POLITICAL SCIENCE & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (POLS)

POLS 1101. American Government in a Global Perspective. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: ENGL 0099 and READ 0099; if required. Examination of the institutions and processes of American government and Georgia State government. Global comparisons are made between the governments of the U.S. and other modern nation-states.

POLS 2212. State and Local Government. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. A general survey of state and local government; recent and current trends.

POLS 2250. Contemporary International Politics. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course provides an introduction to the study of international relations. Sources of international order, conflict and war, determinants of foreign policy, global actors and the dynamics of political interaction between nation-states are examined.

POLS 2260. Current Political Issues. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course exposes students to critical contemporary political and government-related issues and provides some context and background.  It ties the various issues to subfields of political science.  Domestic-international linkage is emphasized.

POLS 2280. Research Methods.  3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101; Math 0099 if required. An introduction to the empirical methods in social science research. It provides the student with a working knowledge of the design, implementation and evaluation of social science research.

POLS 3303. Politics and Public Policy Formation. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Origins, principles, structures, processes and practices of American national government. Stresses different perspectives on democratic theory and the adequacy of government institutions.

POLS 3313. Public Policy Analysis. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Introduction to public policy analysis using data and methodological approaches as well as political and social inputs into the policy process. Analysis of policy outcomes.

POLS 3320. Legal Research. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An introduction to legal resources for law-related courses and problems that demonstrate the effective utilization of legal research and reference tools in a manner designed to meet the needs of the student in both law and non-law fields. An understanding of legal rules is necessary for scientists, archaeologists and other professionals.

POLS 3323. Political Ideologies. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Emphasizes the political development and application of contemporary ideologies such as nationalism, capitalism, socialism, democracy, marxism, conservatism, liberalism, feminism, communitarianism, fascism, liberation movements, and others.

POLS 3334. Comparative Politics. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An introduction to the comparative approaches for the study of politics, focusing on patterns of development and change in contemporary political systems.

POLS 3343. Principles of Public Administration. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. The methods and procedures of governmental administration and the control of public bureaucracies in democratic societies.

POLS 3350. American Foreign Policy. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course explores the conduct, substantive policy issues and problems associated with American foreign policy. The contemporary aspects and problems evolving out of and confronted by America’s foreign policy are emphasized.

POLS 3360. The United States Congress. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Presents an in-depth treatment of the origins, development, operation of the US Senate and House of Representatives.

POLS 3370. The United States Presidency. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Examines the historical development of the presidency, the constitutional powers, the personalities, the roles and the relationship with other governmental entities.

POLS 3380. Mass Media and Politics. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Examines the role of the mass media in society.  Emphasis is placed on the media's role in the social, legal 10-Jan-2008 10:36 AMll as other democratic and nondemocratic countries.

POLS 3385. Campaigns and Elections. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An in-depth look at the process of selecting governmental leaders in the United States. Includes a segment on foreign elections.

POLS 3388. Lobbying and Interest Groups. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course familiarizes students with public sector lobbying and the role of interest groups in a democratic society. The processes, procedures, and techniques of lobbying government entities will be examined in depth, as well as the issue concerns and persuasion strategies of interest groups. The course will focus on applied learning, and will help prepare students for employment in professional political environments.

POLS 3390. Political Research on-Line. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course will help students become familiar with and adept at using on-line resources to perform political and governmental research. Students will be coached on using Internet tools and processes to improve their ability to find and use political and governmental information. Students will be assessed on their proficiency in on-line political research.

POLS 3394. Public Polling and Survey Techniques. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: MATH 1107; POLS 2280 or equivalent. This course introduces students to the techniques and uses of polls and surveys in political science and public policy. Students will learn the art of questionnaire design, questionnaire construction, sampling, data collection, coding, and analysis. Students will learn the basics of telephone survey techniques and focus group moderation for the purposes of collecting information. Class projects may include the construction and implementation of a survey, reading and critiquing existing surveys and questionnaires. Quantitative and qualitative approaches will be examined.

POLS 3396. Cooperative Study. 1-3 credit hours. Prerequisite: POLS 1101; approval of Department Chair and Coordinator of Cooperative Education/Internship - Career Services. A supervised work experience program in business, industry or government. For sophomore, junior or senior level students who wish to obtain successive on-the-job experience in conjunction with their academic training.

POLS 3398. Internship. 1-12 credit hours. Prerequisite: POLS 1101; approval of Department Chair and Coordinator. A supervised, credit-earning work experience with a previously approved business firm, private agency or government agency. Students must make application with the Internship Coordinator before the end of the semester prior to the semester in which the internship is planned.

POLS 4000. Service Learning in Political Science and International Affairs. 1-3 credit hours. Prerequisite: POLS 1101; 60 hours and permission of instructor and department chair/program director. A community activity which links learning to life by connecting meaningful community service activities with academic learning, personal growth, and civic responsibility. Activity will be designed with the instructor and approved by the chair/program director.

POLS 4400. Directed Study. 1-3 credit hours. Prerequisite: POLS 1101; approval of Instructor, Adviser and Department Chair prior to registration. Covers special topics and seminars external to regular course offerings.

POLS 4402. Political Parties. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Examines the nature, structure and functions of political parties in differing national cultural contexts with particular attention to the electoral activity of political parties in the United States.

POLS 4405. Comparative Legal Systems. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An examination of the ways in which the courts and the law in different countries affect public policy. The source and methods utilized in different legal systems (both democratic and nondemocratic) as transforming agents of society and/or means for maintaining order within it are explored.

POLS 4410. American Legal System. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Basic concepts of American law, judicial selection, the legal profession, court systems, criminal justice and judicial behavior.

POLS 4411. Criminal Law. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An examination of those areas in which the US Constitution affects criminal justice. Emphasis on understanding the role of the Supreme Court of the United States in interpreting those provisions of the Constitution that affect criminal justice. An attempt to understand the content of the important decisions in this area as well as the reason given by the Court for decisions.

POLS 4412. Urban Affairs and Problems. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Emphasis on the changing patterns of local and municipal governments and politics, impact of reapportionment and other problems generated by an urbanized society.

POLS 4415. Civil Liberties. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An intensive study of the rights of Americans as guaranteed by the Constitution. The changing character of civil liberties problems in the United States will be stressed with attention given to the legal, historical and political context of the cases studied.

POLS 4420. Judicial Process. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Courts and judges as agents in the political system; focus is on the judicial decision-making process, with attention to psychological and other variables in that process. Relation of judicial process to legislative, administrative and electoral processes emphasized.

POLS 4421. Ancient and Medieval Political Thought. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. A survey of the political thought of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas and Machiavelli emphasizing the aspects of their thought most relevant to the development of Western political institutions.

POLS 4422. Modern and Contemporary Political Thought. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. A survey of the political thought of Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Hume, Hegel, Mill and Marx emphasizing the aspects of their thought most relevant to the development of Western political institutions.

POLS 4425. Early American Political Thought: 1620 to 1865. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course concentrates on the development and explication of American political ideas including the English backgrounds of American political thought, the colonial and formative eras.

POLS 4426. Modern American Political Thought: 1865 to Present. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. American political thought from the Civil War era to the contemporary era emphasizing the development of the ideas underpinning the development of democracy, industrialization, the rise of the positive state and the cold war period.

POLS 4430. International Law and Organization. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course examines the system of law governing relations between nation-states, and the roles and functions of international organizations. It explores the conventional international law in the areas of diplomacy, territorial questions and armed conflicts, as well as the developing regimes in trade and human rights. In addition, the course examines the structures and functions of some contemporary organizations in the security and economic areas and evaluates their performance and contribution.

POLS 4435. Comparative Foreign Policy. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. A study of governmental formulation and conduct of foreign policy, focusing on major foreign policy issues that dominate the contemporary world.

POLS 4436. Politics of Developing Areas. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course confronts the patterns of development of governmental institutions and use of political processes in meeting the problems of the emerging nations of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

POLS 4438. Politics of International Economic Relations. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101 and ECON 2200. An exploration of the fundamental questions about government and policies, about market systems and about relations between the two.

POLS 4444. Administrative Practices and Organization. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Problems of personnel, finance, administrative law, and the growth and significance of administrative legislation and adjudication.

POLS 4446. Governmental Budgeting. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course is designed to introduce undergraduate students to the role of budgeting in the governmental process. Budgetary actors, their motivations, their stakes and their behaviors are investigated. Students examine the legislative process of the budget and budgetary implementation. Students are introduced to cutback management, funding mandates and other current issues in governmental budgeting.

POLS 4451. Politics and Government in Post-Communist Europe. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course explains the collapse of communist rule in the former Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe. It introduces the contemporary political institutions and processes of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, the Czech republic and other key countries of the region. The course will use a comparative approach and develop country profiles to assess the varied degrees of success in achieving stable multiparty democracy. It examines the widely divergent strategies for meeting the severe economic, environmental, social and political challenges confronting these countries during this difficult and volatile transitional era.

POLS 4452. Politics of the Pacific Rim. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. The course is designed to acquaint students with political institutions and processes of China, Japan and Korea. Particular emphasis will be placed on analysis of the relations of these countries with the United States on selected issues of contemporary relevance.

POLS 4453. Politics of Latin America: Democracy and Development. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. Examines contemporary sociopolitical and economic characteristics as well as political institutions needed to understand the countries of Latin America. Two important themes—(democracy building and development) will form the central focus of this course. Driving forces which facilitate and/or hinder the Latin American quest for political stability and economic development will also be examined. These include political parties, labor and peasant movements, economic elites, religious organizations and the military. The role and influence of the Unites States on Latin American politics will also be examined.

POLS 4454. Politics of the Middle East. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. This course examines contemporary sociopolitical and economic characteristics needed to understand the many countries of the Middle East/North Africa. The role of Islam, the Gulf War, the quest for development, the Palestine issue, and democracy versus authoritarianism are themes which will be covered in the course. In addition, a "country profile" approach will also be used. This course examines key countries and studies their political structure in detail.

POLS 4455. International Relations of Africa. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. The course examines the international relations of African states within a conceptual context, with particular reference to Africa's position in the global political economy. It covers both intra-African relations and African relations with the outside world. The main purpose is an attempt to understand African external politics in order to deal with them, by analyzing past practices and projecting new trends.

POLS 4456. International Environmental Policy. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An examination of the basic elements of environmental policy making in the international arena. The course highlights current issues such as tropical rain forests, the "Global Commons" concept, bio-diversity and endangered species. Policy approaches will draw upon examples from specific countries as well as policy developed within international organizations such as the United Nations.

POLS 4465. Mock Trial. 1-0-1. Prerequisite: POLS 1101. An examination of the American trial process.  The overall purpose of the course is to enhance knowledge of the adversarial process.  Students who take the course may qualify for selection to teams for state, regional, and national competition.  Course may be taken three times for credit with permission of the Instructor.

POLS 4470. Alternative Dispute Resolution. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101.  A survey of the theory and methods of alternative dispute resolution and conflict management, with simulation in facilitation, mediation and negotiation.  Basic skills will be taught.

POLS 4480. Practicum in Alternative Dispute Resolution. 2-2-3. Prerequisite: POLS 4470; permission of Program Coordinator.  A capstone course designed to meet the Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate Program by integrating the student's prior training in alternative dispute resolution in on-site applied settings and in on-campus seminars.  Students will be given applied experiences in selected public or private organizations in the community or in campus-related programs to make use of their ADR training.

POLS 4490. Special Topics in Political Science. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: Approval of Instructor and Department Chair. Selected special topics of interest to faculty and students.

POLS 4499. Senior Seminar. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: POLS 1101; for political science major, 18 hours selected from upper division political science courses from each of the six major required areas, one of  which may be taken concurrently with POLS 4499; for international affairs majors, all 21 hours in general requirements courses completed, one of which may be taken concurrently with POLS 4499.  This capstone course is designed to complete the major by integrating the problems, research and theories from the divergent specialty areas of the Political Science curriculum. The course will focus on both the theoretical and empirical concerns, as well as the interconnectedness among the various Political Science specialty areas.

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