Trained chemists who enjoy working with people and encouraging them to learn about scientific principles and emerging issues find employment in schools, universities, museums, and other organizations. They may also work at universities or organizations to develop best practices for STEM education. Science policymakers and advisors directly develop STEM education policy or work with lawmakers to create legislation. The following FRINQ, SINQ, Upper-division Cluster, and Senior Capstones are recommended for students in the STEM Education & Policy career pathway.
Career examples
- primary or secondary science educator or administrator
- independent STEM/outdoor education school or camp operator
- community college or university professor
- public science educator/administrator or outreach coordinator
- STEM education researcher
- STEM education advisor or policymaker
Some careers require graduate degrees (e.g., STEM policy or education MS or PhD) or specialized training (e.g., science policy internships). A chemistry research thesis-based PhD is typically required to teach chemistry at four-year colleges and universities.
Freshman Inquiry Courses (FRINQ)
You are required* to take one year-long Freshman Inquiry (FRINQ) course (totaling 15 credits), which must be taken in sequence. Ideally, this course should be completed during fall, winter, and spring of your first year.
*All students entering as freshmen are required to take FRINQ, with the exception of those in the Honors Program or Liberal Studies. Transfer students are required to take FRINQ depending on the number of transfer credits they have the term they are admitted to Portland State University. If you transfer with 90+ credits, the FRINQ requirement is waived.
Sophomore Inquiry Courses (SINQ)
Students are required** to take three Sophomore Inquiry (SINQ) courses (totaling 12 credits), linked to three different clusters. Ideally, these courses will be completed during fall, winter, and spring of your second year.
**Transfer students are required to take SINQ depending on the number and type of transfer credits they have the term they are admitted to Portland State University. University Studies credit will be given only for Cluster courses taken from the same Cluster.
We recommend choosing SINQ courses that are linked to the upper-division (junior) clusters listed below. Choose wisely since you are only allowed to take courses for your upper-division course requirement (below) from a cluster linked to a SINQ that you have completed.
Upper-Division (Junior) Clusters
All students are required to complete three courses (totaling 12 credits) from a single upper-division/Junior cluster (one of the three you selected for SINQ). Ideally, these will be completed during fall, winter, and spring of your third year. We recommend choosing these three courses from one of the clusters below. Choose wisely to build knowledge and experience relevant to your career pathway.
Recommended Courses within Clusters (note cross-listing) (see the University Studies website for a complete list of courses within each cluster)
Community Studies
This course addresses social structural issues of communities embedded in their spatial, political, and economic contexts.
- CHLA 450U Latinos in the Education System
- ESM 355U Understanding Environmental Sustainability
- ESM 356U Understanding Environmental Sustainability II
- PA 311U Intro to Civic Leadership
- PA 312U Foundations of Community Leadership
- SOC 337U Minorities
Environmental Sustainability
This course introduces students to the study of environmental sustainability, and to the ways in which a wide variety of disciplines address environmental issues.
- CH 371U Environmental Chemistry
- ESM 355U Understanding Environmental Sustainability
- ESM 356U Understanding Environmental Sustainability II
- GEOG 340U Global Water Issues and Sustainability
- GEOG 346U World Population and Food Supply
- GEOG 347U Environmental Issues and Action
- PHL 310U Environmental Ethics
- PHL 375U Food Ethics
- SCI 331U Atmospheric Interactions I
- SCI 332U Atmospheric Interactions II
- SCI 335U Water in the Environment I
- SCI 336U Water in the Environment II
- SCI 338U Investigating Forest Ecosystems
- SCI 357U Sustain US/Mexico Border Region
- SOC 341U Population Trends and Policy
- SYSC 334U Modeling Socio-Ecological Systems
- SYSC 350U Indigenous and Systems Perspectives on Sustainability
- USP 313U Urban Planning: Environmental Issues
Global Environmental Change
This course will provide enough content and description of the global system for students to have a conceptual framework to do further studies on global environmental change.
- CH 360U Origins of Life on Earth
- ENG 368U Literature and Ecology
- G 340U Life of the Past
- G 341U Geology of The Oregon Country
- G 342U Volcanoes and Earthquakes
- G 344U Geology of National Parks
- G 345U Life in the Universe
- G 351U Oceanography
- GEOG 310U / SCI 333U Climate and Water Resources (crosslisted with SCI 333U)
- GEOG 311U Climatology
- GEOG 312U /SCI 334U Climate Variability (crosslisted with SCI 312U)
- GEOG 313U Biogeography
- GEOG 314U Severe Weather
- GEOG 322U Alpine Environments
- GEOG / PH 333U Weather (crosslisted with PH 333U)
- GEOG 340U Global Water Issues and Sustainability
- GEOG 346U World Population and Food Supply
- GEOG 347U Environmental Issues and Action
- HST 339U Environment and History
- PH 375U The Earth’s Climate and Human Life
- PHL 310U Environmental Ethics
- SCI 357U Sustain US / Mexico Border Region
- SYSC 334U Modeling Socio-Ecological Systems
Healthy People/Healthy Places
This sophomore inquiry will examine the nature and state of healthy individuals in their various environments. Topics will focus on ways to solve and prevent problems that may affect the health and wellbeing of the individual, the local environment and/or the global community.
- ELP 356U The Urban Schools and 'At Risk' Status
- PHE 325U Nutrition for Health
- PHE 326U Drug Education
- PHE 335U Human Sexuality
- PHE 443U Environmental Health
- USP 350U Concepts of Citizen Participation
- USP 424U Healthy Communities
Leading Social Change
This course will provide a foundation of leadership theory and will examine models of leadership in relation to the theory and concepts of change.
- COMM 312U Media Literacy
- COMM 313U Communication in Groups
- COMM 314U Persuasion
- COMM 323U Organizational Communication
- COMM / WS 337U Communication and Gender (crosslisted with WS 337U)
- CR 301U Introduction ot Conflict Resolution
- CR 303U Consensus Building: Theory and Practice
- ELP 318U Education Leadership in Schools
- ELP 356U The Urban Schools and 'At Risk' Status
- ELP 362U Understanding Environmental Sustainability
- ESM 355U Understanding Environmental Sustainability
- PA 311U Introduction to Civic Engagement
- PA 312U Foundations of Community Leadership
- PA 313U Fundamentals of Public Service
- PA 314U Special Topics: Student Leadership
- PA 315U Managing People for Change
- PA 417U Ethical Leadership
- PHL 307U Philosphy of Social Change
- PHL 308U Elementary Ethics
- PHL 310U Environmental Ethics
- PHL 316U Social and Political Philosophy
- PHL 320U Critical Thinking
- PS 313U The Power Game
- PS 318U Media, Opinion and Voting
- PS 325U Politics and Legal Enforcement of Morals
- UNST 399U The Engaged Citizen: Social Media and Online Leadership
- UNST 399U The Engaged Citizen: Sustainability
- USP 317U Intro to International Community Development
- USP 356U The Urban Schools and 'At Risk' Status
Senior Capstone
This 6 credit Senior Capstone course is your final general education requirement and should ideally be taken during any term of your fourth year. Choose wisely to continue building knowledge and skills relevant to your career pathway, and to gain experience with critical thinking and problem solving, communication and teamwork, self-assessment and organization, and project management.
We strongly recommend choosing a capstone from the Research, Education-Youth, Global Perspectives, or Grantwriting theme areas such as:
- Research and Society
- Research Experience for Science Majors
- Nature in the Neighborhood
- Case Studies in Environmental Problem Solving
- Volunteer Stream Monitor Summer
- Mentoring and Empowerment at NAYA
- Science Inquiry in the Outdoor Classroom
- Leadership and Mentoring
- Neighborhoods and Watersheds
- Promoting science inquiry in middle school classrooms: Water quality in freshwater habitats
- GirlPower!
- Educational Equity
- Enhancing Youth Literacy: Service in K-12 Settings
- Access for Education
- Communication Education NUHS
- Engaging Environmental Education
- Grantwriting: Environmental Advocacy (supporting Multnomah ESD Outdoor School)
- Indigenous Grantwriting
- Migrant Children
- Global PDX: African Children
- Environmental Education through Native American Lenses