Curriculum
The coursework in Oregon State’s rural policy graduate certificate program will help you join the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers who can engage rural communities in place-based research and develop knowledge of these communities and environments in order to effect positive change.
All core classes are taught by Ph.D. faculty in OSU’s School of Public Policy who are subject matter experts in the courses they teach. These multidisciplinary faculty are actively engaged in research related to public policy, rural social sciences and rural public policy.
Program coursework
As a student in this 18-credit program, you can choose from more than a dozen courses that will provide the skills and competencies you need to understand economic, social, political and cultural dynamics of rural places, and to design and evaluate rural policy. For detailed information about the courses in the program, please visit the Oregon State General Catalog.
Core courses (10 credits)
You will complete a policy-brief writing project as part of a capstone course (PPOL 501), under the supervision of the certificate coordinator, Mark Edwards, Ph.D.
- PPOL 552 – International Comparative Rural Policy (4 units)
- SOC 539 – Welfare and Social Services (4 units)
- PPOL 501 – Research and Scholarship (2 units)
Electives (8 credits)
These are the program’s currently approved elective courses, and you must earn at least 8 credits from this group.
- AEC 554 – Rural Development Economics and Policy (3 units)
- ANTH 581 – Natural Resources and Community Values (3 units)
- AEC 534 – Environmental and Resource Economics (3 units)
- PS 575 – Environmental Politics and Policy (3 units)
- RS 521 – Rural Social Safety Net (3 units)
- SNR 520 – Social Aspects of Sustainable Natural Resources (3 units)
- SOC 580 – Environmental Sociology (4 units)
- SOC 581 – Society and Natural Resources (4 units)
- PPOL 505 – Reading and Conference (variable units)
You may petition to take other elective courses with the approval of the rural policy program’s certificate coordinator.
Notice: Oregon State University students may now take part in internships anywhere in the United States. Read more about Ecampus’ authorization to operate in your state.
Important dates
See our academic calendar for our full quarter term schedule.
Degree details
* Oregon State University is on a quarter-term system. There are four quarters each year and classes are 11 weeks long. This program's 18 quarter credits are equal to 12 semester credits.
† Cost per credit is calculated using tuition per credit for the current academic year. It does not include associated fees, course materials, textbook expenses, and other expenses related to courses.
‡ You can complete all courses in this program 100% online. View the curriculum.
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