Political Science
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Political Science Bachelor of Arts International Relations, BA International relations leads to careers or graduate study in government, law, international business and finance, communications, and diplomacy. Graduates can also seek employment with nonprofit international institutions, such as the United Nations or the World Bank. Working with their academic advisor, students fashion a concentration in such areas as diplomacy, international business, national security, and the history and culture of a geographic region. Students must also study a foreign language. Curriculum Students are encouraged to study abroad for one semester. Credits from pre-approved, overseas programs will be considered for transfer. If students wish to study abroad, they should plan to do so either in the summer or during their junior year. Required Courses (28 Credits) ANTH 105 - Cultural Anthropology 3 Credit(s) This course introduces students to the study of human cultural diversity. By examining different cultural systems from around the world, students learn concepts and methods for investigating why humans think and behave the way they do. This course provides students with the competence to live and work with people from different cultural backgrounds. It also enables students to see the world through a different cultural "lens" and reflect critically on the cultural beliefs and practices that govern their own lives. Topics include race, ethnicity, nationalism, language, gender, sexuality, religion, warfare, political organization, economic systems, migration, healing, kinship, marriage, and the family. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisite. POLS 101 - American Government and Politics 3 Credit(s) An introduction to basic concepts, functions, and processes of politics and government, using the American system as a model. The course includes topics such as political socialization, constitutional government, legislative process, presidential leadership and bureaucracy, the role of the judiciary, elections, political parties, interest groups, and problems of civil rights. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 102 - Foreign Government and Politics 3 Credit(s) This introductory course provides students with a basic knowledge of how political systems around the world function. By examining a wide range of countries, students learn how and why the "rules of the political game" differ from country to country. It is hoped that, after taking this course, students will better understand political events that take place outside the United States and appreciate the diverse political ideas and aspirations of people around the world. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 103 - Political Economy 3 Credit(s) This course concentrates on the various elements of economics and its relationship to political systems. While we often try to separate politics and economics, there is an inherent interactive and dynamic relationship between the concepts. This course provides a cursory deliberation on the theories presented by classical theorists of economics and politics. Moreover, the course will focus on significant issues in political economy such as market forces, fiscal policy, monetary policy, government and social expenditures, economic growth, governmental regulation, approaches to development, and international trade policy. The overriding theme of the course emphasizes the significant differences between countries on how the state influences elements of its economy through political-economic systems. This course serves as a political science elective and a social science general education elective. POLS 221 - Introduction to International Relations 3 Credit(s) An introduction to various approaches and methods of analysis in international relations. The course examines the nature of the international system, the manner in which states and other actors behave, the causes of war and techniques of conflict resolution, economic interactions, and the implications of growing international interdependence. The course also addresses socio-economic imbalances among nations. Sophomore standing required. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 306 - Modern Political Theory 3 Credit(s) An in-depth survey of the major pre-20th-century thinkers who influenced Western political tradition, including Plato and Aristotle; Machiavelli; Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau; Hegel and Marx. A critical reading of the original texts promotes careful discussion of their historical contexts and relevance to contemporary issues. Students also administer the Democracy Project—a campus-wide undergraduate survey—and analyze its results. Required for majors. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 307 - Theories of International Relations 3 Credit(s) As the study of international politics has emerged as a separate discipline, various contending theories have been developed to explain the nature of the international state system. Students in this course examine several of these theories and attempt to evaluate them. This course is intended for advanced students in political science. Prerequisite(s): POLS 221. POLS 310 - Empirical Political Analysis 4 Credit(s) The main goal of this course is to provide students with the theoretical background and research skills for behavioral political analysis. Topics include research design, data collection, data analysis, computer techniques, and research applications. Laboratory sessions provide further opportunities for research skills development. Political science and international relations students are required to take this course in the junior year. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 410 - Senior Research Seminar 3 Credit(s) Preparation of a senior research paper and poster presentation in a specific field of political science. Required of all majors in international relations and political science. Prerequisite(s): POLS 310. Language Requirement (6 Credits) A minimum of two 3-credit courses (at or above the 200 level) in a single modern language 6 Credit(s) Electives (12 Credits) (select four of the following) International Relations POLS 204 - Current Issues in World Affairs 3 Credit(s) This course introduces students to current issues in international relations. The course focuses primarily on such issues as relations between rich and poor nations, the race between food and population, energy, technology, and the threat to the environment. In addition, students may examine other issues in the headlines, such as terrorism, immigration, human rights, international trade, and the proliferation of chemical, nuclear, and biological weapons. The course hews rather closely to recent events. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 222 - American Foreign Policy 3 Credit(s) This course begins with a description of American foreign policy from the earliest days of the Republic up to the present time. Students then consider the interacting roles of the leading policy makers, including the president, Congress, State Department, and CIA. The final portion of the course involves the tools of foreign policy, such as covert action, diplomacy, and economic assistance, as well as pressing foreign policy problems of the day. Sophomore standing required. POLS 225 - Genocide and Political Power 3 Credit(s) The motivations for committing genocide or acts of genocide can vary; sometimes the desire to remove a particular group completely provides motivation; in other cases, acts of genocide occur in the course of a civil war. In this course, students explore the motivations of governments or groups to commit genocide; whether and how ethnic groups and nations recover from a genocide or ethnic cleansing; and what paths and solutions are open to states trying to rebuild in the wake of such atrocities. The continuing role of national identity and nationalism, and the actions taken or avoided by governments, provide a lens through which students examine the potential for gaining or regaining political power for targeted ethnic groups. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 226 - The Developing World 3 Credit(s) This course provides an overview of the political, economic, and social challenges and problems in the developing world comprised of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It examines issues of development originating from colonialism and postcolonialism such as ethnicity, democratization, war and conflict, authoritarianism, and other problems facing developing countries in their quest for economic development and political stability. POLS 228 - Politics of European Integration 3 Credit(s) This course is an exploration of the process of policymaking and integration in the European Union. Its aim is to increase students' knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of European Union politics. Students examine why countries with historical animosities decide to work together; how economic, monetary, and labor relations are linked; and why average citizens of democratic countries sometimes oppose the institutions to which they belong. Students enrolled in this course are eligible to participate in the model European Union simulation (EuroSim). Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 235 - Coups, Cartels, and Carnevale: Politics in Latin America 3 Credit(s) The goal of this course is to provide students with a basic understanding of how the political systems of Latin America function. The course focuses on the evolution of those systems and analyzes how they have dealt with problems of socioeconomic development. Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites. POLS 247 - Vodka and Capitalism: