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 or certificate; only one may overlap with a minor.
• 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

Crime, Law, and Society

Globalization, Environment, and Policy

Social Studies Teaching

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 101 Introduction to Business
• EC 201 Introduction to Economic Analysis: Microeconomics
• EC 202 Introduction to Economic Analysis: Macroeconomics

Methods Requirement

Complete both courses:

• BA 215 Accounting: Language of Business Decisions (ACTG 211 may substitute for BA 215 if taken in the State of Oregon)
• STAT 243Z Elementary Statistics I

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 (offered every term, pre-req SOC 204 or SOC 207)

Specialization Requirements

Must complete 7 of the following courses. At least two of the courses must be outside of Economics and Business.

• BA 316 Management: Creating Value through People, BA 317 Marketing: Creating Value for Customers, BA 318 Finance: Creating Value through Capital, BA 410 ("Business and Human Rights", Spring 2024 ONLY)
• EC (All 300+ and 400+ courses approved, except 400–409. See course descriptions)
• ENVS 345 Environmental Ethics
• GEOG 342 Geography of Globalization, GEOG 410 Economic Geography, GEOG 442 Urban Geography, GEOG 448 Tourism and Development, GEOG 468, GEOG 475 (ASIA 480)
  • GEOG 410 topic course is subject to change titles; only specific title “Economic Geography” is approved.
• GLBL 270*, GLBL 431 Cross-Cultural Communication
• HIST 363 American Business History, HIST 383 Soccer and Society in Latin America, HIST 425, HIST 463 American Economic History: [Topic]
• J 340, J 350 Principles of Public Relations
• PHIL 120
• PS 210*, PS 275 Legal Process An Introduction to the American Judiciary, PS 337 The Politics of Development, PS 340 International Political Economy, PS 460
• SOC 346 Work and Occupations, SOC 347, SOC 420
• WGS 341 Women, Work, and Class

***Please reach out to a Tykeson advisor to discuss suitable alternatives for PS 210 or GLBL 270.

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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 (offered every term, pre-req SOC 204 or SOC 207)

Specialization Requirements

Complete 8 of the following courses:

• ANTH 176 Introduction to Forensic Anthropology, ANTH 310, ANTH 322 Anthropology of the United States, ANTH 366 Human Osteology Laboratory, ANTH 410, ANTH 413, ANTH 473 Advanced Forensic Anthropology, ANTH 479 Taphonomy: Bones, Bugs, and Burials
  • ANTH 310 topic course is subject to change titles; only specific title “Race and Housing” is approved.
  • ANTH 410 topic course is subject to change titles; only specific title “Regarding Remains” is approved.
• ES 345M, ES 352 Social Equity and Criminal Justice, ES 410 (see notes), ES 450 Race and Incarceration, ES 452 Race and Ethnicity and the Law: [Topic]
  • ES 410 topic course is subject to change titles; only specific title “Muslims in the US” is approved.
• FHS 482, FHS 483 Prevention of Interpersonal Violence
• GEOG 343 Society, Culture, and Place
• GLBL 370
• J 385 Communication Law, J 397 Media Ethics, J 496
  • J 496 topic course is subject to change titles; only specific title “Communication Ethics and Law” is approved.
• LAW 410: Asylum & Refugee Law (Spring 2024 only)
• LING 415 Semantics
• PHIL 325, PHIL 344 Introduction to Philosophy of Law, PHIL 425 Philosophy of Language
• PPPM 418 Introduction to Public Law
• PS 348 Women and Politics, PS 368 Gender in the Law, PS 371 United States Congress, PS 375 Race, Politics, and the Law, PS 466 Civil Rights in Post-Warren Era, PS 470 Constitutional Law, PS 472 Matters of Life and Death, PS 485 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
• PSY 309 Psychopathology, PSY 366 Culture and Mental Health, PSY 380 Psychology of Gender, PSY 388
• SOC 199, SOC 313 Social Issues and Movements, SOC 328 Self and Society, SOC 330 Sociology of the Family, SOC 345, SOC 355, 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 452 Issues of Migration: [Topic], SOC 484 Issues in Deviance, Control, and Crime: [Topic]
• WGS 321 Feminist Perspectives: Identity, Race, Culture, WGS 341 Women, Work, and Class

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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

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 (offered every term, pre-req SOC 204 or SOC 207)

Breadth Requirements

Complete two courses from the following list. Consider these as prereqs for the specialization courses.

• ANTH 161 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
• EC 201 Introduction to Economic Analysis: Microeconomics
• ENVS 201* Introduction to Environmental Studies: Social Sciences
• GEOG 199 (Topic: Global Wildfires, Spring 2024 ONLY)
• GLBL 240 Perspectives on International Development, GLBL 250 Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective, GLBL 260 Culture, Capitalism, and Globalization, GLBL 280 Global Environmental Issues and Alternatives
• HIST 273 Introduction to Global Environmental History
• J 201 Media and Society
• LAS 212
• 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:

• ANTH 310, ANTH 329 Immigration and Farmworkers, ANTH 411
  ANTH 310 topic course is subject to title change; only specific title “Global Mental Health” is approved.
• EC 333 (prereq: EC 201)
• ENVS 335 Allocating Scarce Environmental Resources, ENVS 411 Environmental Issues: [Topic], ENVS 429 Environmental Leadership: [Topic], ENVS 435 (prereq: ENVS 201) Environmental Justice, ENVS 450 (prereq: ENVS 201) Political Ecology
  • ENVS 335 and EC 333 cover much of the same material. Students are encouraged to take one or the other. 
• ERTH 310
• GEOG 321 Climatology, GEOG 322 Geomorphology, GEOG 323 Biogeography, GEOG 341 Population and Environment, GEOG 342 Geography of Globalization, GEOG 410 Experimental Course: [Topic], GEOG 425 Hydrology and Water Resources, GEOG 430 Long-Term Environmental Change, GEOG 441 Political Geography, GEOG 448 Tourism and Development, GEOG 461, GEOG 463, GEOG 467, GEOG 475 (ASIA 480)
  • GEOG 410 topic course is subject to title change; only specific title “Economic Geography” is approved.
• GLBL 323 Islam and Global Forces, GLBL 345 Africa Today: Issues and Concerns , GLBL 360 International Cooperation and Conflict, GLBL 370 International Human Rights, GLBL 421 (prereq: GLBL 240) Gender and International Development, GLBL 423  Development and the Muslim World, GLBL 425 Global Food Security, GLBL 432 Indigenous Cultural Survival, 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
• HIST 415, HIST 473 American Environmental History: [Topic]
  • HIST 415 topic course is subject to title change; only specific title “Women and Globalization” is approved.
• J 320 Gender, Media, and Diversity, J 350 Principles of Public Relations, J 396 (prereq: J 201) International Communication, J 467 (prereq: J 201) Issues in International Communication: [Topic]
• PHIL 340 Environmental Philosophy
• PPPM 407, PPPM 408, PPPM 331 Environmental Management
  • Topic course is subject to title change; only specific titles “Seminar: Nonprofit Legal Issues” and “ENV Impact Statement” are approved.
• 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 471, PS 477 (prereq: PS 205 or ENVS 201) International Environmental Politics
• SOC 304 Community, Environment, and Society, SOC 416
• WGS 351 Decolonial Feminisms, WGS 432 Gender, Environment, and Development

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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 GSS 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 GSS director

US 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 GSS director

Economics

Must take Econ 201 and 202.

Government and Political Science

Must take 2 of the following courses:

• PS 201, 206
• 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

Research Methods Requirement

Complete one of the following courses:

• GEOG 391
• PPPM 415
• PS 102
• SOC 311 (offered every term, pre-req SOC 204 or SOC 207)

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.

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.

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Double Major Requirements

You may have a double major or add a minor, and you may overlap the coursework. For a double major, you may apply three courses both to GSS and to the other major. (The other major may have another policy. Please refer to the department/program for advising.) These courses must be part of both the GSS curriculum and the other major’s curriculum.

For a minor, you may apply one course both to GSS and the minor. This course must already be part of the GSS curriculum and the minor’s curriculum (i.e., GSS-AEBS and Media Studies can use J340 to satisfy both requirements, but students may not also use J350 to satisfy both the major and minor requirements).

Please note that the degree guide may not reflect the double-dipping policy and it will be the responsibility of the student to ensure they are meeting the requirements. For additional information, meet with an advisor.

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