Political Science
Courses
PSCI 100 Introduction to Political Science 4.0 Credits
Studies the political process, which determines who gets what, when, and how in society.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 110 American Government I 4.0 Credits
Introduces the elements of the American political system.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 120 History of Political Thought 4.0 Credits
Introduces the Western tradition of political thought, examining a selection of works by major political thinkers. Draws on primary sources, with a textual and conceptual emphasis.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 130 Research Methods in Political Science I 4.0 Credits
Introduction to basic principles of political science writing and research design. Students learn how to locate, use, and evaluate information from a wide range of government agency websites and political science databases.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 140 Introduction to Comparative Political Analysis 4.0 Credits
Examines methods used to compare state political systems with respect to world order values in varying geographic and cultural settings.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 150 International Politics 4.0 Credits
Analyzes nation-states in their external relations, including the interaction of the great powers with each other and with emerging areas.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 211 American Government II 4.0 Credits
Provides a structural analysis of selected social, economic, and political institutions at various levels of government in the American political system.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: PSCI 110 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 220 Constitutional Law I 3.0 Credits
Introduction to Constitutional law and the federal courts. Examines the emergence of judicial review, the judiciary's role in the system of check and balances, and the powers and limitations on each branch of government.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: PSCI 110 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 230 Research Methods in Political Science II 4.0 Credits
This course is designed to provide the student with concepts, principles and tools of research methodology. Includes projects such as survey and content analysis.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: PSCI 130 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 240 Comparative Government 3.0 Credits
Examines the political process through the ideology and institutions of major constitutional and totalitarian powers.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
Prerequisites: PSCI 140 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 250 American Foreign Policy 3.0 Credits
Examines current issues in American foreign policy, including the assumptions underlying policy goals, the means of achieving them, and the decision-making machinery.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: PSCI 150 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 255 International Political Economics 4.0 Credits
Analyzes the contradiction between the political-military world and the newly emerging trading world, and its impact on future global political systems.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 270 Problems of Individual Liberty and Government Authority 3.0 Credits
Examines the relationship between personal freedom and a just society from a variety of perspectives, all of which are designed to serve as an introduction to history and politics.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
Prerequisites: PSCI 120 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 272 Contemporary Political Issues 3.0 Credits
Examines a current policy issue in its political context. See departmental brochure for subject scheduled in a particular term. May be repeated for credit.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 313 State & Local Government 3.0 Credits
Examines major political, social, and economic problems of state, local, and metropolitan governments.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 323 Comparative Political Thought 3.0 Credits
Studies modern political thinkers from African, Asian, Latin American, and other traditions of political thought. Uses a textual and conceptual emphasis, but also considers the political movements and social practices that have embraced or given birth to the works of the selected authors.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 327 Democratic Theory 3.0 Credits
Examines the works of various classical and contemporary thinkers on the nature, justification, and practice of democracy. Emphasizes matters of liberty, equality, participation, and social choice.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 329 Theories of Justice 3.0 Credits
Examines the nature and realization of justice in modern societies, with special attention to contemporary questions of civil rights.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 330 Public Opinion & Propaganda 3.0 Credits
Examines public opinion and propaganda from a variety of perspectives, including the process of opinion formation and change and its role in the development of public policy and methods of measurement and analysis of public opinion.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 331 Environmental Politics 3.0 Credits
Examines environmental politics, focusing on the United States. Solving environmental problems is not simply a question of using available science and technology; rather, proposals to combat environmental degradation confront political context that may or may not favor the aims of environmental policy. Understanding politics is therefore indispensable for effective environmental problem-solving.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 335 Political Communication 3.0 Credits
Introduces an investigation of the relationship between politics and communication, with the goal of developing an understanding of political communication's role in election campaigns, news coverage, political debates, political advertising, and "normal" portrayals of the political system through media and interpersonal communication.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 340 Politics of Developing Nations 3.0 Credits
Analyzes problems of political and economic development (modernization) in the Third World, with the focus on Africa.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 344 Introduction to 20th Century Middle East 3.0 Credits
An introduction to the major historical events and political issues that define the region of the Middle East in the 20th century, including Zionism, Arab nationalism, Islamic fundamentalism, and the war on terror.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 345 Comparative Politics of the Middle East 3.0 Credits
Introduces students to political issues and challenges that face Middle Eastern men and women and deepens their understanding of comparative politics in non-Western cultures and nations. Analyzes such common problems as nationalism, religion, and state/society relations, then examines in depth four countries representing various regimes. Assumes some familiarity with Middle Eastern history and concentrates primarily on contemporary politics and political economy.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
Prerequisites: PSCI 150 [Min Grade: D] or PSCI 344 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 351 International Organizations 3.0 Credits
The goal of this course is to present an overview of the nature and function of international organization in world politics. The role of the United Nations and its agencies are highlighted, but other organizations are considered. Students gain an understanding of how international life is structured through these institutions.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 352 Ethics and International Relations 3.0 Credits
Are ethics relevant in world politics, or are power and survival the only concerns? This course considers the main moral issues facing the international community. Topics include the "just war" tradition, human rights, humanitarian intervention, and what rich countries owe the poor.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 353 International Human Rights 3.0 Credits
This course examines the origin of the international human rights movement after World War II, and discusses key issues confronting the international community today. These include genocide, political repression, the rights of women, and religious and cultural minorities. It also considers the moral basis of the rights ideal.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 354 United States & the Third World 3.0 Credits
Analyzes American foreign policy since 1945 with particular emphasis on the United States' rise to power as the major influence in the developing world of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 357 The European Union 3.0 Credits
This course combines an introduction to the history and institutions of the European Union with a special analysis of EU enlargement and institutional reform.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 358 Political Economy of Japan 3.0 Credits
Examines Japanese political economy on a global scale, focusing on her economic and trade relations with the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and Western Europe.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 363 Constitutional Law II 3.0 Credits
Examines protections for civil liberties afforded by the First Amendment of the Constitution, specifically those related to speech, the press, religion, and assembly.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 364 Constitutional Law III 3.0 Credits
Examines Constitutional civil rights claims arising under the Fourteenth Amendment equal protection and due process guarantees. Focuses on claims concerning discrimination on the basis of race, gender, and sexual orientation, as well as those asserted under an individual right to privacy in matters of reproductive rights, sexual conduct, and end of life decisions.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 365 Politics, Law, & Justice 3.0 Credits
Examines justice as politically determined, including the personnel, policies, and practices of units of the legal system, especially civil, criminal, and juvenile courts in urban areas.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 366 Supreme Court and American Politics 3.0 Credits
This course focuses on the workings of the modern Supreme Court: theories of judicial interpretation; internal decision-making processes; the interplay of law and politics on the Court's personnel, agenda, and rulings; and the role of interest groups in shaping the Court's jurisprudence.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 367 International Law 3.0 Credits
Examines the legal norms, codes resolutions, treaties conventions, court decisions, customs and other sources that comprised international law. Provides analysis of applications, especially in Europe.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 370 Topics in Public Policy 3.0 Credits
Provides an in-depth exploration of an important public-policy issue or issue area in American or international life. Explores the origins, development, alternatives, and future consequences of an issue within the context of a political system. May be repeated for credit.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 371 Science, Technology, & Public Policy 3.0 Credits
Examines the political effects of technological change, including public policy efforts to affect the impact of scientific development. Covers topics including atomic energy, electronic communications, and weapons development.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 372 City in United States Political Development 3.0 Credits
Course examines the role of the American city in the larger project of state-building. Topics covered include the changing functions of cities over American history; the role of cities in national political coalitions; and the construction of ethnic, racial, and class identities as a process or urbanization.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 374 Politics of Sport 3.0 Credits
The material in this course comes from a variety of disciplines and schools of thought with political science serving as an overarching framework. Issues covered include ethnicity, gender, race, nationalism, globalism, economics, and class.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 375 Politics of Immigration 3.0 Credits
This course is designed to introduce the student to the issues associated with immigration from both a US and international as well as a historical and contemporary perspective. Emphasis will be focused on the theory, public policy and philosophical issues that are associated with this area of inquiry.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 376 Running for Political Office 3.0 Credits
This course is designed to introduce the students to both the theory and practice of running for political office. Emphasis will be placed upon both the theoretical and applied aspects of political campaigns. The course will use a combination of readings, a text, films, lectures, and guest speakers.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 377 Politics of Latin America 3.0 Credits
Analysis of contemporary politics in South and Central American, as well as Cuba, with several in-depth country cases. Comparative themes include: legacies of military rules, economic dependency and revolution; dynamics of democratic transition, economic reform and U.S. hegemony; and, problems of domineering presidents weak parties and marginalized social groups.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
PSCI 470 [WI] Junior Seminar in Political Science 3.0 Credits
A research seminar directed by a political scientist. Requires students to write an extended paper on a topic selected in consultation with the instructor. This is a writing intensive course.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if classification is Junior or Senior.
PSCI 472 Special Studies in Political Science 12.0 Credits
Provides supervised individual study of special subjects in political science. May be repeated for credit.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 490 [WI] Senior Seminar I 3.0 Credits
Requires an intensive research project supervised by a political scientist. This is a writing intensive course.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
PSCI 491 [WI] Senior Seminar II 3.0 Credits
Requires completion of the project begun in PSCI 490. This is a writing intensive course.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Cannot enroll if classification is Freshman
Prerequisites: PSCI 490 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 492 Political Science Honors Thesis I 3.0 Credits
Students develop and begin an in-depth research project under the supervision of a political scientist. Course is restricted to seniors with a minimum 3.30 GPA.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PSCI and classification is Senior.
Prerequisites: PSCI 211 [Min Grade: D] and PSCI 220 [Min Grade: D] and PSCI 230 [Min Grade: D] and PSCI 240 [Min Grade: D] and PSCI 250 [Min Grade: D] and PSCI 270 [Min Grade: D]
PSCI 493 Political Science Honors Thesis II 3.0 Credits
Students complete an in-depth research project under the supervision of a political scientist.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is PSCI and classification is Senior.
Prerequisites: PSCI 492 [Min Grade: D]
