Fall 2017 Political Science Courses

PSC 102: American Politics (Leeper, T/Th 9:45-11am)

An introductory course in American national politics. Attention given to the nature of politics, constitutional foundations; federalism; civil rights and liberties, Congress, the presidency, the Supreme Court, campaigns and elections, political parties, public opinion, and the role of the media and interest groups in politics. Social Science Core Course.

PSC 110: Introduction to Comparative Politics (Murphy M/W 1-2:15pm)

An introduction to comparative political analysis with application of concepts and theories to selected democratic and authoritarian countries worldwide. Topics include formal institutional structures, representation and participation, public policy, political violence, ethnic politics, and political culture. Social Science Core Course.

PSC 304: Statistics for Behavioral Science (Alexander, T/Th 8:20-9:35am, Lab W 1-4pm)

Prerequisite: MATH 104 or higher. The logic and application of standard statistical tests in the analysis of data with an emphasis on null hypothesis statistical testing. Topics include: descriptive statistics, statistical inference, correlation and regression, t-test, and analysis of variance, chi-square, and other nonparametric techniques. The laboratory will reinforce lecture material and provide practical experience using computer applications to obtain statistics and graphs and in preparing reports of research findings.(Same as PSY 304, SOC 304) 

PSC 312: Foreign Policy & War (Murphy, T/Th 1-2:15pm)

Prerequisite: PSC 111 or instructor’s permission. An analysis of the development and conduct of US national security policy, including the causes and consequences of war and patterns of American foreign policy. The course covers general explanations of international conflict, critical junctures in foreign policy decision making, and application of these to present-day national security challenges. Students will present concrete policy briefings and simulate international negotiation and conflict through the game Diplomacy. Social Science Core Course.

PSC 355S: Constitutional Law & American Politics (Leeper, M/W 9:30-10:45)

American constitutional principles are examined through an analysis of Supreme Court decisions. The focus will be on judicial decision-making in the areas of judicial review, the separation of powers, federalism, and the economic system. ("S" Course)

PSC 395: Selected Topics - Politics and Culture in American Film (Leeper, T/Th 2:30-3:45)