PSCI - Political Science

PSCI 210IS  Introduction to American Government: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(F, Sp) Examines the major institutions of national government and politics. Special emphasis on the constitution and other political rules of the game as shapers of public consciousness and government policy.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Explain the basics of the American political system.
  2. Demonstrate critical reading and thinking skills.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the diverse cultures and values which have shaped the US and its political system
  4. Interpret and analyze social science data

PSCI 230D  Introduction to International Relations: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(F, Sp) A survey of the major global issues and the means nation-states use to resolve them. The students will explore the concepts of sovereignty, the elements of power, and the global trends of regionalism and internationalism.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Acquire a broad base of knowledge about contemporary world politics
  2. Describe problems of world politics from the perspectives of other countries, people, cultures, and experiences beyond those of their home country.
  3. Explain the limits and environment in which foreign policies are formulated and acted on, and their consequences
  4. Analyze and evaluate foreign policy problems via written communication.

PSCI 240  Introduction to Public Administration: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(F, Sp) Implementation of public policy in American government. Topics include but are not limited to: bureaucratic politics, decision making, budgeting, personnel management, ethics, organization theory, and organization behavior.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Define business terms relating to the public sector;
  2. Analyze funding sources and procedures available through local, state, and federal government;
  3. Identify policy-making procedures as they relate to the public sector;
  4. Compare and contrast management practices of the public sector with those of private/for profit businesses;
  5. Research best practices of business ethics of the public sector and not for profit agencies.

PSCI 250IH  Introduction to Political Theory: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(F, Sp) This course offers an introduction to political theory as 1) a foundational subfield of Political Science, 2) a Western humanistic intellectual tradition, and 3) an interpretive “lens” through which we understand, and ethically evaluate the world that we live in. Our goal is to examine texts in their historical context, and to explore how we can use those texts and their insights to think critically about our contemporary political condition, values, practices and institutions – particularly about the state of “democracy” in America. Every political theory relies on certain assumptions about human nature and the arc of history, and if we accomplish one thing by the end of the semester it will be getting you to be able to read the world in terms of the implicit ideas about humanity and its history (and thus its future, or possible futures).

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Describe what political theory as a discipline is, what its “method” of inquiry involves, and how it differs from and relates to “politics” and “political science”
  2. Analyze key arguments that define the history of Western political theory, taking into consideration premises, assumptions, contexts, and conclusions, and how those have changed over time from the Classical to the Modern to the Contemporary eras
  3. Apply knowledge of the diverse cultures, histories, values, or conflicts that have shaped the U.S. to better understand current political events, U.S. democratic political institutions, and systemic or structural injustice
  4. Analyze information from different viewpoints, reflective of broad ideological frameworks, and engage in respectful discussion with those who disagree with you

PSCI 291  Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Course prerequisites as determined for each offering. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand for requesting a regular course number
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PSCI 302  Media and Politics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS and sophomore standing. Explores role of the media in the political process with special emphasis on various print media, television, film, and cyberspace

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Help students understand the history of the mass media in the United States
  2. Understand the economic and political pressures that journalists and journalism labor under
  3. Understand how journalistic norms and economic consolidation of media outlets inform what content media consumers "i.e. citizens" ultimately receive
  4. Help students think critically about the proper role of the media as the "fourth estate" of government within democratic polities
  5. Provide students the opportunity to research and write on questions of interest to them related to the potentials and limits of the contemporary mass media information system

PSCI 310  Applied Political Analysis: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Quantitative Reasoning CORE course and junior standing, or consent of instructor. Provides an introduction to methods and techniques in quantitative political statistics. Topics covered range from levels of measurement and descriptive statistics to logistic regression, using political science data sets and examples

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Use SPSS to manage data (i.e., recode variables, build scale variables, run statistics)
  2. Use SPSS to describe quantitative data (e.g., measures of central tendency, dispersion)
  3. Use SPSS to use statistical inference (i.e., Chi-square, t-tests, correlation and regression)
  4. Understand the relationship between social science research and statistical analyses
  5. Be able to write hypotheses
  6. Be able to write interpretive sentences of the statistical results

PSCI 323  Modern Political Thought: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 250 or consent of instructor. Examines issues of power, authority, legitimacy, community and freedom in the work of Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Marx, and Nietzsche, among others. Recommended prerequisite for PSCI 354 (Contemporary Political Thought) and PSCI 455 (Politics & Virtue.)

View Course Outcomes:

  1. To develop an understanding of how the Modern era of political thought differs importantly from the Classical era
  2. To grasp how core texts in the Western tradition were written to address a particular political or moral dilemma, and thus a particular audience
  3. To provide students opportunities to think about the foundations of the political ideologies that we still live with today
  4. To provide students with opportunities to engage in close textual reading, and to develop arguments about those texts which are fleshed out through multiple writing assignments

PSCI 331  International Relations Theory: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D or consent of instructor. Overview of the idealism versus realism debate during the first half of the twentieth century. Followed by theories formulated in the postwar period to study causes of war/conflict, problems of interdependence, and recent developments such as the end of the Cold War, global democratization, growing ethnic conflict, and a more active United Nations

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Understand the role of theory in the production of knowledge about the social world.
  2. Be able to identify theories about international relations when they function as underlying world views in policy makers' narratives (speeches, writing, policies, and justification for policies)
  3. Understand the three great debates in IR theory
  4. Understand how narratives work to structure power relations, and how to identify and challenge the myths that enable narratives to work in this way
  5. Understand how theories and narratives produce political order

PSCI 336  European Union: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS. Historical and contemporary analysis of political and economic integration in Europe with a focus on the political system of the European Union

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Analyze European Union’s politics and policies and its role in the world.
  2. Explain the internal diplomacy of the European Union.
  3. Create and communicate a logical argument related to European Union’s politics and policies.

PSCI 337  Model United Nations: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D or Consent of instructor. This course introduces students to the workings of the global organization that is the United Nations. Students gain an understanding of international negotiations that unfold in the U.N. setting in the context of current international issues and events

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Better understand the structures, processes, and procedures used in international organizations, with particular emphasis on the United Nations;
  2. Better understand the history and contemporary functions of international organizations;
  3. Be capable of analyzing the reasons for and potential resolutions of international crises;
  4. Be more engaged in current global events and their broader significance; and
  5. Show improved skills in the areas of research, writing, public speaking, negotiation, diplomacy, and conflict resolution.

PSCI 338  Comparative Politics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D or consent of instructor. Comparative study of different types of governmental regimes, political systems, and political cultures throughout the world and the sources and consequences of these differences

View Course Outcomes:

  1. understand why countries choose different mechanisms and institutions for governing and why these choices are important;
  2. be equipped to apply the major theories, concepts, and tools of comparative political science in a more careful and responsible manner;
  3. understand the consequences of differing political practices, ideologies, and historical paths across countries;
  4. appreciate the concept of democracy and how it is sustained; and
  5. have improved their skills related to critical reading, critical thinking, writing, and collaboration.

PSCI 339  Culture and Ideology: The Development of the Modern Prison: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 250. It focuses on the relationships between cultures of penality, ideologies of race/gender/class, and the transnational emergence of a Prison Industrial Complex

View Course Outcomes:

  1. an analysis of some of the ways race and class structure mass incarceration the United States.
  2. a broad, historical exposition of the way prison systems have developed, particularly in the western world, from the ancient world to the present;
  3. an explanation of the history and politics, particularly vis-à-vis Native Americans, at play in the establishment of Montana Women’s Correctional Center;
  4. a critical, speculative analysis of potential reforms and directions the American Prison system might take and its attendant politics

PSCI 341  Political Parties and Elections: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. Examines the structure and function of political parties, interest groups, and the mass media in the electoral process. Special emphasis on electoral rules and citizen participation from a comparative democratic perspective

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the transformation of America's Party system over the past 200 years;
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental models, terms, and concepts associated with the study of political parties and political behavior;
  3. Demonstrate proficiency at writing critical analyses of social science theories;
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the consequences of political reform and the election process.

PSCI 346  American Presidency: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. The American presidency as a government institution. Examination of the legal, political, administrative, and policy making roles of the president. Emphasis on recent issues of responsiveness to national needs and public accountability

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Explain the constitutional underpinnings of the American presidency
  2. Explain the transformation from pre-modern to the modern presidency
  3. Explain the relationship between presidential power and public opinion, administrative state, and the media
  4. Display appreciation for various theories explaining presidential success
  5. Display appreciation of the production of scholarly knowledge as a collective endeavor
  6. Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze social science theories

PSCI 347  The U.S. Congress and the Legislative Process: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. Examines the U.S. Congress and it operation in a variety of settings. Broad themes such as representation, policy-making, checks and balances, and oversight are examined as is the evolution of Congress historically

View Course Outcomes:

  1. have an understanding of United States Congress and its operation in a variety of settings.
  2. broad understanding of the republican system of government such as representation, policy-making, checks and balances, and the electoral process.
  3. understand the evolution of Congress the institution, and how the chamber is fundamentally shaped by the collective action dilemma.
  4. ability to discuss what lawmakers do, how they perceive their duties as representatives, and how laws are made.
  5. comprehend involvement of members, parties, and other interests in policy making.
  6. understand the operation of Congress, how both Representatives and Senators enact the Founder's vision on a daily basis, and how political scientists theorize and explain legislative politics and process.
  7. will have developed the tools to evaluate critically Congress as an institution and will have developed a deeper understanding of our legislative process to aid their role as politically active citizens.

PSCI 348  Multicultural Politics in the United States: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Sophomore standing, or consent of instructor. Examines the politics of diversity in the U.S., including national community, identity, citizenship, immigration, assimilation, and racial issues such as voting rights, affirmative action, segregation and integration, and public opinion

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Explain national community, identity, immigration and assimilation, and race and ethnicity in the U.S.
  2. Describe and evaluate basic ideas about what multiculturalism is and how the term has been used, including issues relating to how America is defined, what it means to be a nation, how citizenship is defined, and the politics of immigration and assimilation.
  3. Analyze the politics of group political identity.
  4. Examine and evaluate voting rights, affirmative action, segregation and property, and related policy issues.

PSCI 353  British Politics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(Sp) While the US and the UK share a common origin and philosophical heritage, their political systems have diverged since the revolution. This course investigates the similarities and differences in their political systems and the ramifications for politics and policy.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. To be able to articulate the common philosophical principles shared by the US and the UK;
  2. To discuss key features of the political system of the UK and to compare it to the US;
  3. Display understanding of the fundamental changes in the British constitution over the past 15 years and to analyze their implications;
  4. To analyze the continuing impact of Britain's relationship with the European Union;
  5. To demonstrate improved skills in the areas of critical reading, thinking, writing and analysis.

PSCI 354  Contemporary Issues in Political Theory: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 250 or consent of the instructor. Examines questions of knowledge, discourse, power, and identity in the works of contemporary (often "postmodern") critics, including: Foucault, Althusser, Butler, de Beauvoir, Kuhn, Rorty, Rawls, Chomsky

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Describe the main elements of modernism and pragmatism;
  2. Identify and assess the various tests or criteria (such as relevance, significance, or ethical standards) that can be used to establish the value of one theoretical position or theorist over another;
  3. Present and orally defend a series of interpretive, analytical essays which examine a thinker's ideas about human nature, justice, social obligation, and political legitimacy;
  4. Evaluate political theorists with regard to the problems they address to determine whether their works speak to our condition as well as theirs;
  5. Orally critique an essay in terms of its analytical clarity, accuracy in its interpretation of the readings, and logic of its conclusion(s).

PSCI 356  Classical Political Thought: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 250 or consent of instructor. Explores justice, virtue, freedom, and "the good life" (ethics). Texts include early Greek poetry, theatre, classic works by Plato and Aristotle, and some contemporary criticism. Recommended prerequisite for PSCI 354 (Contemporary Political Thought) and PSCI 455 (Politics & Virtue)

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Describe correctly and evaluate the various tests or criteria (such as relevance, significance, or\\nethical considerations) that can be use to establish the value of the works of Ancient and Medieval thinkers, from Plato to Machiavelli;
  2. Describe correctly and evaluate the organic theories of the state, ethical idealism, political realism, just war theory, natural law theory, and elitism;
  3. Describe correctly and evaluate the Ancient and Medieval thinkers’ ideas about human nature, justice, social obligation, and political legitimacy;
  4. Describe correctly and evaluate an interpretive essay in terms of its analytical clarity, the accuracy in its interpretation of the readings, and the logic of its conclusion.

PSCI 362  Natural Resource Policy: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 240 or consent of instructor. (Sp) Public lands policy and the economic and political issues that emerge. Special emphasis is placed on the National Parks and federal public lands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

View Course Outcomes:

  1. an understanding of the complex relationship between environmental issues in the Greater Yellowstone region and the impact of economic, legal, and institutional decision making.
  2. the ability to identify policy perspectives than can be exported to other greater ecosystems globally.
  3. understand solutions for effective management of policy affecting land, wildlife, and humans on natural landscapes.
  4. have a greater appreciation of the complexity of resource issues and how to approach them as interdisciplinary challenges.

PSCI 390R  Research Methods: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS, PSCI 230D, PSCI 240, PSCI 250. This includes: PSCI 210IS, PSCI 230D, PSCI 240, and PSCI 250 and junior standing. This course introduces students to the qualitative and quantitative research methods used in the social sciences generally and political science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. students should be capable of explaining the core logic underlying scientific research generally and political science research more specifically
  2. be capable of writing a basic, integrated literature review
  3. be capable of thinking critically about the strengths and weaknesses of various research designs and tools used in political inquiry
  4. have acquired foundational knowledge about descriptive statistics and analysis
  5. demonstrate improved skills in the areas of critical reading, critical thinking, analysis, and writing

PSCI 407  Public Policy Analysis: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 240 or consent of instructor. Analysis of impact of public decisions with emphasis placed on secondary data sources and interpretation

View Course Outcomes:

  1. have a better appreciation of the mechanics and complexity of policymaking, including the sources and ramifications of policy decisions;
  2. have developed basic competence with various tools of policy analysis;
  3. have acquired knowledge about a number of important policy issues; and
  4. demonstrate improved skills in the basic areas of critical reading, analysis, integration of information and ideas, and writing.

PSCI 418  The Politics of War & Peace: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D or consent of instructor. Combines two well-established subjects in the area of political science concerned with the study of international relations: the causes of war and the study of war and peace (emphasis of class). Covers a broad range of theorizing, research, and practice in both areas and will consider the relationship between them in constructive and critical ways

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Have a broad foundation of knowledge of the research in international relations addressing questions regarding the causes of war
  2. Have a broad foundation of knowledge about the subfield of international relations devoted to conflict resolution and peace studies;
  3. Understand the dynamics of capacity building of political and judicial institutions in the aftermath of conflict
  4. Appreciate the importance of reconciliation in efforts to build social practices and institutions with a high probability of sustaining peace and channeling conflict into constructive non-violence political processes
  5. Be able to formulate relevant and researchable hypothesis about questions of war, peace, and conflict resolution

PSCI 423  Politics of Development: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D or consent of instructor. Consideration of explanations for global development patterns, the political economy of development, broader measures of development, approaches for evaluating policy effectiveness, and examples of policy success. Examination of region-specific development challenges and concerns. -

View Course Outcomes:

  1. better comprehend the multidimensional nature of development;
  2. be able to discuss factors responsible for differing levels and types development;
  3. be able to analyze the connections among political, economic, and social processes and development;
  4. be aware of methods for identifying potentially effective development strategies;
  5. better understand development issues as they apply to different regions of the world; and
  6. show improved skills in the areas of critical reading, thinking, writing, and analysis.

PSCI 429  National Security Policy Decision-Making: 3 Credits (3 Other)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. Engage in simulations on national security decision making at the highest level of the US government, taking on role of National Security Council Members. Learn about the organization, analysis of security challenges, and considerations posed by Congress, the media and interest groups

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Understand the organization and role of the national security agencies in policy making
  2. Be able to analyze current U.S. national security interests and international security challenges
  3. Understand the tools available to meet policy goals (diplomatic, intelligence, military) media, and interest groups
  4. Know the range of considerations in policy making, including the role of Congress
  5. Write memos and give oral briefings that present concise information and analysis and to offer considered, balanced policy options and recommendations
  6. Conduct an in-depth policy review on a specific issue, analyzing current policy and developing options for alternative approaches
  7. Learn what it takes to be in the hot seat -- making and coordinating policy from the White House

PSCI 437  International Political Econ: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D or consent of instructor. Political and economic perspectives are integrated in an analysis of the issues affecting the domestic and international economy and their interface. International institutions, trade, exchange rates and the monetary system, regionalism and development are critiqued with different political perspectives

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Better comprehend the multidimensional nature of development;
  2. Identify the major global institutions that govern the world economy and discuss their purpose, history, and critiques;
  3. Articulate key measures and trends for income inequality in the US and the world;
  4. Discuss the causes and impact of financial crisis, articulate the link to income inequality and critique policies to address it;
  5. Identify the political and economic factors, policies and events that have increased income equality in the United States and globally;
  6. Explain social and economic mobility and the key policies impacting their achievement;
  7. Discuss factors responsible for differing levels and types development;
  8. Analyze the connections among political, economic, and social processes and development;
  9. Discuss methods for identifying potentially effective development strategies;
  10. Better understand development issues as they apply to different regions of the world; and
  11. Show improved skills in the areas of critical reading, thinking, writing, and analysis.

PSCI 439  International Human Rights: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D or consent of instructor. The development of human rights in legal and political context of the post-World War II period. Civil and political rights of due process; political participation and fundamental democratic freedoms; as well as social, cultural, and economic rights including basic human needs, self-determination, gender equality, and cultural integrity. National and International implementation is also considered

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Have a deeper appreciate for the way politics engages conflicts between interests and ethics;
  2. Understand how the development of international human rights has paralleled the democratization of western societies and the emergence of a transnational normative order;
  3. Possess a solid foundation of knowledge about the full range of currently recognized human rights including civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights;
  4. Be familiar with the major debates and controversies raised by contemporary human rights such as universality versus moral relativism;
  5. Have knowledge of the variety of issues on the horizon or frontier of contemporary international human rights such as the claims for rights of migrants and refugees, rights to health care, access to clean water, and protection against discrimination for LGBT individuals.

PSCI 445  Political Psychology: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS. (Su) This course surveys recent and canonical works in political psychology that illuminate how people understand and think about the political world. This course will place particular emphasis on new cutting edge works in political psychology that help us to shed new light on emerging trends in American politics as well as enduring problems

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Students will examine core psychological concepts that political scientists employ to understand the political actions of individuals, groups, and nations.
  2. Students will develop an understanding of psychological explanations of politics focused on the individual (e.g., personality, learning, cognition, emotion), and individuals’ environments (e.g. information, social influences, group dynamics).
  3. Psychological explanations will be applied by students to political phenomena such as leadership, the formation and change of political beliefs and opinions, social group dynamics such as identity and discrimination, and extreme events such as authoritarianism, genocide and altruism.
  4. Students will apply the major psychological concepts and theories to evaluate a range of human political thought and action.

PSCI 446  Congressional Campaign: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. Examines the structure of the modern congressional campaign, with specific attention to fundraising, advertising, polling practices, and voter mobilization. Special emphasis on linking political science theory to the practice of electioneering

View Course Outcomes:

  1. understand elections in the context of the congressional campaign.
  2. apply the insights of political science discipline to practical problems of winning an election.
  3. understanding the campaign tools and strategies necessary to win; as well as understand how democratic government functions in practice.
  4. applying the concepts and ideas explored in the readings not only through classroom discussion, but through the creation of polls, campaign ads, fundraising letters, and voter targeting plans.
  5. participate in an in-class campaign simulation and run competing Senate campaigns against your fellow classmates.

PSCI 447  Politics of Community Development: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. This course explores the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of community development and real world application of policies and programs. Applying theory to practice, students examine community development through various themes that include social justice, diversity and inclusion, and life in the Anthropocene. Using participatory planning and design approaches, students will apply community development concepts, methods, and skills in an applied setting

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Identify the principal components of community development.
  2. Distinguish and interpret social, economic, and environmental aspects of community development
  3. Prepare and model community development techniques
  4. Prepare, investigate, develop, and recommend a community development project through implementation, management, and resource development planning
  5. Formulate and modify community development activities for a specific case

PSCI 449  The Politics of Climate Change: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

(Sp) Climate change is arguably the most important global challenge of the 21st century. As such, there is considerable conflict regarding how (and even if) society can address this challenge. With this backdrop, this course explores the policies and politics surrounding climate change from political, social, economic, legal, and ecological perspectives.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Analyze the primary political impediments and catalysts to promoting responses to climate change as well as the role of private and public sectors in addressing political barriers and devising policies.
  2. Evaluate key institutions, legal frameworks, and societal pressures and related influences that shape responses to climate change, concentrating on the political causes and consequences of various policy initiatives and outcomes.
  3. Create a unique Climate Action Plan for a specific community or organization outlining Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and adaptation and mitigation policy recommendations.

PSCI 451  State and Local Government Policy Making: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. An examination of the institutions, actors, and issues relevant to state and local governments in the United States, with a particular emphasis on Montana

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Be able to describe core activities of state and local governments;
  2. Understand the factors determining how state and local government entities respond to public policy issues;
  3. Demonstrate critical thinking and other skills that enhance effective policy making and citizenship;
  4. Be able to analyze a public policy issue from the perspective of state and local government;
  5. Be knowledgable about potential career paths in state and local government; and
  6. Appreciate the concept of democracy and how it is sustained at the state and local level.

PSCI 454  Cinema and Political Theory: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 250 or consent of instructor. Explores the intersection of political theory with topics such as civil society, bureaucracy and public policy through the use of film. Special attention given to both descriptive and prescriptive applications of modern and contemporary political theory to these topics

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Develop familiarity with contemporary political theories and their implications for concepts that may include technology, subjectivity, power or signification in governance settings
  2. Articulate the presence or expression of these theories in film
  3. Describe how the intersection of the theories and their expression in film extends into contemporary political and organizational settings, and their implications for democratic practices

PSCI 455  Politics & Virtue: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 250 and PSCI 323 or PSCI 356, or consent of instructor. What is "virtue"? What different sets of virtues exist in the history of Western thought? What is the nature of contemporary political debates about specific virtues? Course will focus particularly on humility, solidarity, civility, empathy, autonomy, humaneness, temperance, and forgiveness

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Explain what constitutes a virtue;
  2. Describe the different sets of virtues in intellectual historical and cross-cultural context;
  3. Explain the political implications of categorizing people in terms of virtue.
  4. Demonstrate developed reading, analytical, and, most crucially, writing skills by preparing a number of complex theoretical papers related to politics and virtue;
  5. Demonstrate an in-depth insight into the politics of a particular virtue of his or her choosing;
  6. Explain to his or her peers about the virtue they study.

PSCI 461  Administrative Law: 3 Credits (3 Other)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 240 or consent of instructor. This course serves as an introduction to the legal and procedural environment of public administration. Students will explore the legislation and case law associated with contemporary administrative law in order to understand its impact on administrative practices and democratic governance

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Describe correctly and evaluate rationally the principal doctrines of American administrative law as developed in federal case law regarding congressional authorization and empowerment of administrative agencies;
  2. Describe congressional and presidential oversight of administrative agencies;
  3. Describe agencies’ power/limitations to gather information by subpoena and personal and premise\\nsearch;
  4. Describe agencies’ power and procedures to make rules;
  5. Describe agencies’ power and procedures to adjudicate infractions of agency rules;
  6. Describe courts’ power to exercise judicial review over agency decisions.

PSCI 465  Public Administration and Policy: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 240 or consent of instructor. Examines the major political and strategic processes of public policy development and implantation. Topics covered include agenda setting, stakeholder influence, use of political narratives, decision making and implementation strategies

View Course Outcomes:

  1. To learn the basic vocabulary of the field of Public Administration.
  2. To gain an overview of the field of Public Administration and to learn about the major topic and issue areas in the field.
  3. To gain understanding of the process of learning itself and the relationship between theory and practice.
  4. To develop an awareness of public service values: personal ethics, professional ethics, citizen responsiveness, social responsibility.
  5. To begin to articulate the models and theories you use when making administrative decisions and to compare them to those of experts in the field.
  6. To develop and improve analytic and written communication skills necessary for graduate education and the competent practice of administration.

PSCI 470  Rural Politics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

This course explores the contours of rural politics in America today. Students will learn about the importance, connection, and political identity rural Americans find with the land, the actual, geographic place in which they reside.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Write clearly and with purpose on issues of rural politics and identity;
  2. Analyze political and policy problems related to rural spaces;
  3. Use electronic and traditional library resources to research key policies concerning rural spaces and present results;
  4. Demonstrate critical thinking, including the ability to form an argument, detect fallacies, and martial evidence, about key issues of public policy and politics.

PSCI 471  American Constitutional Law: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS or consent of instructor. Explores the relationship between law, individual rights, and public policy. Legal research and case law approach are stressed. Topics will include, but are not limited to, the aspects of the Bill of Rights and the 14th and 15th Amendments

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Describe correctly and evaluate rationally the principal doctrines of American Constitutional law as explained by the US Supreme Court case law regarding: Articles I, II, and II and the role of each branch of the national government, separation of powers, and checks and balances; as well as various amendments to the Constitution, with particular attention to the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.

PSCI 483  The Politics of Authoritarianism: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 230D. What is a dictatorship, how do authoritarian regimes vary, and how do dictators remain in power
and when do they fall? This course critically examines the most common regime type throughout history.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Assess how dictatorships differ from democracies.
  2. Evaluate the factors that contribute to authoritarian survival and breakdown, and their persistence throughout history.
  3. Analyze how dictatorships shape societies and what their role in the world is.
  4. Critically evaluate current political regimes, learn to discuss and write about regime types.
  5. Evaluate how authoritarian states differ from one another and why it is difficult to classify these states.

PSCI 490R  Undergraduate Research: 1-6 Credits (1 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Junior standing, cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, consent of the instructor and approval of the department head. Students propose, develop, and complete an individual research project under the direction of a faculty mentor. Written and oral presentation of the results are expected. Course will address responsible conduct of research. May be repeated
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PSCI 491  Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (4 Lec, 4 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Consent of instructor. Course prerequisites as determined for each offering. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one-time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand before requesting a regular course number
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PSCI 492  Independent Study: 1-3 Credits (1-3 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Junior standing, cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, consent of the instructor, and approval of the department head. Directed research and study on an individual basis
Repeatable up to 6 credits.

PSCI 494  Seminar/Workshop: 1-3 Credits (1-3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Junior standing. Topics offered at the upper division level which are not covered by catalogued courses. Students are expected to do individual research projects leading to an oral and written report of each student's findings
Repeatable up to 4 credits.

PSCI 498  Internship: 2-12 Credits (2-12 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Junior standing, cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, consent of instructor, and approval of department head. An individualized assignment arranged with an agency, business, or other organization to provide guided experience in the field
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PSCI 499  Senior Project/Thesis: 3 Credits (3 Other)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 210IS, PSCI 230D, PSCI 240. Senior capstone course. Required course for graduation. Students examine the major concerns and issues in the discipline of political science in a mentored research project
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Undergraduate Research: Student learning outcomes vary.

PSCI 520  Government Leadership & Ethics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate Standing. (Sp) This course exposes students, using the most current theoretical and empirical literature, to the essential competencies need for ethical management and leadership roles in public and non-profit organizations

View Course Outcomes:

  1. conduct effective administration of public affairs organizations and provide experiential opportunities to develop those skills.
  2. understand practices associated with planning, organizing, decision-making, coordinating, reporting and budgeting

PSCI 525  Non-Profit Management: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITES: Graduate Standing
This course provides students an introduction to the legal, social, political and structural operation of nonprofit organizations in contemporary environments. Students, through a combination of lecture, discussion, written work (essays and project reports) and, where possible, service learning opportunities, will develop both an understanding of the role and operation of nonprofit organizations, as well as a sense of the function they serve in the wider community.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. demonstrate familiarity with the legal classifications and normative roles of nonprofit organizations within American political and policy-making structures,
  2. understand the unique structural, social, political, fiscal and administrative attributes of nonprofit organizations,
  3. recognize and understand the core activities associated with establishing, leading and administering a nonprofit organization, and
  4. demonstrate the ability to craft effective, mission-oriented approaches to key strategic and administrative operations in nonprofit organizations.

PSCI 530  Tools of Public Administration: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate Standing. This course encompasses two content areas needed for public managers: tools for human resource management and decisions and public budgeting. Topics regarding human resources include historical development of public personnel, position classification, recruitment, selection, equal opportunity, affirmative action, collective bargaining and flexible employment relationships under more limited and decentralized government. Topics regarding public budgeting include the politics of the budgeting process, budgeting forms and processes at the federal, state and local levels, and revenue projection and expenditure decisions
Repeatable up to 6 credits.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. An ability to evaluate and apply theories of public administration to workplace issues and budgeting processes and application
  2. An understanding of how to (a) select, develop, and motivate workers and (b) read, interpret and manipulate budgets
  3. Strong analytical, communication, and decision making skills.

PSCI 551  Quantitative Research Methods: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing. (Sp, Su) The quantitative research process as a means of acquiring knowledge that is reliable and relevant to the making of public management decisions and engaging in public leadership

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate a working understanding of quantitative research designs, tools, and forms of analysis and their use
  2. Identify elements of effective research questions and literature reviews in quantitative research
  3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of basic statistical analyses and how to properly report them
  4. Show relatively advanced skills in the areas of analysis, synthesis of information and ideas, decision making, and communication

PSCI 552  Public Policy Processes: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate Standing. (Sp) This course explores the major theories of public policy development and implementation

View Course Outcomes:

  1. The learning objectives of this course are to: Understand the primary processes by which public policy is developed and implemented in the United States
  2. Understand the discourse of public policy as it is associated with agenda setting, policy selection and implementation
  3. Recognize the mechanisms by which the public policy development and analysis can be studied and shaped

PSCI 553  Qualitative Research Methods: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate Standing. (F) The qualitative research process as a means of acquiring knowledge that is reliable and relevant to the making of public management decisions and engaging in public leadership

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Learn how to collect qualitative data by applying various concepts and frameworks
  2. Design and apply various qualitative methodologies
  3. Understand how to manage qualitative data using a qualitative data management system (ex. NVivo)
  4. Review the relationship between qualitative and quantitative data management techniques and protocols
  5. Analyze and present qualitative data through conceptual maps, matrices, and networks
  6. Communicate qualitative results in both oral and written form

PSCI 554  Foundations of Public Administration: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing. An introduction to the theoretical, historical, intellectual foundations of public administration and the relationship between public administration theory and practice, the political context and the intellectual heritage of the field. Examines basic functions and processes of public administration, the relationship between public administration and contemporary issues of governance facing the public sector

View Course Outcomes:

  1. learn the basic vocabulary of the field of Public Administration
  2. gain an overview of the field of Public Administration and to learn about the major topic and issue areas in the field
  3. gain understanding of the process of learning itself and the relationship between theory and practice
  4. develop an awareness of public service values: personal ethics, professional ethics, citizen responsiveness, social responsibility
  5. begin to articulate the models and theories you use when making administrative decisions and to compare them to those of experts in the field
  6. develop and improve analytic and written communication skills necessary for graduate education and the competent practice of administration

PSCI 558  Public Organization Dynamics: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing. A survey of organization theory in governance organizations. The class explores major theories of organization and their contribution to effective organization performance

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Familiarize participants with the basic concepts, models, and theories of organization
  2. Develop a better understanding of individual, group, and organization behavior
  3. Provide a conceptual foundation upon which theoretical knowledge can be applied to organizational and managerial problems
  4. In pursuit of these objectives, the following subjects will be considered: theories of organization; individual behavior; group dynamics; organization change; organizational performance

PSCI 559  Program Evaluation: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing. (F) A survey of methods of program evaluation and policy analysis for public programs. Quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis are contrasted. Implementation, utilization, and political context of the analysis and evaluation process are examined. Philosophical and ethical issues underlying alternative methods are explored

View Course Outcomes:

  1. describe the purpose and uses of evaluation
  2. describe and compare a broad array of evaluation approaches
  3. analyze the political and ethical aspects of evaluation
  4. describe and apply standards for quality evaluation
  5. analyze the relationship between Program Evaluation and other aspects of Public Administration

PSCI 560  Ethics and Public Service: 3 Credits (3 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 554 and Graduate standing. The course explores ethics as applied to issues in public service and policy making through theoretical and case study approaches

PSCI 575  Directed Professional Research Project: 3-6 Credits (3-6 Other)

PREREQUISITE: PSCI 551 or PSCI 553. (F, Sp) This is an applied, hands-on course in which students will get an introduction to qualitative and quantitative data collection, management, and analysis techniques. This fast-paced course will prepare graduate students for their research theses and professional papers. Classroom sessions take place in a computer lab for active instruction and data analysis practice. -

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Learning outcomes will vary depending on nature of project.

PSCI 589  Graduate Consultation: 1-3 Credits (1 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Master's standing and approval of the Dean of The Graduate School . This course may be used only by students who have completed all of their course work (and thesis if on a thesis plan) but who need additional faculty support
Repeatable up to 3 credits.

PSCI 591  Special Topics: 1-4 Credits (1-4 Lec)

PREREQUISITE: Upper division courses and others as determined for each offering, consent of instructor. Courses not required in any curriculum for which there is a particular one time need, or given on a trial basis to determine acceptability and demand
Repeatable up to 12 credits.

PSCI 592  Independent Study: 1-3 Credits (1 Other)

PREREQUISITE: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, approval of department head and Dean of Graduate Studies. Directed research and study on an individual basis
Repeatable up to 6 credits.

PSCI 595  Capstone Professional Portfolio: 3-6 Credits (3-6 Lec)

(F, Sp) MPA capstone course, integrating professional development competencies and students' individual approaches to leadership and governance.
Repeatable up to 6 credits.

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Describe the basic components of various professional materials and how they function to secure and enhance professional goals.
  2. Identify, describe, analyze, compare and contrast various public administration concepts and their relationship to professional resources to manage, advance, or change one’s career.
  3. Construct effective professional materials and resources.
  4. Conduct and evaluate self and peer reviews of professional content.
  5. Develop technical layout and design skills related to the creation of a portfolio including a short-term/long-term goal plan, an assessment of one’s own and other’s ability to plan goals, and examples of professional knowledge.
  6. Demonstrate preparedness for the use of a portfolio in professional activities such as job searches, networking, and interviews.
  7. Analyze the process of developing a professional portfolio and assess resources for future personal or professional aspirations.

PSCI 598  Internship: 3-12 Credits (3 Other)

(F, Sp) An individualized pre-professional assignment arranged with an agency, business, or other organization.
Repeatable up to 12 credits.