INTRODUCTORY COURSES

   UPPER-LEVEL COURSES

         Prerequisite: POSC 120
              Background of administration as a profession, principles that are helpful to the administrator,

            and effect of political influence.                                      

Prerequisite: POSC 120

Constitutional basis for development, organization, and role of Congress in the American political system. Analysis of Congress and formulation of public policy.

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
            Development of the presidency since the founding of America. Institutional and political problems   

          associated with the modern chief executive.

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
             Analysis of origins, development, and current state of American political parties. Emphasis on

           the role of parties in the electoral process; voting behavior and public opinion; presidential and

           congressional elections. (Students who have received credit for either POSC 325 or 426 cannot also  

           receive credit for POSC 326).

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
            Modern mass media as actors in the political arena, with an emphasis on how elections and

          policy-making are affected by the mass media.

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
            Governmental institutions and processes, political parties, voting at state and county levels.

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
            Development of urban government and impact of its politics; attention to roles of formal and

          informal actors on urban and metropolitan scene.

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
            Composition, roles, and powers of courts in American government. Emphasis on political nature

          of judicial decisions.

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
            POSC majors/minors. Examination of policy-making process and approaches to issues in

          American government; emphasis on role of informal influences as opposed to function of elected

          and appointed officials.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 120
            In-depth overview of national and local political Institutions and fundamental principles of

          American government. The political science department sees this class and POSC 336 as essential

          to any social science major interested in preparing to teach at the secondary level. It is especially

          appropriate for those seeking certification in Social Studies and Government and includes assessment 

          opportunities suitable for inclusion in their professional portfolios.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 231
            Political structures and functioning of selected Western European political systems. Emphasis

          on such major powers as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany and on the European Union

          and the prospects for continuing political integration.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 241

          Surveys the development of the relationship of American foreign policy and its corollary,

          American strategy, from the perspective of political philosophy. Assuming that strategy is

          the continuation of politics by other means, POSC 350 raises questions about the relation of

          American regime principles to the diplomacy and strategy that implement these principles in

          the international milieu.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 241

          Law and organization in an anarchic milieu of sovereign states. Emphasis on theoretical

          foundations and historical evolution.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 110

          First Semester: Development of Western political philosophy from ancient Greece through

          medieval period. Second Semester: Machiavelli through early modern period. Third Semester:

          Hegel to the present. Emphasis on reading primary sources. Discussion of major schools of thought

          and interpretation of politics.
 

        Prerequisite: Junior standing and political science major or permission of the instructor.

           Detailed study of a topic in political science. May be taken for a maximum of six hours credit with a  

           different topic each time.

 

        Prerequisite: POSC 300

          Focuses on transformational leadership theories, the impact of leadership on organizational

          behavior/culture, and public sector revitalization in order to examine the role of (visionary)

          leadership in the redesign of public organizations to: (a) “fit” or become congruent with their

          turbulent operating environment(s); (b) enhance efficiency outcomes; and (c) fulfill their legislative,

          judicial, and/or political mandate. Students who have taken POSC 430 or POSC 431 for credit may

          not also receive credit for POSC 432.

        Prerequisite: POSC 300

          Developments in public finance, budgeting and personnel; trends in representative bureaucracy,

          regulation, regional administration.

        Prerequisite: POSC 120

          Constitutional powers exercised by federal government; emphasis on intergovernmental

          relations, separation of powers, role of the Supreme Court in constitutional process and general

          theories of constitutional government.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 120

          Theoretical bases, popular support, judicial interpretation, and role of civil liberties in the

          United States.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 231

          Analysis of processes, problems, and prospects of modernization in underdeveloped areas

          of the world. Asian, African, and Latin American countries used as examples.

 

        Prerequisite: POSC 241

          An intensive study of the use of force in international relations and its effect on regimes and

          the soul. Themes include the classical perspective on force, just war theory, pacifism, empire

          maintenance and decay, and force and world order.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 231

          An introduction to Latin American politics that focuses on enduring themes and contemporary

          politics in selected countries.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 241

          Analysis of the political impact of economic relationships among nation-states and between

          nation-states, sub-national organizations, and supranational organizations. Topics covered

          include international trade, international monetary relations, imperialism, dependency,

          multinational corporations and the politics of natural resources.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 110 and POSC 120

          Examines the thought of the American founders, the principles of the constitutional order,

          and the evolution of American political thought over more than two centuries. Emphasis on

          original sources in the thought of American statesmen, political activists and dissenters, and

          intellectuals. (Students who have received credit for either POSC 472 and 473 cannot also receive

          credit for POSC 474).

        Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing; 2.5 in political science; 2.0 cumulative university;

          departmental approval.  Must be POSC major or minor.

          Only three hours may be applied toward requirements for the major or minor. This course will

          allow students to integrate concepts developed in classroom experiences and relevant readings

          in the theory of political science and public administration with the practice of these concepts in

          public and private agencies, organizations, and institutions.

        Prerequisite: Enrollment in the Honors Academy, completion of all other Honors Academy

          requirements, a minimum of 3.5 GPA in all courses and in political science.

          Project and the topic to be explored will be determined by the student, the faculty member

         with whom the student works, and the department. (Honors project may be a written or a written

         and performance-based project.) In order to receive honors credit, a student must earn a grade of

         “A” or “B” for the final project. Course may not be repeated.

        Prerequisite: Successful completion of appropriate 100- level or 200-level course or permission

          of the instructor.

         Analysis of a particular problem or issue in political science or contemporary politics. May be

         repeated as topics change. Depending upon the topic, this course may be used to meet

         requirements for the minor in Appalachian Studies.
 

        Prerequisite: POSC 110 and junior or senior standing. 

         Introduction to professional study; focus on conceptual approaches to study of political

         science, various contemporary schools of thought and methodology. Primary work in research

         methods as appropriate to the various subfields of the discipline.
 

        Prerequisite:18 hours of political science and permission of instructor.  

         Students must obtain approval from department on proposed program in semester preceding

         that in which independent study is anticipated. Course may carry one to three hours credit a

         semester and may be repeated up to six semester hours, but a maximum of three hours may

         be counted toward completion of any concentration requirements. Offered as required.