 - Urban Geography
- GEOG 448 - Tourism and Development
- GEOG 468 - Contemporary Food Systems
Global Studies
- GLBL 270 - Globalization and the Global Economy
- GLBL 420 - Global Community Development
- GLBL 422 - Aid to Developing Countries
- GLBL 431 - Cross-Cultural Communication
History
- HIST 362 - History of US Cities
- HIST 363 - American Business History
- HIST 383 - Soccer and Society in Latin America
- HIST 463 - American Economic History: [Topic]
Journalism
- JCOM 304 - The Media Business
Philosophy
- PHIL 120 - Ethics of Enterprise and Exchange
Planning, Public Policy, & Management
- PPPM 370 - Global Sustainable Development and Policy
- PPPM 445 - Green Cities
- PPPM 446 - Socioeconomic Development Planning
Political Science
- PS 210 - Politics of Business
- PS 275 - Legal Process An Introduction to the American Judiciary
- PS 337 - The Politics of Development
- PS 340 - International Political Economy
- PS 478 - Globalization and Development
Sociology
- SOC 346 - Work and Occupations
- SOC 446 - Issues in Sociology of Work: [Topic]
Women's and Gender Studies
- WGS 341 - Women, Work, and Class
Crime, Law, and Society
Crime, Law, and Society (CLS) provides students with a broad exposure to problems that confront society relating to the causes, consequences, and policies regarding crime and socio-legal studies. This concentration offers a flexible curriculum designed for people interested in criminology, law school, or working in law enforcement or social services.
Students must complete 48 credits with a minimum of 24 upper division credits within the major. Students in the Crime, Law and Society concentration cannot minor in Criminology.
Preliminary Core
Complete three courses:
- SOC 204 - Introduction to Sociology OR SOC 207 - Social Inequality
- PS 275 - Legal Process An Introduction to the American Judiciary
- ES 101 - Introduction to Ethnic Studies
Methods Requirement
Complete ONE of the following courses:
- GEOG 391 - Social Science Inquiry and Research
- PPPM 415 - Policy and Planning Analysis
- PS 102 - Thinking Like a Social Scientist
- SOC 311 - Research Methods
Specialization Requirements
Complete 8 of the following courses:
Anthropology
- ANTH 176 - Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
- ANTH 278 - Science, Race, and Society
- ANTH 315 - Gender, Folklore, Inequality
- ANTH 322 - Anthropology of the United States
- ANTH 329 - Immigration and Farmworkers
- ANTH 366 - Human Osteology Laborator
- ANTH 425 - Migrant, Citizen, Refugee
- ANTH 438 - Race and Gender in Latin America
- ANTH 473 - Advanced Forensic Anthropology
- ANTH 479 - Taphonomy Bones, Bugs, and Burials
College of Arts and Sciences
- CAS 417 - Career Readiness [only two credits]
Conflict and Dispute Resolution Studies
- CRES 445 - Conflicts of Incarceration
Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies
- ES 310 - Race and Popular Culture: [Topic]
- ES 352 - Social Equity and Criminal Justice
- ES 380 - Race, Migration, and Rights
- ES 450 - Race and Incarceration
- ES 452 - Race and Ethnicity and the Law: [Topic]
- ES 460 - Race, Culture, Empire: [Topic]
Family and Human Services
- FHS 483 - Prevention of Interpersonal Violence
Geography
- GEOG 201 - World Regional Geography
- GEOG 343 - Society, Culture, and Place
- GEOG 442 - Urban Geography
- GEOG 444 - Cultural Geography
- GEOG 445 - Culture, Ethnicity, and Nationalism
Global Studies
- GLBL 250 - Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective
- GLBL 370 - International Human Rights
- GLBL 431 - Cross-Cultural Communication
- GLBL 434 - Language Policy and Multilingualism
Journalism
- JCOM 302 - Communication Law
- JCOM 303 - Media Ethics
Linguistics
- LING 201 - Language and Power in the United States
- LING 415 - Semantics
- LING 420 - Language, Mind, and Society
Philosophy
- PHIL 216 - Philosophy and Cultural Diversity
- PHIL 309 - Global Justice
- PHIL 344 - Introduction to Philosophy of Law
- PHIL 425 - Philosophy of Language
Planning, Public Policy, and Management
- PPPM 321 - Inclusive Urbanism
- PPPM 418 - Introduction to Public Law
Political Science
- PS 206 - Ethics, Identity, and Power
- PS 316 - Black Lives Matter and American Democracy
- PS 319 - The Politics of the Body
- PS 348 - Women and Politics
- PS 368 - Gender in the Law
- PS 371 - United States Congress
- PS 375 - Race, Politics, and the Law
- PS 380 - Gender and Politics in Developing Countries
- PS 449 - Racial Politics in the United States
- PS 465 - LGBT Rights in the Courts
- PS 466 - Civil Rights in Post-Warren Era
- PS 470 - Constitutional Law
- PS 472 - Matters of Life and Death
- PS 484 - United States Supreme Court
- PS 485 - Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
- PS 491 - Politics of Everyday Life
Psychology
- PSY 306 - Social Psychology
- PSY 309 - Psychopathology
- PSY 366 - Culture and Mental Health
- PSY 380 - Psychology of Gender
Sociology
- SOC 280 - Intro to Criminology
- SOC 313 - Social Issues and Movements
- SOC 328 - Self and Society
- SOC 330 - Sociology of the Family
- SOC 345 - Race and Ethnicity
- SOC 355 - Sociology of Gender
- SOC 370 - Urban Sociology
- SOC 380 - Introduction: Deviance, Control, and Crime
- SOC 425 - Issues in Sociology of Family: [Topic]
- SOC 445 - Sociology of Race and Ethnicity: [Topic]
- SOC 451 - Social Stratification
- SOC 452 - Issues of Migration: [Topic]
- SOC 484 - Issues in Deviance, Control, and Crime: [Topic]
Women's and Gender Studies
- WGS 221 - Bodies and Power
- WGS 261 - Gender and Popular Culture
- WGS 321 - Feminist Perspectives: Identity, Race, Culture
- WGS 341 - Women, Work, and Class
- WGS 451 - Global Perspectives on Gender: [Topic]
Globalization, Environment, and Policy
Globalization, Environment, and Policy (GEP) focuses on broad social-political and environmental issues at the regional and global levels, as well as policy planning designed to address these issues. The Globalization concentration prepares students hoping to work in green industry, government, NGOs, and environmental organizations. Additionally, the concentration prepares students to earn graduate degrees in planning, public management, policy studies or other applied social sciences with a global emphasis.
Students must complete 48 credits with a minimum of 24 upper division credits within the major.
Preliminary Core
Complete all three:
- GEOG 141 - The Natural Environment
- GEOG 142 - Human Geography
- PS 297 - Introduction to Environmental Politics
- Due to limited availability of PS 297, GEOG 342 has been approved to count in its place for all GSS - GEP students*
Methods Requirement
Complete one of the following courses:
- GEOG 391 - Social Science Inquiry and Research
- PPPM 415 - Policy and Planning Analysis
- PS 102 - Thinking Like a Social Scientist
- SOC 311 - Research Methods
Breadth Requirements
Complete two courses from the following list. Consider these as prerequisites for the specialization courses.
- ANTH 110 - Introduction to Traditional Ecological Knowledge
- ANTH 161 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
- EC 201Z - Principles of Microeconomics
- ENVS 201 - Introduction to Environmental Studies: Social Sciences
- GEOG 201 - World Regional Geography
- GEOG 250 - Geographies of Outdoor Adventure
- GLBL 240 - Perspectives on International Development
- GLBL 250 - Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective
- HIST 273 - Introduction to Global Environmental History
- JCOM 201 - Making Sense of Media
- LAW 201 - Introduction to Environmental Law and Policy
- LING 211 - Languages of the World
- PPPM 201 - Introduction to Public Policy
- PPPM 202 - Healthy Communities
- PS 205 - Introduction to International Relations
Specialization Requirements
Must complete 6 of the following courses:
Anthropology
- ANTH 274 - Animals and People
- ANTH 329 - Immigration and Farmworkers
Asian Studies
- ASIA 480 - Chinese Economy: Transition, Development, Globalization
College of Arts and Sciences
- CAS 417 - Career Readiness [only two credits]
Economics
- EC 333 - Resource and Environmental Economic Issues
Environmental Studies
- ENVS 335 - Allocating Scarce Environmental Resources
- ENVS 335 and EC 333 cover much of the same material. Students are discouraged from taking both.
- ENVS 345 - Environmental Ethics
- ENVS 350 - Ecological Footprint of Energy Generation
- ENVS 411 - Environmental Issues: [Topic]
- ENVS 429 - Environmental Leadership: [Topic]
- ENVS 430 - Nature in Popular Culture
- ENVS 435 - Environmental Justice
- ENVS 450 - Political Ecology
- ENVS 455 - Sustainability
- ENVS 459 - Water, Public Health, and the Environment
- ENVS 465 - Wetland Ecology and Management
- ENVS 467 - Sustainable Agriculture
Geography
- GEOG 321 - Climatology
- GEOG 322 - Geomorphology
- GEOG 323 - Biogeography
- GEOG 341 - Population and Environment
- GEOG 342 - Geography of Globalization*
- GEOG 360 - Watershed Science and Policy
- GEOG 361 - Global Environmental Change
- GEOG 410 - Experimental Course: [Topic]
- GEOG 421 - Advanced Climatology: [Topic]
- GEOG 425 - Hydrology and Water Resources
- GEOG 430 - Long-Term Environmental Change
- GEOG 441 - Political Geography
- GEOG 448 - Tourism and Development
Global Studies
- GLBL 345 - Africa Contemporary Issues and Concerns
- GLBL 360 - International Cooperation and Conflict
- GLBL 370 - International Human Rights
- GLBL 421 - Gender and International Development
- GLBL 425 - Global Food Security
- GLBL 433 - Childhood in Cross-Cultural Perspective
- GLBL 442 - South Asia: Development and Social Change
- GLBL 444 - Development and Social Change in Southeast Asia
- GLBL 446 - Development and Social Change in Latin America
History
- HIST 378 - American Environmental History to 1890
- HIST 415 - Advanced World History: [Topic]
- HIST 473 - American Environmental History: [Topic]
Journalism
- JCOM 301 - Gender, Media, and Diversity
- JCOM 306 - Global Communications
- JCOM 370 - Public Relations Fundamentals
Philosophy
- PHIL 340 - Environmental Philosophy
Planning, Public Policy, and Management
- PPPM 331 - Environmental Management
- PPPM 340 - Climate Change Policy
- PPPM 370 - Global Sustainable Development and Policy
- PPPM 407 - Seminar [Topic] "Seminar on Disaster Studies" Fall 2025 Only
- PPPM 408 - Workshop [Topic]
- Topic course is subject to title change; only specific titles “Seminar: Nonprofit Legal Issues” and “ENV Impact Statement” are approved.
- PPPM 442 - Sustainable Urban Development
- PPPM 443 - Natural Resource Policy
- PPPM 444 - Environmental Policy
Political Science
- PS 302 - States' Rights and Wrongs
- PS 304 - Democracy, Dictators, and Development
- PS 320 - International Organization
- PS 330 - Governments and Politics in Latin America
- PS 337 - The Politics of Development
- PS 367 - Politics, Science, and Climate Change
- PS 380 - Gender and Politics in Developing Countries
- PS 477 - International Environmental Politics
- PS 478 - Globalization and Development (Spring 2025 Only)
Romance Languages
- ITAL 399 - Mediating Migration (Spring 2025 Only)
- SPAN 399 - Spanish & Community in Lane County (Spring 2025 Only)
Sociology
- SOC 304 - Community, Environment, and Society
- SOC 416 - Issues in Environmental Sociology [Topic]
Women's and Gender Studies
- WGS 351 - Decolonial Feminisms
- WGS 432 - Gender, Environment, and Development
*GEOG 342 may count for either Preliminary Core (in place of PS 297) or Specialization, but not for both.
Social Studies Teaching
GSS Social Studies Teaching (SST) prepares students with the coursework requirements for admission to the graduate teacher licensure program at the University of Oregon — UOTeach. This concentration does not in and of itself lead to a teaching license. Rather, this concentration educates students in the content areas (history, economics, political science, etc.) required to enroll in a graduate program to become licensed to teach Social Studies at the middle or high school level.
Students must complete 68 credits with a minimum of 40 upper division credits within the major. Courses are subject to change as UOTeach/Oregon/National Content standards change. Courses cannot overlap between sections (i.e., section 1 & 2 or section 2 & 6, etc.).
Students in the Social Studies Teaching concentration need a 2.0 GPA to graduate, but keep in mind that you will need a minimum GPA of 3.0 to get admitted into a licensure program.
Preliminary Core
World History, Geography, Sociology, Psychology, and Anthropology
Choose any 2 of the following courses:
- ANTH 150, 161
- GEOG 201, 202, 205, 208, 209
- HIST 101/102/103, 104/105/106
- PSY 201, 202
- SOC 204, 207
European and World History
Choose any 2 of following courses. We recommend that students select one course from each of the two categories (European and world history), but this is only a recommendation and students may take both courses from the same section if they prefer.
European History:
- HIST 101–03 (Pre-Modern Europe series)
- HIST 301–03 (Modern Europe series)
- HIST 319–21 (Medieval Europe series)
- HIST 332, 336, 337, 342
- HIST 399 and 400-level courses with approval from the GSS Program Director
World History:
- HIST 104–06 (World History series)
- HIST 186 (India)
- HIST 190, 191 (China)
- HIST 325 (Africa)
- HIST 345, 346, 347 (Russia – USSR)
- HIST 380–82 (Latin America)
- HIST 386 (India)
- HIST 387 (China)
- HIST 399 and 400-level courses with approval from the GSS Program Director
United States History
Choose any 3 of the following courses:
- HIST 201, 202, 203
- HIST 250, 251
- HIST 308, 309, 351, 352, 363, 388
- HIST 399 and 400-level courses with approval from the GSS Program Director
Economics
Both courses are required:
- EC 201 - Introduction to Economic Analysis: Microeconomics
- EC 202 - Introduction to Economic Analysis: Macroeconomics
Government and Political Science
Must take 2 of the following courses:
- PS 201 - United States Politics
- PS 206 - Ethics, Identity, and Power
- PS 302 - States’ Rights (and Wrongs)
- PS 304 - Democracy, Dictators, and Development
- PS 308 - US Political Thought
- PS 309 - Political Ideologies
- PS 347 - Political Power, Influence, and Control
- PS 348 - Women and Politics
- PS 386 - United States Social Movements and Political Change
- PS 399 - U.S. Immigration (Spring 2025 Only)
- PS 478 - Globalization and Development (Spring 2025 Only)
Research Methods Requirement
Complete one of the following courses:
- GEOG 391 - Social Science Inquiry and Research
- PPPM 415 - Policy and Planning Analysis
- PS 102 - Thinking Like a Social Scientist
- SOC 311 - Research Methods
Specialization and Upper-Division Requirements
Complete 5 of the following courses. You must take at least one course from each of the following three areas: US History, Economics, and Political Science. The remaining two courses must be taken exclusively in one area of concentration.
GSS-SST majors declared prior to January 1, 2016: Take 6 of the following courses. You must take at least one course from each of the following three areas: US History, Economics, and Political Science. The remaining three courses must be taken exclusively in one area of concentration.
400-level courses from several areas of specialization are not listed below due to the significant number of prerequisites. However, you may take 400-level courses as substitutes for 300-level courses with approval from a General Social Science adviser.
Anthropology
ANTH 310, 315, 320, 322, 326, 329, 330, 331, 340, 343, 344, 365, 411, 429, 434, 442, 443, 448, 488
Economics
EC 327, 330, 333, 340, 350, 360, 370, 380, 390
Geography
GEOG 341, 342, 343, 441, 442, 445, 461, 463, 465, 471
Global Studies
GLBL 345, 399, 399, 421, 422, 423, 433, 442, 444, 445, 446
US History
HIST 308/309, 350/351, 352, 388, 449, 455, 456, 457, 461, 463, 466/467, 468, 469, 473
Non-US History
HIST 319, 320, 321, 325, 326, 332, 336/337,342, 345, 346, 347, 380/381/382, 386, 387, 396, 397, 412, 414, 415, 416, 417, 419, 420, 425, 427, 428, 441, 443, 446, 480, 482, 483, 484, 487, 490, 491, 498
Political Science
PS 302, 304, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 320, 324, 326, 337, 340, 342, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 352, 355, 371, 378, 386, 433, 440, 445, 446, 449, 455, 463, 467, 470, 475, 477, 479, 480, 484, 485, 491
Psychology
PSY 304, 308, 348, 366, 380, 383, 388
Sociology
SOC 301, 304, 310, 313, 317, 328, 330, 345, 346, 355, 380
Recommended Courses
It is recommended (but not required) that students take one to three courses in Education Studies in preparation for teacher training. Recommended courses include EDST 111, and 420. Additional courses might include EDST 342, 343, 399, 451, 452, 453, 454,455, 456, 457.
Double Major Requirements
Students majoring in General Social Sciences may count up to three GSS classes toward a second major or a minor if they choose to declare one. Students should note that other departments may have their own policies on overlapping courses, and a class must be part of both the GSS curriculum and the other major’s curriculum to count toward both.
Please note that a student's degree guide may not properly reflect the double-dipping policy and it will be the responsibility of the student to ensure they are meeting requirements. For additional information, meet with an advisor.