Degrees and Programs

The mission of the American Studies major at OSU-Cascades is to prepare students to spark new thinking and practices in a broad range of fields including business, teaching, fine arts, arts administration, law, medicine, public service, and graduate programs in the humanities or social sciences.

Anthropology bridges sciences and the humanities while developing critical thinking, communication, group processes, and the ability to work independently.

These courses of study integrate anthropological theory and practice within a specific concentration chosen by the student.

Applied Ethics builds upon the various courses in ethics taught in the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion and courses with ethics-related content found throughout the university, in order to provide students with a systematic and thorough understanding of the moral world for their civic, professional, and personal lives.

In our complex world, employers need professionals who can dig deeply into a diverse range of cultural perspectives to gain a better understanding and communicate more effectively. That’s the spirit of Oregon State University’s B.A./B.S. in Applied Humanities online degree program, one that will help you build a strong foundation in liberal arts with a focus on cultural responsiveness and communication.

The art history program offers a comprehensive overview of the history of art, with special emphasis on contemporary and Asian art.

This program provides students with the required skills needed for the contemporary visual arts and design fields. Specifically, the degree provides students with skills in digital imaging, video, design, interactivity, gaming, and 3D output as well as basic visual studies fundamentals in creative communication, color theory, image output and display.

Provides a broad background in Asian languages and cultures which will enable the student to explore Asia from various disciplinary perspectives in order to prepare for graduate study or a professional career.

The minor program will provide an opportunity for students majoring in fields such as business, engineering, or sciences who will be working in Asia or with Asians. They will gain a significant degree of cultural literacy that will be critical for their professional success.

Learn proven strategies to enhance your professional writing skills.

No matter your industry, if you want to bring great ideas and projects to life, you must be able to effectively communicate with your co-workers, clients and consumers. Sharpening your professional writing and communication skills will boost your ability to collaborate on complex projects and convey information in a way that’s compelling and clear.

Learn what it takes to build your content creation enterprise

Content is king, as the saying goes. And to carve out your place in the dynamic age of digital communication, you need to sharpen your skills in gathering, evaluating and writing content for digital media publication.

The College Student Services Administration program offers preparation in the organization, leadership and administration of programs, services, and facilities in postsecondary education.

This minor combines courses from several areas to foster an objective understanding of contemplative practices and philosophies by studying them in the context of psychology, philosophy, religion, history, health, and other academic areas.

The Contemporary Music Industry program provides the history and practice of contemporary musics within a broad cultural, creative and project-based context. Students develop and apply their skills through understanding established and emergent musical styles and creative problem-solving. Students explore their creative interests, learn their craft, and acquire adaptable skills to be able to express themselves through music.

Master the art of producing and sharing professional-quality content

The digital media field is growing rapidly — a trend that experts anticipate will continue far into the future. What the industry needs is people with the abilities to meet consumer demands through the design, production, distribution and maintenance of high-quality content for digital media use.

The creative writing major’s disciplinary foundations are the study of the craft of creative writing combined with rigorous study of literature. Students develop their expertise in reading literature in conjunction with their development of writing craft.

Digital Communication Arts studies the intersection of media and social life. Throughout history, new media have produced profound changes in human interaction. Family life, politics, commerce, religion, and the distribution of privileges have all been subject to fundamental revision in the wake of new technologies for communication.

Be a force for good and reduce economic disparities

Social and economic inequality are increasingly prominent features of our lives. Professionals with an economic skill set bring a distinct collection of tools to measure, analyze and create policy on these disparities.

Economic analysis is a must-have tool for professionals in the private, public and nonprofit sectors in order to study how individuals and institutions allocate resources — and the consequences of the resource distribution.

This major offers the following options: • General Economics • Law, Economics and Policy • Managerial Economics • Mathematical Economics

Become a middle or high school teacher by earning two bachelor’s degrees concurrently – education and a degree in the content area you want to teach. Take classes with expert faculty who have teaching experience in K-12 classrooms. Highly trained supervisors in your content area work closely with you as you complete your year-long student teaching experience.

Rooted in Sociology, Economics, Political Science, and various natural resource sciences, students will gain valuable interdisciplinary insights into complex challenges involving energy resources. Students are offered a choice of several courses that will prepare them with the skills and competencies needed to understand economic, social, political and cultural dynamics of energy policy, and to design and evaluate energy policy as it pertains to Oregon and other contexts.

The English major includes an array of subjects ranging in literary history to film and visual culture, creative and nonfiction writing, rhetoric and literacy, and the digital humanities.

Ethnic Studies is an interdisciplinary field critically engaging the historical and ongoing impact of race and ethnicity primarily in the US but within a global context.

The Film Studies minor is designed to give students a coherent introduction to film criticism, theory, and history (what those of us in the field call "critical studies") as well as more specialized and/or advanced classes in film genres, authors (auteurs), and cultural studies.

This certificate is available as a standalone program. Food is more than simple nourishment. It is part of a system of communication firmly rooted in individual and group identities within cultures around the world.

French is the official language in 29 countries around the world and an official language of the United Nations, NATO, the European Union and the International Red Cross.

Individualized development of German language proficiency and intercultural competence via intensive content-based language learning following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Tap into technology and experts as you learn German

Earning a microcredential in German online from Oregon State University will enhance your communication skills as you engage with the latest language-learning technologies, learn from native-speaking faculty and interact with students from all over the world.

“Development” refers to the expansion of economic activity, integration into global flows of information and commerce, and improvement of the quality of life.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design (GD) is an exciting and rigorous program at OSU. The disciplinary foundations of graphic design are rooted in visual problem solving, design theory and history, as well as professional practices that tie into business and marketing for specific audiences.

A Guitar Minor designed to introduce students to essential concepts in music theory, history, technology, and performance in both the solo and ensemble mediums.

This major offers the following options:

• Community History and Civic Engagement
• Global Perspectives on War, Peace, and Empire
• History of Science and Technology

Graduate Areas of Concentration History of science and medicine, development of the physical, biological, and environmental sciences, intellectual and social history of science in Europe and the U.S.

The International Degree is Oregon State University’s unique double-degree program. It allows any interested undergraduate student the opportunity to explore the international dimensions of any primary major. International Degree students demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a second language, knowledge in international affairs and global issues, international and/or domestic intercultural experience, and ability to conduct research through a thesis or capstone project.

Introductory Italian and Intermediate Italian

Learn to speak, read and write in Italian. Italian influences are evident in everyday life all around the world, especially in fashion, food and architecture. Now you can learn the Italian language and broaden your understanding of this rich culture — online with Oregon State University. 

The Japanese language program is designed to give students the cultural and linguistic tools they need to be able to navigate the challenges of verbal communication in Japanese even with the limited knowledge of sentence structures and expressions typical of beginning students. 

The online Korean courses are developed and taught by the Oregon State faculty specialized in 2^nd language acquisition. The personalized and engaging learning environment provides you with the tools you need to be confident in your skills and advance your career.

The interdisciplinary Language in Culture undergraduate certificate provides students who have an interest in language diversity and linguistics the opportunity and skills to deepen their knowledge of the structure and power of languages.

A BA or BS degree in Liberal Studies is available for students whose academic and career interests suggest greater curricular breadth and flexibility than is available in other major programs.

Linguistics examines linguistic diversity systematically and critically. Explores everyday, ordinary connections between language and larger power dynamics.

Marine Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that explores the dynamic relationship between people and the marine environment. The Marine Studies program contributes to this field by emphasizing the human dimensions and perspectives of the coasts and ocean. These human dimensions coalesce in the social sciences, arts, and humanities.

This certificate is available as a standalone program. The undergraduate certificate in Medical Humanities offers OSU students a multi-disciplinary integrated program to study health, medicine, and the healing professions.

Earning a microcredential in medical Spanish online can help you provide better comprehensive care to Spanish-speaking patients. With this microcredential, you’ll deepen your listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing skills, with a focus on health care and medical language.

Issues such as war and peace have continually been part of the human condition. This military history minor is designed to better inform students regarding the questions and controversies surrounding military and peace studies.

The School of Arts and Communication participates in the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree and Master of Arts in Teaching degree. Contact the school for entrance requirements for the MAT degree.

The Music Performance minor focuses attention on the development of performance skills in studio lessons and ensembles that contribute to aptitudes and proficiencies necessary for a lifetime participation in the arts.

This major offers the following option(s):

• Instrumental Performance
• Music Education
• Piano Performance and Pedagogy
• Piano Performance
• Vocal Performance, Pedagogy and Literature

New Media Communications (NMC) minor focuses on mediated storytelling and the new media technology that makes it possible.

The undergraduate certificate in Peace Studies offers OSU students a multi-disciplinary, integrated program focused on strategies for peace. The certificate incorporates courses from a wide variety of disciplines.

Philosophy provides a broad education and intellectual skills that are useful in many occupations and areas of life. It is also a valuable background for graduate study in philosophy and religious studies and for advanced study in such professional fields as law and public service.

The Photography minor creates an opportunity for non-Photography majors to study and practice photography, digital imaging and collaborative digital arts practices.

This major offers the following option(s):

• Environmental and Energy Politics
• International Affairs
• Law and Politics

Political Science is the systematic study of politics wherever it takes place—in governmental institutions, the international arena, and civil society.

The Popular Music Studies minor provides an opportunity for students to examine popular music as a cultural, social, creative and a viable economic field. The minor provides students with literacy in several popular music genres including American music, rock n’ roll, hip hop, film music, reggae, musical theatre, songwriting, jazz, music business and software. This minor does not require an audition or ability to read music.

More information about medical school, and careers in medicine, can be found at the College of Science's Premedical website. The medical preceptorship program is designed for junior and senior pre-medical students interested in gaining valuable experience in the medical field. Students are matched with community physicians according to the student's interests and availability in local hospitals, clinics and physicians' offices.

The School of Psychological Science offers students a variety of educational avenues that provide the necessary tools for competency in, and appreciation for, psychology as a scientific discipline. Many of our graduates will go straight into the workforce into areas such as human services, human resources, and educational assistants.

The discipline of public policy is closely connected to the practice of policy and this program ensures that students interact with policy-makers as well as the knowledge-producers who support policy decisions. The Public Policy Major will provide students with a set of research, analytical, and management skills that will be transferable across sectors and across issue areas.

Our world is shaped by the policies that govern us. Whether you’re interested in the environment, housing, energy or another sector entirely, creating meaningful change takes a deep understanding of the theories and frameworks that shape policy and strong leadership skills. 

The undergraduate minor in Queer Studies prepares students to examine how gender and sexuality are constructed and policed and, further, imagines liberatory futures for people of all genders and sexualities.

The School of History, Philosophy, and Religion offers a BA or BS degree in Religious Studies as well as a minor in Religious Studies, and an undergraduate certificate in medical humanities. Courses emphasize skills in critical thinking, argumentative and expository writing, cultural literacy, citizenship, and global diversity.

The Graduate Certificate in Rural Policy is an 18-credit multi-disciplinary offered through OSU Extended Campus by the School of Public Policy. Students have a choice of over a dozen courses that will prepare them with the skills and competencies needed to understand economic, social, political and cultural dynamics of rural places, and to design and evaluate rural policy as it pertains to Oregon and other contexts.

The undergraduate certificate in Scientific, Technical, and Professional Communication is an interdisciplinary program offered by the School of Writing, Literature and Film and the School of Arts and Communication.

When you earn a microcredential in serving LGBTQIA+ communities online from Oregon State, you’ll gain the understanding and skills you need to directly serve LGBTQIA+ communities across the country. This microcredential will introduce you to key concepts, histories and political frameworks within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer political movements.

The Social Justice minor provides interdisciplinary academic classes in which students think critically about social justice and experiential learning activities in which students engage in the work of social justice.

At OSU-Cascades (Bend, OR), students can pursue a social science degree with an option in law and society, cultures and identities, community development and leadership, humans and the environment, or a general SSCI option.

This major offers the following option(s):

• Crime and Justice
• Environmental and Natural Resource Sociology

Sociology is the study of human social behavior and sociologists examine interactions within and between groups and resulting social institutions.

The Spanish program at Oregon State University provides students with the opportunity to learn about and through the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Spanish-speaking world, both locally and globally. Our classes are student-centered and proficiency-based, and they prepare students to live bilingually both in their personal and professional lives.

Introductory Spanish and Intermediate Spanish

Learn to speak, read and write in Spanish. If you've never taken a Spanish class before — or if you have some experience but want to build your confidence before moving to the next level — Oregon State University's online microcredential in introductory Spanish will help you gain the language skills and proficiency you need.

This major offers the following option(s):

• Communication
• Theater Arts

Students majoring in Speech Communication must choose between a Communication option and a Theater Arts option.

The studio art program is an interdisciplinary curriculum that enables students to gain a deeper understanding of their own ideas and how they relate to larger historical and cultural contexts. Courses at the 100 level stress fundamental aspects of visual literacy. Courses numbered 200 through 499 offer increasingly intensive study in painting, printmaking, sculpture, expanded media, and drawing. We have an outstanding scholarship program, and we encourage majors to apply for these awards.

The course requirements for students pursuing a Theatre Arts option are designed with the intention of allowing students and their faculty advisers to devise a program most suited to the student's specific needs and objectives.

User experience and research focuses on the psychological aspects of the field of human’s interactions with computer technologies. User experience research is a subarea of Human Computer Interaction and the behavior sciences.

The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies major represents multidisciplinary approaches to the study of gender and sexuality, particularly as they intersect with race, ethnicity, class, culture, nation, and ability.

The School of Writing, Literature, and Film offers a Writing Minor that is distinctive and flexible. Coursework toward a the Writing Minor may be taken on-campus or through Ecampus, or with a combination of on-campus and Ecampus courses.

The program combines yoga praxis and instruction with academic accountability and a scholarly approach to yoga made possible by OSU’s expertise in the academic study of yoga.