COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

120 Introduction to American Politics - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the purposes of American government, civil rights, the federal system, the powers and functions of the three branches of government, political parties and interest groups, and contemporary problems.  Offered every semester.

130 Introduction to International Relations - 3 Semester Hours
A general introduction to the major concepts and theories employed to analyze world affairs, and to the behavior of major actors involved - states, international organizations and  multinational corporations. Offered every semester.

135 Comparative Political Systems - 3 Semester Hours
Comparative study of different political systems with an emphasis on the frameworks used to compare them, and the concepts used to analyze and describe politics in different countries.  Includes case studies.  Offered every year.

150 Introduction to Political Theory - 3 Semester Hours
This course is an introduction to the study, reading, and analysis of political texts, designed for students who do not have much familiarity with politics or theory, but are interested in investigating enduring questions of political thought, such as: What is freedom? What is the relationship between politics and conflict? What does it mean to be a member of a polity? What is justice? Offered every year.

199 First-Year Seminar - 1-3 Semester Hours
An open discussion of some political topics of current interest. Discussion centers around causes and possible remedies of some of the maladies of modern society. The different alternatives are discussed with an eye toward acquiring a better understanding of the problems. May be taken for up to 3 semester hours.

201 Politics and Violence - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the modern and enduring questions about violence, its origins, causes, and its cures, this course explores violence from a political science as well as from an interdisciplinary perspective. Offered every semester.

205 The United Nations in World Affairs - 3 Semester Hours
The structure and functions of the United Nations and the way it deals with major issues of war and peace. The rules of operation of the United Nations to facilitate student participation in Model UN Conferences.  Offered every two years.

218 Community Service - 3 Semester Hours
Democratic theory calls for participation of citizens not only in decision-making but also in community affairs. Students will be offered the opportunity to be involved in their community by volunteering their services, and time, to not-for-profit organizations as a community service. Such participation would foster community asset building and be beneficial to both the student volunteer and the community at large. 

220 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties - 3 Semester Hours
A survey of current controversies regarding civil rights and civil liberties, such as the right to privacy, freedom of speech, affirmative action, sexual harassment, gay rights, et al. Recommended: POLS 120.

221 State & Local Government - 3 Semester Hours
An examination of the structure and policies of state and local governments in the U.S. and the relationships among national, state and local governments in the areas of education, welfare, criminal justice, economic development and environmental protection.

224 Politics and Society in Latin America - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the impact of factors such as religion, wealth, natural resources, modern ideologies, nationalism, etc., on the lives of individuals, groups and nations and on politics of Latin America. May be used for General Education under Different Culture or Social Science area if the course is not used to meet the major requirements.

225 Ethnic Conflict and Nationalism - 3 Semester Hours
Since the end of the Cold War, there has been an increase in nationalism and ethnic conflict throughout the world. This course analyzes this increasingly important international phenomenon, focusing on the causes and the characteristics of nationalism, the international consequences of what might appear to be national problems, and the prospects of conflict resolution and political reform in areas suffering from these problems.  Offered every year.

226 Politics & Society in Africa - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the political cultures of African nations north and south of the Sahara. A study of the impact of factors such as religion, wealth, natural resources, geographic location, ethnic mix, modern ideologies, etc. on the lives of individuals and nations and on the politics of African nations. Offered Fall Semester.

227 Judicial Process and Politics - 3 Semester Hours
This course will provide an overview of the American legal process from a political perspective, covering basic court structure, legal actors, criminal and civil procedures, judicial impact, and comparative court systems.  Prerequisite: POLS 120 or instructor’s permission.   Offered every year.

228 Public Service - 3 Semester Hours
The theory and practice of public service and administration. The emphasis is on political processes as they affect administrative policy and problem solving in public and non-profit organizations. Prerequisite: POLS 120.  Offered every year

260 Classical  Political Thought - 3 Semester Hours
What is politics?  This course looks at Greek and Christian thinkers who first considered this question, from Sophocles to Plato to St. Augustine.  Offered every two years.

270 Politics and Society in Middle East - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the impact of factors such as religion, wealth, natural resources, traditional ideologies, modern ideologies, etc., on the lives of individuals and nations and on politics in the countries of the Middle East and among them.  Offered every year.

280 Intro to Political Research - 3 Semester Hours
An introduction to research approaches in the discipline of political science covering the scope of the discipline, the different schools of thought and approaches to the study of the discipline. Emphasis is placed on secondary research. Students are introduced to the “classical” works and journals in the field, usage of statistics and computers, the Internet and multimedia devices as research tools. Students also are introduced to the institutional, functional, philosophical and legal approaches to the study of politics. A strong background in mathematics and/or statistics is highly recommended. Offered fall semester. Prerequisite: POLS 120 or instructor’s permission.

315 American Political Thought - 3 Semester Hours
An examination of the role of ideas in shaping American politics. Covering major political movements in the U.S. including revolutionary thought, constitutionalism, populism, pragmatism, socialism, conservatism, communitarianism and feminism. Prerequisite: POLS 120.

320 Constitutional Law - 3 Semester Hours
Judicial function in constitutional cases; division of powers between the nation and the states, and within the national government; powers of the President, limitations on the powers of government, separation of powers; protection of individual rights. Prerequisite: POLS 120.

321 American Presidency - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the institution of the presidency, the gradual growth of formal and informal tools of presidential power, the influence that different presidents have brought to the office, the significance of presidential style and character, recruitment patterns for the presidency, and various suggestions to reform the institution. Prerequisite: POLS 120.

322 Political Parties & Pressure Groups - 3 Semester Hours
Development, characteristics, organization and politics of the major American political parties. Includes an examination of the nominating process, party campaigns and finances, elections, voting behavior and the role and techniques of interest groups. Prerequisite: POLS 120.

325 Modern Political Theory - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the political ideas central to liberalism and its critics.  Focus will be on Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Marx.  Offered every two years.

330 Race & American Politics - 3 Semester Hours
A study of the impact, effects and consequences of race and racism in American politics. Emphasis is placed on the origins, definitions and political consequences of race and racism within American politics. Prerequisite: POLS 120 or instructor’s permission.  Offered every year.

332 European Political Systems - 3 Semester Hours
A comparative study of the political ideological, social and economic development in European political systems with emphasis on the British, French and German systems. Emphasis is placed on cultural and institutional aspects with a systems approach. Prerequisite: sophomore standing.  Offered every year.

333 Media and Politics - 3 Semester Hours
An examination of the role, process and power of the mass media in American politics. Includes an examination of media impact and effects at the individual, group, institutional and cultural levels in American politics. Prerequisite: POLS 120 or instructor’s permission.

335 Latin America Political Systems - 3 Semester Hours
A comparative study of the structure and dynamics of Latin American governments and politics.  Prerequisite: Sophomore standing.  Offered on demand.

336 Post- Communist Political Systems - 3 Semester Hours
A comparative study of transitions from communistic to liberal political and economic systems, and an analysis of unique problems of conversion from totalitarian systems to democracy, and from command economies to market economies. The course also includes discussion of countries which did not make the above transition.  Prerequisite:135 or instructor’s permission.  Offered every two years.

337 Asian Political Systems - 3 Semester Hours
A comparative study of the political systems in Asia with an emphasis on the structure of governments, the extent of their effectiveness and the role of non-governmental actors: army; political parties; economic, social and cultural groups in politics. Variable focus on either the major powers like China, Japan and India or the Asia Pacific countries, and the factors responsible for their economic dynamism.  Prerequisite: 135  or instructor’s permission.  Offered every two years.

340 Environmental Policy - 3 Semester Hours
A seminar in environmental policy analysis. Students examine and assess a variety of global, national, local and inter-governmental environmental problems and governmental efforts in response to manage these problems. Special emphasis is placed on air and water pollution, erosion, toxic wastes, species loss and population growth.

341 Health Care Politics & Policy - 3 Semester Hours
An analysis of the politics of health care. Special emphasis is placed on the formulation of health care policy and policy reform in the United States, but health care systems of other industrialized nations and developing nations also are examined.

342 International Political Economy - 3 Semester Hours
An introduction to the relationship between international politics and international economics, and the theories of international political economy. The topics cover the following: the politics of international trade, investment and foreign aid; the consequences of the multi-national corporations on international relations and their political role; economic foreign policy-making and its implications for national and international politics.  Prerequisite: POLS 130 or instructor’s permission.   Offered every two years.

343 Human Rights in Theory and Practice - 3 Semester Hours
Human rights are those rights possessed by individuals by virtue of being human. They are distinct from civil rights, which are guaranteed by civil societies. This course will seek to identify the basic human rights of individuals as human beings, the evolution of these rights, the philosophical foundations of those rights, and the legal remedies available to victims of violations. The course will discuss the roles of national and international communities in protecting human rights including the establishment of a permanent criminal court to prosecute human rights violations.

346 International Law - 3 Semester Hours
The nature and sources of international law; jurisdiction of states over persons and territory; recognition of states and governments; law of the sea; principle of state responsibility; law of treaties; and transnational legal problems.  Prerequisite: POLS 130 or instructor’s permission.  Offered every two years.

347 International Organizations - 3 Semester Hours
An analysis of the background organization, aims, activities and accomplishments of the United Nations and its specialized agencies. A consideration of the factors affecting the success or failure of world organizations.  Prerequisite: POLS 130 or instructor’s permission.  Offered every two years

358 Contemporary Political Thought - 3 Semester Hours
This is the third part of a three part survey course on The History of Political Thought series offered in the Political Science department.  This course studies major contemporary thinkers in the canon, such as Nietzsche, Foucault, Arendt, Camus, and Rawls.  Offered every  two years.

360 American Congress  - 3 Semester Hours
An examination of the role of Congress in shaping policy and representing constituents. Topics covered include the organization of Congress, Congressional leadership, voting coalitions and proposals for reform. Prerequisite: POLS 120.

390 Comparative Politics - Third World - 3 Semester Hours
A comparative study of the political ideological, social and economic development in selected countries from the Third World. Countries covered may vary each time the course is offered but will include examples from the African, Asian and Latin American continents. Prerequisites: sophomore standing or instructor’s permission. Offered every spring semester.

401 Independent Readings in Political Science 1-3 Semester Hours
Readings in an area of political science of particular interest to the student. Credit arranged.

410(510)Political Research Seminar - 3 Semester Hours
Capstone experience that allows students to do original primary research using the various primary research tools and approaches used in the study of practical phenomena and processes.  Emphasis is placed on problem-solving and critical thinking.  Students have a capstone experience in which they apply knowledge gained in this and other courses to an original research problem.  Survey research techniques are studied and a practical survey project is undertaken.  Prerequisites: POLS 380 and senior standing.  Offered every year.

416(516)Internship Program 1-12 Semester Hours
To provide practical experience in local, state and national government, and public administration (limited enrollment). Credit arranged. (Cannot apply toward a graduate degree. Only three credits count toward major.)

420(520)Administrative Law - 3 Semester Hours
An exploration of the law of the administrative process: legislative, executive and judicial control of administrative action, the formal administrative process; administrative discretion; with due consideration to the Federal Administrative Procedure Act. Prerequisites: POLS 120 : Recommended POLS 320.

421 The First Amendment - 3 Semester Hours
A seminar class on one of the most contentious constitutional amendments. Topics include: freedom of speech, free exercise of religion, separation of church and state, and freedom of association. Required: POLS 120 and POLS 320, or consent of instructor.

422(522)American Foreign Policy - 3 Semester Hours
A study of contemporary United States foreign policy. The course includes an analysis of threats and issues originating from the external world and facing America, and the suitable American response, responsibilities and commitments.  Prerequisite: POLS 130 or instructor’s permission.  Offered every two years.

425 Policy Studies - 3 Semester Hours
An introduction to the evaluation of public policy in the United States. Students assess the process and substance of policy on various topics such as pollution, poverty, crime, illness and violence.  Prerequisite: POLS 120.  Offered every two years.

426(526)Politics of Public Budgeting - 3 Semester Hours
An examination of the politics of budgeting at the state, local and national level. Consideration is given to program planning, inter-governmental relations, the government and the economy, and reforms in budgetary systems. Prerequisites: POLS 120 and POLS 228.

429 Policy Reform - 3 Semester Hours
Strategies and problems of making, implementing and changing public policy. Discussion addresses policy stakeholders as they are involved in developing and reforming public policy.   Prerequisite: POLS 120.  Offered every two years.

430 Agency Performance - 3 Semester Hours
The civil service movement, public personnel systems and contemporary strategies to manage personnel for higher levels of performance. Prerequisites: POLS 120 and POLS 228.

450 Feminist Political Theory - 3 Semester Hours
This course investigates different perspectives in feminist political thought.  Students will consider psychological, marxist, radical, liberal, utopian, and French Feminist arguments, in order to understand the ways that political theorists have wrestled with the question of woman/women.  Offered every two years.

460 North American Relations - 3 Semester Hours

This course examines the relations among the three countries of North America: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The examination of these relations involves the applicable theories of regional cooperation and conflict with special emphasis on integration. The course will also develop an understanding of the evoution of the current state of relations among the three. Focus will be on trade relations, the institutions of NAFTA, security issues, migration, the potential of building a regional community (along political, social, and economic lines), citizen perceptions, and overall development. Prerequisites: POLS 135 or instructor's permission. Offered every two years.

475 Democratization and Its Challenges - 3 Semester Hours
The emphasis of this course is on the wave of democratization that is sweeping the world and the challenges that the new democracies face in consolidating themselves. This course covers the theory of democracy and the institutional, cultural and socio-economic challenges that countries face as they seek to make the transition from dictatorship to democracy.  Prerequisite 135 or instructor’s permission.  Offered every two years.

488 Issues in International Politics I - 3 Semester Hours
The purpose of the course is to enable students to have an opportunity to discuss a variety of contemporary global issues which may not be covered in a regular course, e.g. terrorism, religious fundamentalism, human rights and state sovereignty and ethno-nationalism. Topics vary from year to year, depending upon their prominence or the instructor’s judgment that they should receive consideration.  Prerequisite: POLS 130 or instructor’s permission.  Offered every two years.

499(599) Seminar 1-3 Semester Hours
The subject matter is arranged by the instructor before the course is offered. Students can repeat the course without limitation on the number of credits as long as the subject matter is different.

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