This is an archived copy of the 2014-2015 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

Political Science

http://www.pols.iastate.edu/

Undergraduate Study

For the undergraduate curriculum in Liberal Arts and Sciences, with major in political science, leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, see Liberal Arts and Sciences, Curriculum.

The study of political science is designed to enable students to understand the nature of politics, public values, and the institutions and processes of politics in their various forms.

Students completing a major in political science will understand and be able to interrelate the leading theories, literature, and approaches in the subfields of American government, political theory and methods, international relations, and comparative politics. Graduates can analyze and formulate effective argumentation in written and oral forms, including the ability to appreciate and accommodate diverse political ideas, and the ability to collect and critique information and ideas of others in support of original arguments. Graduates appreciate the knowledge and civic responsibilities required for effective participation in political life.

The political science major is often chosen by students preparing for a career in law. Students with this goal should consult with the department in selecting courses. See also Preprofessional Study.

Several internship options are available to the political science major, offering students the opportunity to experience practical application of the knowledge learned in academic courses.

Requirements for the Major:

For the purpose of defining undergraduate requirements in the Department of Political Science, the Department employs four subfields within the discipline, with the following courses in each:

I. Theory and Methods

POL S 235	Introduction to Ethics and Politics	3
POL S 313	Special Topics in Theory and Methods	2
POL S 334	Politics and Society	3
POL S 335	Science, Technology, and Public Policy	3
POL S 356	Theories of International Politics	3
POL S 306	Public Opinion and Voting Behavior	3
POL S 430	Foundations of Western Political Thought	3
POL S 431	Modern Political Thought	3
POL S 470	Public Choice	3
POL S 480	Ethics and Public Policy	3
POL S 487	Electronic Democracy	3
POL S 490B	Independent Study: Theory and Method	arr †
Total Credits		32 †
† Arranged with instructor.

II. American Government and Politics

POL S 215	Introduction to American Government	3
POL S 305	Political Behavior	3
POL S 310	State and Local Government	3
POL S 311	Municipal Government and Politics	3
POL S 312	Special Topics in American Government and Politics	2
POL S 318	Campaign and Elections	3
POL S 319	Law and Politics	3
POL S 320	American Judicial Process	3
POL S 334	Politics and Society	3
POL S 335	Science, Technology, and Public Policy	3
POL S 344	Public Policy	3
POL S 358	United States Foreign Policy	3
POL S 359	Current Issues in American Foreign Policy	3
POL S 360	American Institutions: Congress	3
POL S 361	American Institutions: The Presidency	3
POL S 363	American Institutions: Media	3
POL S 364	Political Parties and Interest Groups	3
POL S 370	Religion and Politics	3
POL S 371	Introduction to Public Administration	3
POL S 385	Women in Politics	3
POL S 383	Environmental Politics and Policies	3
POL S 413	Intergovernmental Relations	3
POL S 417	Campaign Rhetoric	3
POL S 420	Constitutional Law	3
POL S 421	Constitutional Freedoms	3
POL S 442	The Policy and Politics of Coastal Areas	3
POL S 475	Management in the Public Sector	3
POL S 476	Administrative Law	3
POL S 480	Ethics and Public Policy	3
POL S 490A	Independent Study: American Government and Politics	arr †
† Arranged with instructor.

III. Comparative Politics

POL S 241	Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics	3
POL S 314	Special Topics in Comparative Politics	2
POL S 340	Politics of Developing Areas	3
POL S 343	Latin American Government and Politics	3
POL S 346	European Politics	3
POL S 347	African Politics	3
POL S 349	Politics of Russia and the Soviet Successor States	3
POL S 350	Politics of the Middle East	3
POL S 442	The Policy and Politics of Coastal Areas	3
POL S 485	Comparative Public Administration	3
POL S 490C	Independent Study: Comparative Politics	arr †
† Arranged with instructor.

IV. International Relations

POL S 251	Introduction to International Politics	3
POL S 315	Special Topics in International Relations	2
POL S 356	Theories of International Politics	3
POL S 357	International Security Policy	3
POL S 358	United States Foreign Policy	3
POL S 359	Current Issues in American Foreign Policy	3
POL S 381	International Political Economy	3
POL S 422	International Law	3
POL S 452	Comparative Foreign Policy	3
POL S 453	International Organizations	3
POL S 485	Comparative Public Administration	3
POL S 487	Electronic Democracy	3
POL S 490D	Independent Study: International Relations	arr †
† Arranged with instructor.

To complete the major in Political Science a student must earn 33 semester credits of courses in Political Science subject to the following conditions:

Students must satisfactorily complete POL S 101 and POL S 301.
Students must complete at least 3 credits in each of the four subfields listed above. Students may apply only one half-semester mini-course (POL S 312, , POL S 314, POL S 315) in each group.
Political Science courses in which a student has a grade of D+ or lower will not count for the major but can be counted as electives.
At least 18 credits of Political Science courses must be numbered 300 or above.
Students must pass one statistics course from among STAT 101, STAT 104, STAT 226 or .
No more than six credits of POL S 490, POL S 496, POL S 497, or POL S 499 (alone or in combination) can be used to fulfill any of these requirements. A maximum of three credits of POL S 490 can be applied to meet any of the four subfield requirements.
A maximum of six credits from half-semester mini-courses (POL S 312, POL S 313, POL S 314, POL S 315) can be applied to satisfy the above requirements.
At least 15 credits of Political Science coursework must be earned at Iowa State University.
Advanced Communication Skills: Majors must earn at least a C+ in each of ENGL 150 and ENGL 250. Those who do not must complete ENGL 309 or ENGL 314 with a minimum grade of C. Majors must also complete POL S 395.

The department offers a minor in political science that may be earned by completing 15 credits beyond the 100-level of coursework in political science, nine of which must be at the 300 level or above. A student minoring in Political Science normally will be expected to take at least 9 credits in Political Science coursework at Iowa State University. Only 3 credits of POL S 490 or POL S 499, alone or in combination, and only 2 credits of POL S 312-315 may be included in the total of 15 credits required for the minor. All minors in the College of Liberal Arts and Science required a minimum of 6 credits in courses numbered 300 and above taken at ISU with a minimum grade C. Credits earned in Pol S 496, 497, or 499, offered on a satisfactory/fail basis only, will not fulfill this requirement.

Graduate Study

Master of Arts (M.A.)

The department offers work for a Master of Arts degree (M.A.), with a major in political science, and minor for students in other departments. The department also offers work for a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree or a Graduate Certificate of Public Management (GCPM) for those interested in an educational certificate program that requires less work than a full masters program. In addition, the Political Science Department offers work for the Master of Science in Information Assurance. Information with detailed requirements for all graduate degrees may be obtained at the department’s web page at www.pols.iastate.edu/graduate-students/ .

The M.A. program is designed to enable its graduates to engage in governmental research, enter public service or private industry, teach, or pursue further graduate study. Graduate students may also wish to work for certification for high school or junior college teaching. A thesis is required for this degree. The department also has a joint Master of Arts/Juris Doctor (M.A./J.D.) program with the Law School of Drake University. Detailed information for the M.A./J.D. can be found at the ISU Political Science webpage as well as the Drake Law School website (under Joint Degree): http://www.law.drake.edu/ . Students wishing to pursue this joint degree must submit separate applications to both Drake University and Iowa State University and be accepted by both institutions.

M.A. graduates have a broad substantive understanding of the political process and the academic study of politics. They also have in-depth knowledge of one or more subfields in political science. Graduates are skilled at conducting research and preparing thorough research summaries. They are able to identify and address complex political questions, taking into account related ethical, legal, economic, and social issues.

The prerequisites for major graduate work in the M.A. program normally are completion of at least 15 credits in political science, the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), one year of a foreign language (equivalent to 8 semester hours) and a course in basic statistics (equivalent to STAT 101). If the basic statistics requirement has not been met, the student may remedy the deficiency by passing equivalent courses, for which no graduate credit will be received. During their program of study, all students are expected to complete STAT 401, POL S 502, and a thesis. Students normally do concentrated course work in at least one of the following four areas: international relations, comparative politics, public policy, or American politics. The student’s program of study committee may require additional work.

Students in other graduate programs may obtain a minor in political science by completing at least 9 credits of political science courses, including one of the proseminars. Interested students should consult the Graduate College Handbook for additional information on graduate minors.

Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA or InfAs)

The Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA, also referred to as InfAs) is a multi-disciplinary program designed to provide students with diverse backgrounds and interests the opportunity to obtain professional training in the emerging field of information assurance. The core of the MSIA program is built around a series of courses taught in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science that introduce students to software and hardware aspects of cryptography and computer security. The program also recognizes, however, that information assurance-defined in terms of security, privacy, access, and reliability-is not simply a technical problem but also involves important societal dimensions, including policy, education, ethics, and management. Recognizing that political science offers many potential intersections with information assurance (e.g., public sector management of information technology; forensics and computer crime; information technology policy and law; information technology and international relations; information warfare; etc.), students with interests in these areas are encouraged to select the Department of Political Science as their home department.

Students opting to pursue a MSIA degree through the Department of Political Science can expect to acquire skills and background knowledge relevant to a career in public policy or public sector management of information assurance technologies. The MSIA degree can also help prepare students who wish to go on to pursue a PhD in information politics and policy.

Students interested in the MSIA degree program should consider Political Science as a home department if their future career and/or educational interests lie in such areas as: institutional issues related to the Internet and information technologies; electronic government and electronic democracy; information technology, international security, and information warfare; information technology policy and law; and public administration and public sector management of information technology.

Admission requirements generally follow the same guidelines as the M.A. or MPA in Political Science. Degree requirements are specified by the InfAs program in cooperation with Political Science. More in-depth information on the program can be found at: http://www.pols.iastate.edu/infoassur.shtml .

Public Policy and Administration

The Public Policy and Administration program offers work for the professional Master of Public Administration degree (MPA). The program is designed to educate and train students for careers in management and policy analysis at the federal, state, and local levels of government, and nonprofit sector management. The program serves a diverse student body, including pre-service students and in-service employees in government and nonprofit organizations. The curriculum covers a broad range of public administration and policy topics, including organizational and administrative processes, eGovernment, leadership, organizational change dynamics, human resource management, budgeting, cost benefit analysis, financial management, policy analysis, and ethics. The program offers three concentrations: Public Management, eGovernment and Management of Information Technology, and Policy Analysis.

The MPA degree requires 37 credits, which includes (a) 15 credits in core competency, (b) 9 credits in one of the concentration areas, (c) 4 credits in other required courses, (d) up to 7 credits of electives, and (e) 3 credits of creative component (a capstone project) or a minimum of 3 credits of research (thesis). Pre-service students are encouraged to obtain an internship for 3 credits.

The Program also offers a Graduate Certificate of Public Management program (GCPM), which requires a completion of 15 credits: 9 credits in the core, and two additional courses in the area of student interest. Some classes are available via videoconferencing, streaming video, one week and executive weekend formats, and online.

The Program also offers joint master’s degrees with the Department of Community and Regional Planning (25 credits in each program plus a six credit thesis), and the interdisciplinary Information Assurance program (30 credits). The requirement for all double degrees consists of 22 credits from each discipline for a total of 54 credits. Under the rules of the Graduate College a graduate student may pursue a joint degree between any two disciplines of their interest. Interested students are encouraged to consult the ISU’s Graduate Handbook. The minimum requirements for all double degrees consist of 22 credits from each program.

Requirements for admission are a graduate school application, an essay stating purposes for study, college transcripts, the GRE (waived for those with five or more years of public or nonprofit sector experience), three letters of recommendation, and the TOEFL for international students.

The department cooperates in the interdepartmental majors in transportation and water resources, and an interdepartmental minor in gerontology (see Index).

Refer to the Schedule of Classes (http://classes.iastate.edu/ ) or consult the Public Policy and Administration (MPA) web page (http://mpa.las.iastate.edu/ ) for up-to-date scheduling information.

Courses

Courses primarily for undergraduates:

POL S 101. Orientation to Political Science.

(2-0) Cr. 1. F.S. Prereq: Political Science and Open Option majors only or permission of the instructor
Introduction to the discipline and sub-fields of Political Science, including an introduction to analytical thinking, and research skills relevant to political science. Orientation to university, college, and departmental structure, policies, and procedures; student roles and responsibilities; degree planning and career awareness. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

POL S 215. Introduction to American Government.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS.
Fundamentals of American democracy; constitutionalism; federalism; rights and duties of citizens; executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government; elections, public opinion, interest groups, and political parties.

POL S 235. Introduction to Ethics and Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.SS.
Introduction to moral controversies surrounding political issues such as violence, deception, corruption, civil disobedience, democracy, justice, equality, and freedom. Students will read classic and contemporary texts and consider political applications.

POL S 241. Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Basic concepts and major theories; application to selected political systems, including non-western political systems.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 251. Introduction to International Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Dynamics of interstate relations pertaining to nationalism, the nation state; peace and war; foreign policy making; the national interest; military capability and strategy; case studies of transnational issues, such as population, food, energy, and terrorism.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 298. Cooperative Education.

Cr. R. F.S.SS. Prereq: Permission of department cooperative education coordinator; sophomore classification
Required of all cooperative education students. Students must register for this course prior to commencing each work period.

POL S 301. Introduction to Empirical Political Science Research.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: 3 credits in political science; one statistics course required; sophomore classification
Techniques of quantitative and qualitative political research and analysis. Development and analysis of concepts and theories. Methods of data collection, research design, and critical thinking. Applications of statistics to political research.

POL S 305. Political Behavior.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Sophomore classification
Empirical theories and descriptions of political behavior, including decision-making, opinion, and attitudes, with an emphasis on groups and political elites.

POL S 306. Public Opinion and Voting Behavior.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 6 credits in political science or sophomore classification
The formation of political opinions and attitudes, political participation, and voting behavior of the general public, and their influences on American politics; polling as a means of assessing public opinions and behaviors.

POL S 310. State and Local Government.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 3 credits in political science
Role of state and local governments in the American federal system. Structures of participation: political parties, elections, interest groups. Major governmental institutions: legislative, executive, and judicial. Structure and functions of local governments.

POL S 311. Municipal Government and Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: POL S 215
Legal position of municipal corporation; forms of organization; administration of municipal services; problem-solving in municipal government; urban and metropolitan political process; implications of federal urban policies.

POL S 312. Special Topics in American Government and Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 2. F.S. Prereq: Sophomore classification
Half-semester courses on selected topical issues in American government and politics. Designated repeat in Pol S 312 is not permitted. Use of Pol S 312 credit in Pol S major and minor is limited. See Undergraduate Study for information.

POL S 313. Special Topics in Theory and Methods.

(1.5-0) Cr. 2. F.S. Prereq: Sophomore classification
Half-semester course on selected topical issues in theory and methods in political science. Designated repeat in Pol S 313 is not permitted. Use of Pol S 313 credit in Pol S major and minor is limited. See Undergraduate Study for information.

POL S 314. Special Topics in Comparative Politics.

(1.5-0) Cr. 2. F.S. Prereq: Sophomore classification
Half-semester course on selected topical issues in comparative politics. Designated repeat in Pol S 314 is not permitted. Use of Pol S 314 credit in Pol S major and minor is limited. See Undergraduate Study for information.

POL S 315. Special Topics in International Relations.

(1.5-0) Cr. 2. F.S. Prereq: Sophomore classification
Half-semester course on selected topical issues in international relations. Designated repeat in Pol S 315 is not permitted. Use of Pol S 315 credit in Pol S major and minor is limited. See Undergraduate Study for information.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 318. Campaign and Elections.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered even-numbered years.
Methods and techniques of political campaigns in general elections. Supervised participation in candidate and political party campaign activities required.

POL S 319. Law and Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: Sophomore standing; POL S 215 recommended
An evaluation of the American judicial system as it relates to controversial topics emphasizing the relationship between law and politics. Primary emphasis on topics such as statutory construction, judicial review, the proper role of the judiciary, vagueness and ambiguity in law, competing constitutional philosophies, executive branch concerns, and relative power of different branches. Credit for both Pol S 319 and 230 may not be applied toward graduation.

POL S 320. American Judicial Process.

(Cross-listed with CJ ST). (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: POL S 215
An overview of the American judicial process. Emphasis on specific topics such as application of constitutional rights to the states (particularly the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments), mechanics of judicial opinions, constitutional philosophies of Supreme Court Justices, decisions of first impression, and the value and scope of precedent.

POL S 333. Democracy and Diversity in America.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years. Prereq: Sophomore classification.
Examination of competing Americans' conceptions of democracy as strategies for responding to the racial, religious, ethnic, gender, and economic diversity of the inhabitants of America. Connections to contemporary debates about topics such immigration, affirmative action, multicultural education, religion, and minority representation.

Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement

POL S 334. Politics and Society.

(Cross-listed with SOC). (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: A course in political science or sociology
The relationship between politics and society with emphasis on American society. Discussion of theories of inequality, power, social movements, elites, ruling classes, democracy, and capitalism.

POL S 335. Science, Technology, and Public Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Examines the history and political dynamics of public science and technology policies. Examines differences in political and technological orientations. Assessment of the roles of politics, media, engineering, science, and private business in the formation public policies that put heavy reliance on or seek to advance science and technology.

POL S 340. Politics of Developing Areas.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years.
Examination of economic and political development as they relate to the political process of developing states. Impact of social and technological change on political systems of developing areas. Some case studies.

POL S 343. Latin American Government and Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3.
Political institutions, processes, and contemporary issues. Selected countries examined intensively to illustrate generalizations. Role of parties, military, church, human rights, women, environmental issues, interest groups, ideology, and globalization.

POL S 344. Public Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
How agendas come to be set in public policy, theories describing the policy-making process, forces molding policy choices and the impact of such choices.

POL S 345. Immigration Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: Junior or Senior classification
Political, economic, and social factors that affect immigration policy in the United States and abroad. Systematic analysis and implications of different types of immigration policies in countries sending and receiving immigrants.

POL S 346. European Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Comparative study of political institutions of Europe and the European Union; emphasis on parties, elections, and governmental structures. Substance and process of public policies in selected problem areas.

POL S 347. African Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.
Major trends in African politics over the last 150 years and current issues facing Africans today. Basic African geography. Topics include democratization, economic development, civil conflict, ethnic politics and foreign aid.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 349. Politics of Russia and the Soviet Successor States.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered even-numbered years.
Nation-states of the former Soviet Union. Analysis of Soviet Communist system 1917-85 and the politics and revolutionary conflict leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union from 1985 through 1991. Problems of post-Soviet nation-states of Russia and Central Eurasia since 1991.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 350. Politics of the Middle East.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Introduction to the Middle East as a region and to issues of political importance to the Middle East and its place in the world. Topics covered include Islam, regional conflicts and alliances, local leaders, economic issues, and gender and social relations.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 354. War and the Politics of Humanitarianism.

(Cross-listed with ANTHR). (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: POL S 235, POL S 251, or ANTHR 230
Humanitarianism as a system of thought and a system of intervention in conflict and post-conflict situations: role of humanitarian organizations and actors in addressing human suffering caused by conflict or war military action as a form of humanitarian intervention.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 356. Theories of International Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3.
Introduction to essential theoretical concepts and approaches, both classical and contemporary on world politics including realism, empiricism, liberalism, and postpositivism; for example, war and conflict, peace and cooperation, political economy, crisis decision-making, systemic theory, dependence and interdependence.

POL S 357. International Security Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.
The major theoretical approaches in security policy -- strategy and deterrence, game theory, bargaining theory, compellance, and coercive diplomacy, and crisis diplomacy. Illustration of these various approaches through historical and contemporary cases.

POL S 358. United States Foreign Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: POL S 215 or POL S 251, or HIST 467 or HIST 470 or HIST 471
U.S. foreign policy since World War II with emphasis on changing American values in foreign policy, the role of the President, Congress, and the bureaucracy in policy making, and a survey of current foreign policy issues and problems.

POL S 359. Current Issues in American Foreign Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: POL S 215, POL S 251, or POL S 358
Examination of contemporary U.S. foreign policy issues (e.g., U.S. policy in the Middle East; defense budgeting in the post-Cold War era; conventional and nuclear arms control policy). The course will explore alternate methods to analyze policy, survey the evolution of each issue, and discuss different policy alternatives.

POL S 360. American Institutions: Congress.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: POL S 215
Theory and practice of representation and deliberation in the legislative branch of the republic; operations of Congress in terms of its committees, leadership, legislative and oversight processes, partisan politics, electoral campaigns, service to local and special electoral campaigns, service to local and special interests, and interactions with the President.

POL S 361. American Institutions: The Presidency.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: POL S 215
Creation and historical development of the office of chief executive; character and behavior of past chief executives; selection and control; powers, roles, functions; executive staff; relations with Congress, press, public opinion.

POL S 363. American Institutions: Media.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: Sophomore standing
Course surveys the influence of mass media organizations, forms, techniques, and technologies on the practices and expectations of American politics. Evaluates the role of media in the political process, exploring the extents to which media promotes or discourages political participation. Topics will examine the influence and political uses of news coverage, political advertising, political debates, talk radio, film, the Internet, and media spectacles.

POL S 364. Political Parties and Interest Groups.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: POL S 215; sophomore classification
Nature of political parties and interest groups, their relation to each other, and their effects on American politics. Topics include party identification, party organization and mobilization, factionalism, lobbying, campaign contributions and financing, and the effects of special interests on public law.

POL S 370. Religion and Politics.

(Cross-listed with RELIG). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: Sophomore classification.
The interaction of religion and politics in the U.S. from both an historical and contemporary perspective, as well as the role of religion in politics internationally.

POL S 371. Introduction to Public Administration.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Sophomore classification
A survey of the historic and contemporary administrative realities that contribute to the unique challenges of public governance at the administrative and managerial levels of international, national, state, and local government. This introductory course explores the essential issues and competencies involved in the efficient, effective, and ethical provision of public goods and services. Critical topics addressed in the course include crisis management, intergovernmental relations, social equity, public-private partnerships, and privatization.

POL S 381. International Political Economy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Introduction to the theoretical perspectives on international political economy. Exploration of specific issues such as the changing international trade regime, international finance, and Third World development under conditions of globalization.

POL S 383. Environmental Politics and Policies.

(Cross-listed with ENV S). (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: sophomore classification
Major ideologies relation to conservation and ecology. Processes, participants, and institutions involved in state, national, and global environmental policymaking. Case studies of environmental controversies and proposals for policy reform.

POL S 385. Women in Politics.

(Cross-listed with W S). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Examination of the entry and participation of women in politics in the United States and other countries including a focus on contemporary issues and strategies for change through the political process.

Meets U.S. Diversity Requirement

POL S 395. Advanced Writing in Political Science.

Cr. R. F.S.SS.
Taken in conjunction with 300- or 400-level Political Science courses. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

POL S 398. Cooperative Education.

Cr. R. F.S.SS. Prereq: Permission of department cooperative education coordinator; junior classification
Required of all cooperative education students. Students must register for this course prior to commencing work period.

POL S 413. Intergovernmental Relations.

(Dual-listed with POL S 513). (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 6 credits in American government
Theories and practices of the American federal system. Politics and policy making among federal, state, and local governments.

POL S 417. Campaign Rhetoric.

(Cross-listed with SP CM). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered even-numbered years. Prereq: SP CM 212
Backgrounds of candidates for state and national elections; selected speeches and issues; persuasive strategies and techniques of individual speakers.

POL S 420. Constitutional Law.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: POL S 215; junior classification
Development of the United States Constitution through judicial action; influence of public law and judicial interpretations upon American government and society.

POL S 421. Constitutional Freedoms.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: POL S 320 or POL S 420
Leading Supreme Court cases interpreting the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment. Emphasis on religion, speech, privacy, due process, and equal protection.

POL S 422. International Law.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years. Prereq: POL S 215 or POL S 251; junior classification
Development of the principles of international law of peace and war; analysis of theories concerning its nature and fundamental conceptions; its relation to national law; problems of international legislation and codification.

POL S 430. Foundations of Western Political Thought.

(Cross-listed with CL ST). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: 6 credits in political science, philosophy, or European history
Study of original texts in political thought ranging from the classical period to the renaissance. Topics such as justice, freedom, virtue, the allocation of political power, the meaning of democracy, human nature, and natural law.

POL S 431. Modern Political Thought.

(Dual-listed with POL S 531). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: 6 credits in political science, philosophy, or European history
Study of original texts in political thought ranging from the Reformation to the French Revolution and its aftermath. Topics such as justice, freedom, rights, democracy, toleration, property, power, skepticism, and normative views of international politics.

POL S 442. The Policy and Politics of Coastal Areas.

(Dual-listed with POL S 542). (Cross-listed with ENV S). (3-0) Cr. 3. SS.
Exploration of political implications of coastal policy. Issues include: "Carrying capacity," zoning, regulation of human development activities, trade-offs between conservation and jobs, the quality of coastal lifestyle, ways in which citizens participate in policy for coastal areas.

POL S 452. Comparative Foreign Policy.

(Dual-listed with POL S 552). (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: POL S 251
Various theoretical approaches to explain foreign policy making and behavior through the use of case studies of selected nations.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 453. International Organizations.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: POL S 251
Private and public organizations such as the United Nations, other specialized agencies, and multinational organizations, and their influence on our daily lives.

POL S 470. Public Choice.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: ECON 101
Application of economics to political science in the study of nonmarket decision-making. Behavior of bureaucrats, elected officials, and voters. Market failure, collective action, representative democracies, direct democracies, logrolling, voter paradoxes, and game theory.

POL S 475. Management in the Public Sector.

(Dual-listed with POL S 575). (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: POL S 371
Literature and research on organizational behavior and management theory with emphasis on applied aspects of managing contemporary public sector organizations. Topics include distinctions between public and private organizations, leadership, productivity, employee motivation, organizational structure, and organizational change.

POL S 476. Administrative Law.

(Dual-listed with POL S 576). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years. Prereq: POL S 215; junior classification
Constitutional problems of delegation of governmental powers, elements of fair administrative procedures, judicial control over administrative determinations.

POL S 477. Government, Business, and Society.

(Dual-listed with POL S 577). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered odd-numbered years. Prereq: Junior classification
Diverse perspectives on the changing roles and relationships of business, government and society so as to open the way for more effective policy decisions on corporate-government affairs. Topics may include the changing economy; transformation of workplace and community conditions; consumerism; social responsibilities of businesses; economic policies and regulations; and politics in the business-government relationship.

POL S 480. Ethics and Public Policy.

(Dual-listed with POL S 580). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: 6 credits in political science
Study of decision making approaches and application to case studies. Topics such as the different roles of public officials, proper scope and use of administrative discretion, and the admissibility of religious, political, and philosophical commitments in governmental decision making.

POL S 485. Comparative Public Administration.

(Dual-listed with POL S 585). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.
Comparisons of government bureaucratic structures and processes in major world regions, trends and issues of administrative and management reforms, globalization and other contemporary challenges to state administrative structures and policies, skills needed to evaluate and implement public management reforms.

POL S 487. Electronic Democracy.

(Dual-listed with POL S 587). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: Sophomore standing or instructor approval
The impact of computers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web on politics and policy. The positive and negative effects on information technology (IT) on selected topics such as freedom, power and control, privacy, civic participation, the sense of "community," "virtual cities," interest group behavior, the new media, campaigns, elections, and voting will be examined.

POL S 490. Independent Study.

Cr. arr. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits. F.S. Prereq: 6 credits in political science
Special studies in the political institutions, processes and policies of American, foreign, and international governments. Also, studies in traditional and behavioral political theory. Use of credit in Pol S major and minor is limited. See Undergraduate Study for information. No more than 9 credits of Pol S 490 may be counted toward graduation.

POL S 490A. Independent Study: American Government and Politics.

POL S 490B. Independent Study: Theory and Method.

POL S 490C. Independent Study: Comparative Politics.

POL S 490D. Independent Study: International Relations.

POL S 490E. Independent Study: Extended credit.

Cr. 1-2. Repeatable, maximum of 9 credits. F.S. Prereq: 6 credits in political science
Extra study for any 300-Special studies in the political institutions, processes and policies of American, foreign, and international governments. Also, studies in traditional and behavioral political theory. Use of credit in Pol S major and minor is limited. See Undergraduate Study for information. No more than 9 credits of Pol S 490 may be counted toward graduation.

POL S 490G. Independent Study: Catt Center Project.

POL S 490H. Independent Study: Honors.

POL S 491. Senior Thesis.

Cr. 3. Prereq: 21 credits of POL S and permission of instructor
Written under the supervision of a Political Science faculty advisor.

POL S 496. Teaching Internship in Political Science.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits. F.S. Prereq: 12 credits in political science and permission of instructor
Undergraduate teaching experience through assisting an instructor with an introductory course in political science. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

POL S 497. Research Internship in Political Science.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits. F.S. Prereq: 12 credits in political science and permission of instructor
Undergraduate research experience through assisting on a scholarly project with an instructor in political science. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

POL S 498. Cooperative Education.

Cr. R. F.S.SS. Prereq: Permission of department cooperative education coordinator; senior classification
Required of all cooperative education students. Students must register for this course prior to commencing each work period.

POL S 499. Internship in Political Science.

Cr. arr. F.S.SS. Prereq: 6 credits in political science; junior or senior classification; and permission of internship coordinator
Work experience with a specific nongovernmental or governmental agency at the local, state, national, or international level, combined with academic work under faculty supervision. Use of credit in Pol S major and minor is limited. See Undergraduate Study for information. Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.

Courses primarily for graduate students, open to qualified undergraduates:

POL S 502. Political Analysis and Research.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 6 credits in political science
Scope and methods of political science. Introduction to theoretical approaches and analytical reasoning in political science. Relationship of theory and data. Research design.

POL S 504. Proseminar in International Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 6 credits in political science or graduate standing
An overview of the major theoretical and empirical works in the study of international politics and foreign policy. Among the major theoretical approaches surveyed and applied to international politics are realism, neo-realism, liberalism, functionalism, rational choice theory, game theory, and decision-making theory. Seminal writings by leading scholars will be reviewed.

POL S 505. Proseminar in Comparative Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 6 credits in political science or graduate standing
Major theoretic approaches to the study of comparative politics -- varying concepts and definitions of society and policy, administrative traditions, institutional arrangements, political behavior, etc. Contrasting research method designs.

POL S 506. Proseminar in American Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 6 credits in political science or graduate standing
A presentation of the major theories and research on American government and politics. Substantive topics include modern democratic theory, institutional performance, and mass political behavior. A variety of research methodologies are examined, including normative theory, behavioralism, and rational choice analysis.

POL S 507. Proseminar in Public Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Six credits in political science or graduate standing
An overview of the major theoretical approaches and empirical methods relevant to the study of public policy. Emphasis is placed on agenda setting, policy formation, policy sustainability, and policy analysis. Seminal writings by leading scholars will be reviewed. Leading quantitative and qualitative methodological tools for analyzing policy are presented.

POL S 510. State Government and Politics.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered even-numbered years.Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years. Prereq: POL S 310
Comparative analysis of state political systems. Role of interest groups, political parties, legislatures, courts, and governors in state politics. Possible determinants of public policy outputs at the state level.

POL S 513. Intergovernmental Relations.

(Dual-listed with POL S 413). (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 6 credits of American government
Theories and practices of the American federal system. Politics and policy making among federal, state, and local governments.

POL S 515. Biorenewables Law and Policy.

(Cross-listed with BRT). (3-0) Cr. 3. F.
Evaluation of the biorenewables field as it relates to the areas of law and policy. Primary emphasis on the following topics: concerns that motivated the development and expansion of the biorenewables field, a history of the interactions between biorenewable pathways. U.S. law and policy and controversies that have arisen from these interactions and their effects.

POL S 525. Mass Political Behavior.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: 6 credits in Political Science or graduate standing
An in-depth survey of the theoretical, empirical, and methodological works concerning mass political behavior in the United States. Substantive topics include political attitudes and ideologies, public opinion and voting behavior, and political psychology. Methods for studying mass behavior include survey research and experimental approaches.

POL S 531. Modern Political Thought.

(Dual-listed with POL S 431). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: 6 credits in political science, philosophy, or European history
Study of original texts in political thought ranging from the Reformation to the French Revolution and its aftermath. Topics such as justice, freedom, rights, democracy, toleration, property, power, skepticism, and normative views of international politics.

POL S 533. E-goverment and Information Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Overview of the legal and policy context of E-government development. Topics include the legal and regulatory policies on information management in governments, and public policies that use information technologies to address economic and social concerns and their impacts on citizens and governmental organizations.

POL S 534. Legal and Ethical Issues in Information Assurance.

(Cross-listed with CPR E, INFAS). (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Graduate classification; CPR E 531 or INFAS 531
Legal and ethical issues in computer security. State and local codes and regulations. Privacy issues.

POL S 535. Contemporary Political Philosophy.

(Cross-listed with PHIL). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years. Prereq: 6 credits of philosophy or political science
Examination of theories of justice proposed by contemporary political philosophers. Analysis of the philosophical foundations of perspectives such as liberalism, libertarianism, communitarianism, socialism, feminism. Normative assessments of socio-political institutions.

POL S 542. The Policy and Politics of Coastal Areas.

(Dual-listed with POL S 442). (3-0) Cr. 3. SS.
Exploration of political implications of coastal policy. Issues include: "Carrying capacity," zoning, regulation of human development activities, trade-offs between conservation and jobs, the quality of coastal lifestyle, ways in which citizens participate in policy for coastal areas.

POL S 544. Comparative Public Policy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered even-numbered years.Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years. Prereq: 6 credits in political science
Examines how, why and to what effect governments deal with substantive policy problems differently. Environmental factors, ideologies, cultures, domestic policy making processes, and interest groups.

POL S 552. Comparative Foreign Policy.

(Dual-listed with POL S 452). (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: POL S 251
Various theoretical approaches to explain foreign policy making and behavior through the use of case studies of selected nations.

Meets International Perspectives Requirement.

POL S 560. American Political Institutions.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: 6 credits in American government
Examination of policy-making and governance in a separation of powers system. Interaction between the chief executive, the legislature, administrative agencies, and the public. How political and legal forces affect policy makers and are reflected in public policies and programs.

POL S 569. Foundations of Public Administration.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Graduate classification
An examination of the social, political, intellectual, and environmental factors contributing to the historical development and central issues of American Public Administration. Exploration of classic and contemporary texts of public administration emphasizing constitutional and civic roles of public servants, administrative responsibility in democratic governance and justice, and essential frameworks to identify managerial skills, perspectives, and resources for effective, equitable public service.

POL S 570. Politics and Management of Nonprofit Organizations.

(3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: Graduate classification
Discussion of contemporary issues and perspectives shaping the policy development and management of national and international nonprofit organizations. Topics include an historic overview of nonprofit and philanthropic perspectives; exploration of nonprofit organization roles in public service provision; review of the legal framework influencing nonprofit governance; and consideration of capacity building issues such as strategic planning, board development, fundraising, human resources, and volunteer management.

POL S 571. Organizational Theory in the Public Sector.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Graduate classification
Major theories of administrative organization, including motivations of administrators and organizations, comparisons of organizational arrangements, factors affecting organizational arrangements, and formal and informal decision-making structures.

POL S 572. Public Finance and Budgeting.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Graduate classification
Topics such as the fiscal role of government in a mixed economy; evaluation of sources of public revenue and credit; administrative, political, and institutional aspects of the budget and the budgetary process; alternative budget formats; skills required to analyze public revenue and spending. Spreadsheet use required.

POL S 573. Public Personnel Administration.

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Graduate classification
Course discusses the history and development of high performance personnel administration in the public and nonprofit sectors regarding strategic planning, employee rights and responsibilities, performance assessment, collective bargaining, and civil service systems. Emphasized basic competencies in the essential human resource management tools in the areas of recruitment, retention, employee development, compensation, discipline, and conflict resolution.

POL S 574. Policy and Program Evaluation.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Graduate classification
Integration, application, and utilization of public administration and public policy concepts in the interpretation of results and effectiveness of public programs and the prediction of consequences for policymakers and administrators.

POL S 575. Management in the Public Sector.

(Dual-listed with POL S 475). (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: POL S 371
Literature and research on organizational behavior and management theory with emphasis on applied aspects of managing contemporary public sector organizations. Topics include distinctions between public and private organizations, leadership, productivity, employee motivation, organizational structure, and organizational change.

POL S 576. Administrative Law.

(Dual-listed with POL S 476). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered even-numbered years. Prereq: POL S 215; junior classification
Constitutional problems of delegation of governmental powers, elements of fair administrative procedures, judicial control over administrative determinations.

POL S 577. Government, Business, and Society.

(Dual-listed with POL S 477). (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Graduate classification
Diverse perspectives on the changing roles and relationships of business, government, and society so as to open the way for more effective policy decisions on corporate-government affairs. Topics may include the changing economy; transformation of workplace and community conditions; consumerism; social responsibilities of businesses; economic policies and regulations; and politics in the business-government relationship.

POL S 580. Ethics and Public Policy.

(Dual-listed with POL S 480). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: 6 credits in political science
Study of decision making approaches and application to case studies. Topics such as the different roles of public officials, proper scope and use of administrative discretion, and the admissibility of religious, political, and philosophical commitments in governmental decision making.

POL S 581. International Political Economy.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 6 credits in political science
An overview of the international political economy since the end of World War II. Special emphasis on national (primarily U.S.) development assistance and agricultural/food politics and policies, and those of the international food organizations, the World Bank, and the regional development banks.

POL S 582. Environmental Politics and Policies.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 3 credits in political science or 3 credits in Environmental Studies; graduate classification
Major ideologies relating to conservation and ecology. Processes, participants, and institutions involved in state, national, and global environmental policymaking. Case studies of environmental controversies and proposals for policy reform.

POL S 585. Comparative Public Administration.

(Dual-listed with POL S 485). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Comparison of government bureaucratic structures and processes in major world regions; trends and issues of administrative and management reforms; globalization and other contemporary challenges to state administrative structures and policies; skills needed to evaluate and implement public management reforms.

POL S 587. Electronic Democracy.

(Dual-listed with POL S 487). (3-0) Cr. 3. Prereq: Sophomore standing or instructor approval
The impact of computers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web on politics and policy. The positive and negative effects on information technology (IT) on selected topics such as freedom, power and control, privacy, civic participation, the sense of "community," "virtual cities," interest group behavior, the new media, campaigns, elections, and voting will be examined.

POL S 590. Special Topics.