Baccalaureate Degrees
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is a large and diversified unit offering more than 20 majors (some with additional choices of sub-specialization), several academic certificates and teaching endorsements, and numerous departmental minors, as well as a minor in computer applications.
The college also offers a selection of alternative programs for students who are highly motivated and who have a record of high scholarly achievement. Students may obtain information concerning any one of several departmental honors tracks from the participating department. These programs generally allow an accelerated exposure to higher education, thereby broadening the experience of the student.
All majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, along with University and general education requirements, lead to a bachelor’s degree. Requirements for each major are listed under the appropriate department. (Students wishing to emphasize a broad study in arts and letters, science, or social science may do so by majoring in liberal studies. For these options see Interdisciplinary Studies: Arts and Letters, Social Science.)
Certificates
Specialized academic certificates are offered by several units in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Applied Linguistics/TESL, Chicano/Latino Studies, World Languages/Teaching Japanese, Revitalizing Endangered Indigenous Languages, and postbaccalaureate certificates in Black Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. (Refer to the appropriate department for certificate requirements.) Requirements for these certificates are met concurrently with completion of a major in a selected field.
Secondary teaching licenses allow the student to teach the selected discipline at specified grade levels in public schools in Oregon. Recommended courses for those preparing to be teachers are listed under appropriate departments.
Minors
The following departments and programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offer academic minors: Anthropology, Applied Linguistics, Biology, Black Studies, Chemistry, Chicano/Latino Studies, Classical Studies, Communication, English, Environmental Geology, Environmental Studies, Film Studies, Geographic Information Systems, Geography, Geology, History, Indigenous Nations Studies, Judaic Studies, Mathematics and Statistics, Medieval Studies, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-Education (Elementary Education, Elementary Science, Secondary Education, and Special Education), Psychology, Sociology, Sustainability, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, World Languages and Literatures (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Persian, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish), and Writing. (Students majoring in a field of study outside Liberal Arts and Sciences also may declare an academic minor in one of these programs.) The requirements for these minors are indicated within the appropriate department sections of this Bulletin.
High School College programs
503-725-3430
Sally Hudson, Director
Joy Beckett, Coordinator
Challenge Program
The Challenge Program is a cooperative program between Portland State University and metropolitan area high schools. It provides eligible high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to take regular PSU college courses on their own campuses.
Students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 and have met course prerequisites are eligible to enroll in Challenge courses offered in their high school.
The Challenge Program currently offers introductory college courses in English, French, Spanish, History, Mathematics, Geology, PSU Honors, and Computer Science. Course content is equivalent to that offered to Portland State University students on the home campus. College-level texts and materials are used.
Students who successfully complete their Challenge Program coursework are entitled to a regular Portland State University transcript. The credit earned by the student can be transferred to many colleges and universities regionally and nationally.
More information is available at http://www.pdx.edu/challenge-program.