2018-19 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Political Science
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Taylor 103A
541-552-6124
Dustin Walcher, Chair
| Professor |
Associate Professor |
Assistant Professor |
| Dustin Walcher |
William Hughes |
Paul Pavlich |
The mission of the political science program is to promote in our students an appreciation for the rich history and dynamics of political thought and life. Political science at SOU encourages an awareness of our students’ obligations as citizens, their potential as active participants in public life, and their connections through political and cultural institutions to the rest of the world.
The political science program provides a solid liberal arts curriculum that prepares students for active engagement in public and private settings with a keen understanding of political institutions and processes. The curriculum, with its emphasis on political behavior, law, public opinion research, and political thought, is designed to interface with a variety of other majors. In particular, the program strives to engender in students a balance between the theoretical and philosophical “politics of ideas” and the pragmatic applied processes and behaviors of “politics on the street.” Through service-learning and internship programs, the program offers students experiences in politics, government, law, and social research. The political science faculty provides active mentorship to students seeking academic challenge and community involvement.
Program Requirements
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science
Minor
Political Science
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PS 110 - Globalization
4 credits
Introduces the nature of politics and markets, paying special attention to the politics of the United States in an interdependent world of nation-states. Also explores other actors, such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, multinational corporations, and terrorist groups. Addresses the question of how an international community can respond to pressing global problems, such as environmental degradation, the need for peacekeepers, and rapid technological change. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand F–Social Science).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 199 - Special Studies
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 201 - Power and Politics
4 credits
Explores the dynamics of power in the pursuit of political objectives. Analyzes social, political, economic, and cultural power with particular emphasis on political institutions of the United States. Distinguishes between power and force. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand F–Social Science).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 202 - Law, Politics, and the Constitution
4 credits
Examines the formal constitutional structure of the United States focusing on separation of powers and federalism. Approved for University Studies (Explorations Strand F–Social Science).
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 310 - The Politics of Mass Media
4 credits
Examines the impact of politics on the development of mass media and the influence of mass media on political development. Offers a critical analysis of historical and contemporary American mass media treatment of political actors and events in the U.S. and around the world. Topics include partisan, ideological, and corporate biases in the press; the political relevance of entertainment” programming; the development of “investigative reporting”; and the emergence of web-based political publications as challengers to the dominance of traditional electronic and print media. Approved for University Studies (Integration - Strand I). Prerequisite(s): Completion of all lower division University Studies requirements.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 311 - Public Opinion and Survey Research
4 credits
Covers the techniques of opinion-gathering and measurement. Students explore the literature of survey research and conduct actual polls of their campus and community. Essential course for students seeking a career in politics, management, or business.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 312 - Health Care Policy: “Obamacare and Beyond”
4 credits
Examines through the lens of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) how social and political issues converge in the area of health care and how insurance and pharmaceutical companies, doctors and state and local officials all have a stake in the outcome of health care policy decisions. Prerequisite(s): PS 201 or PS 202 or upper-division standing.
* This course was formerly offered under a different number; students who took the following course(s) will not receive additional credit unless the course is stated to be repeatable in the description above: PS 436.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 313 - American Politics
4 credits
Reviews the institutions, founding principles, and processes of government in America. Topics include the founding of the Constitution, federalism, the presidency, Congress, the judiciary, civil liberties, political parties, pressure groups, and elections.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 317 - Collective Action
4 credits
Examines the various ways in which individuals pursue political outcomes through collective action. The subject matter of the course includes corporations, labor unions, non-governmental organizations, interest groups, and dissident organizations, including nominal terrorist organizations. Students will acquire a strong conceptual understanding of the motives and means of collective political action within the United States and around the world. Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing is recommended.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 320 - International Law
4 credits
Introduces the fundamental building blocks of law in an international context. Principle inquiries include the concept of law in the transnational context, treaties, custom, the status of states, sovereignty, norms of diplomacy, and the permissible use of force. Approved for University Studies Integration - Strand J. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
* This course was formerly offered under a different number; students who took the following course(s) will not receive additional credit unless the course is stated to be repeatable in the description above: PS 421.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 324 - Political Campaigns
4 credits
Introduces modern American elections and the complex processes that influence them. Examines the basic techniques of organizing and implementing a political campaign, including relationships between candidates and the media, psychology of political oratory, campaign finance, grassroots organizing, and use of the Internet.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 325 - Elections, Money, and Democracy in America
4 credits
Building around the United States Supreme Court’s decision Citizens United v FEC, explores political participation and democracy in the United States. Investigates electoral campaign regulations and finance, corporate participation in politics, electoral organization structure, disclosure and privacy norms and public finance. Focuses on American national politics but briefly compares state, local and international models. Prerequisite(s): PS 201 or PS 202 .
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 329 - American Legal History
4 credits
Elucidates the interaction of law and society as revealed over time through the main lines of development in American legal culture. Illuminates how legal changes fit with social, economic, and political development from the present to the 21st century. (Cross-listed with HST 329 )
Graded A-F only. -
PS 332 - Money and Power in the United States since 1929
4 credits
An advanced examination of the political and economic history of the United States from the onset of the Great Depression through the present. Emphasizes the evolution of philosophies of political economy, federal policymaking, New Deal era reforms, the evolution of the industrial revolution, Great Society era reforms, the role of finance, Reagan era reforms, and booms and busts. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; not open to non-admitted undergraduates. (Cross-listed with HST 332 .)
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 340 - Law, Science, and the Environment
4 credits
Examines the capacity of the legal system to satisfactorily resolve environmental and other disputes that require decision-makers to reach conclusions based on scientific evidence. Tracks a lawsuit or administrative proceeding involving environmental issues from beginning to end, exploring the difficulties scientists, lawyers, and juries face when trying to make sense of one another. Approved for University Studies (Integration - Strand H). Prerequisite(s): Completion of all lower division University Studies requirements.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 341 - The Constitution and the Supreme Court
4 credits
Analyzes the Supreme Court as a political and legal institution. Examines the relationship between the Supreme Court and other courts, as well as other branches of government. Includes an examination of recent decisions of the Supreme Court interpreting the Constitution. (Cross-listed with HST 388 .)
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 343 - The Constitution and the Presidency
4 credits
Examines political and legal disputes involving presidential powers or prerogatives, beginning with the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Charts the development of and changes to the presidency within the American political and constitutional system. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above. (Cross-listed with HST 389 .)
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 350 - World Politics
4 credits
Examines the nature and structure of the modern international state system, with reference to theory and practice. Emphasizes globalization and the impact of international developments on domestic politics.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 355 - Comparative Politics
4 credits
Examines the institutional transformation of global politics over the past half century. Students acquire a comprehensive understanding of the global political landscape through a combination of theory-based analyses of regional and international politics (alliances, non-governmental organizations, nation-states, geo-politics, hegemony) and comparative case studies of regime types around the world. Upper-division standing recommended.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 358 - Terrorism
4 credits
Focuses on the causes, methods, and consequences of internal and international terrorism. Examines both theoretical analyses and specific case studies in an attempt to make sense of the historical development and current trajectories of terrorism, both within a society and as a regional or global phenomenon. PS 110 , PS 355 , or HST 111 recommended. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
* This course was formerly offered under a different number; students who took the following course(s) will not receive additional credit unless the course is stated to be repeatable in the description above: PS 458.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 360 - Politics and Film
4 credits
Explores the role of feature film as an expression of prevailing political culture. Offers a better understanding of how film serves simultaneously as a political archive and a potential agent of social propaganda or social change.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 371 - Topics in Political Philosophy
4 credits
Examines selected concepts, themes, ideologies, and theorists in the study of politics. Offers the following and other topics as needed: Modern Political Theory, Political Ideologies, Critical Theory, Equality and Freedom, and American Political Thought. Repeat credit is allowed for different topics. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): determined by topic. Junior standing or above required.
* This course was formerly offered under a different number; students who took the following course(s) will not receive additional credit unless the course is stated to be repeatable in the description above: PS 469.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 372 - Twentieth-Century Revolutions
4 credits
Assesses historical developments, individuals, and transformations of the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries through the prism of revolutions and revolutionary movements. Focuses on revolutions in Mexico (1910 to 1940), Russia (1905 to 1928), China (1911 to 1958), and Cuba (1933 to 1970). Provides a thematic and comparative approach to the study of modern global history. HST 111 , HST 112, or PS 110 (or equivalent) recommended. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above and completion of Explorations sequences in Humanities and Social Sciences (Cross-listed with HST 372 )
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 382 - Vietnam War and Film
4 credits
Focuses on the impact of popular American motion pictures and major documentations of the Vietnam War on American history and culture thirty years after the end of the conflict. Promotes critical thinking about the Vietnam War to understand how historical, economic, social, and political conditions affected American cultural values and beliefs. Open to all majors. (Approved for University Studies - Strand I). Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above and completion of Explorations sequences in Humanities and Social Sciences (Cross-listed with HST 382 )
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 393 - Oil, Politics, and the Environment
4 credits
An advanced examination of the history, politics, and environmental effects of oil exploration, development, and utilization. This course analyzes the politics of oil, both within specific countries and internationally; the commodity’s social and economic significance; and the global environmental effects of oil use. It examines contemporary global challenges associated with course themes in depth. Approved for University Studies - Strand H. Prerequisite(s): HST 111 or PS 110 or PS 201 or upper division standing. (Cross-listed HST 393 )
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PS 399 - Special Studies
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 401 - Research
1 to 18 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 403 - Thesis
1 to 9 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 405 - Reading and Conference
1 to 6 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 407 - Seminar
1 to 4 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 409 - Practicum
1 to 16 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable for a maximum of 16 credits. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 452 - United States Foreign Relations through 1945
4 credits
An advanced examination of the international affairs of the United States, analyzing political, economic, strategic, and ideological factors. Also examines the effects of the U. S. Foreign policy at home and abroad. Covers the position of the British North American Colonies in the international system, the diplomacy of independence, free trade, continental expansion, the Civil War imperialism, progressive internationalism, World War I, the diplomacy of the New Era and Great Depression, and World War II. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above. (Cross-listed with HST 452 ).
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 453 - United States Foreign Relations since 1945
4 credits
An advanced examination of the international affairs of the United States, analyzing political, economic, strategic, and ideological factors. Also examines the effects of U. S. foreign policy at home and abroad. Covers the breakdown of the Grand Alliance, the Cold War, decolonization, globalization, terrorism, and the wars in the Middle East. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above. (Cross-listed with HST 453 ).
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 454 - U.S.-Latin American Relations
4 credits
Examines the history of relations between Latin American nations and the United States, focusing on the last half of the twentieth century. Focuses on the impact of Latin America’s nationalist, anti-imperialist, class, racial, and economic struggles on foreign relations, while recognizing the asymmetrical hegemonic relationships between the United States and other nations in the hemisphere. Analyzes American policies in terms of the domestic and global contexts within which leaders defined national economic, strategic, and ideological interests and their regional policy objectives. HST 251 , HST 111 , or PS 110 (or equivalent) recommended. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above. (Cross-listed with HST 454 )
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 460 - Grand Strategy
4 credits
Explores, using the format of a reading seminar, the history of grand strategy. Students analyze strategies pursued by dynastic realms, nation states, transnational organizations and corporations from the early modern era to the present. Emphasizes changes in strategic thinking over time; the relationship between strategy, politics, and modes of dispute resolution; and the relationship between technological change and strategy. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above. (Cross-listed with HST 460 )
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 498 - Senior Seminar
4 credits
Enables students to apply the concepts, principles, and theories of political science to a practical simulation of political action. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing.
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 501 - Research
1 to 6 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only. -
PS 503 - Thesis
1 to 9 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only. -
PS 505 - Reading and Conference
1 to 6 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only. -
PS 507 - Seminar
1 to 4 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable.
Graded (A-F) only. -
PS 509 - Practicum
1 to 16 credits
Credits to be arranged. Repeatable for a maximum of 16 credits.
Grade mode designated on a CRN basis each term. Students should consult current term schedule. -
PS 521 - International Law
4 credits
Introduces the fundamental building blocks of law in an international context. Principle inquiries include the concept of law in the transnational context, treaties, custom, the status of states, sovereignty, norms of diplomacy, and the permissible use of force. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing.
Graded (A-F) only. -
PS 530A - Nonprofit Grantwriting and Government Relations
4 credits
Surveys a nonprofit manager’s primary areas of responsibility, including strategic planning, organizational change and development, locating and securing grants, and developing outcome-based assessment tools. Emphasizes assessing and evaluating grants-based programs.
Graded (A-F) only. -
PS 530B - Nonprofit Volunteerism, Board Development, and Community Mobilization
4 credits
Surveys the nonprofit manager’s areas of responsibility in leading volunteers, volunteer management, and board development and management. Emphasizes the importance of strategically mobilizing community involvement.
Graded (A-F) only. -
PS 536 - Health Care Policy: “Obamacare and Beyond”
4 credits
Examines through the lens of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) how social and political issues converge in the area of health care and how insurance and pharmaceutical companies, doctors and state and local officials all have a stake in the outcome of health care policy decisions. Prerequisite(s): PS 201 or PS 202 .
Graded (A-F) only -
PS 569 - Topics in Political Philosophy
4 credits
Examines selected concepts, themes, ideologies, and theorists in the study of politics. Offers the following and other topics as needed: Modern Political Theory, Political Ideologies, Critical Theory, Equality and Freedom, and American Political Thought. Repeat credit is allowed for different topics. Repeatable. Prerequisite(s): determined by topic.
Graded (A-F) only.
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