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Course Descriptions
2015-2016 Catalog
Political Science
POLITICAL SCIENCE (POLSCI)
2
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
3 units, 3 lecture hours
PREREQUISITES: Eligibility for English 1A.
The field of American politics deals with the
organization, distribution and orientation of political power
in American society. This course surveys the processes and
institutions of United States national, state and local politics.
Among the topics discussed are individual political attitudes
and values, political participation, voting, parties, interest
groups, Congress, the presidency, Supreme Court, the federal
bureaucracy, civil liberties and civil rights, and domestic and
foreign policy making. Attention is paid both to the present
state of American political system and to its historical roots.
(A, CSU-GE, UC, I) (C-ID POLS 110)
2H
HONORS AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
3 units, 3 lecture hours
PREREQUISITES: Eligibility for English 1A or
1AH and enrollment in the Honors Program.
This course surveys the processes and institutions
of United States national, state and local politics. Among
the topics discussed are individual political attitudes and
values, political participation, voting, parties, interest
groups, Congress, the presidency, Supreme Court, the federal
bureaucracy, civil liberties and civil rights, and domestic and
foreign policy making. As an honors section, the class will
be conducted as a seminar with individual projects, papers,
and presentations. With History 11 or History 12, this
course meets the American Institutions requirement to state
universities. (A, CSU-GE, UC, I) (C-ID POLS 110)
3
INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY
AND THOUGHT
3 units, 3 lecture hours
PREREQUISITES: Completion of Political Science
2.
This course is an introduction to the various
approaches to political theory across time, issues, and
authors. Students will analyze selected political theories,
consider the relevance of these theories to contemporary
problems, discuss new approaches to political thought, and
evaluate the contribution of theories toward a comprehensive
understanding of political life and political institutions (A,
CSU-GE, UC) (C-ID POLS 120)
5
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT
3 units, 3 lecture hours
PREREQUISITES: Completion of Political Science
2 or 2H.
This course provides an introduction to the basic
workings of various political systems throughout the world,
with an emphasis on both the formal (i.e., governmental
institutions, political processes) and informal (i.e., cultural
exchanges) dimensions of politics. Students will engage in
comparisons of these political systems using some of the basic
concepts of political analysis. (A, CSU-GE, UC, I) (C-ID
POLS 130)
24 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
3 units, 3 lecture hours
PREREQUISITES: Completion of Political Science
2.
The course provides an introduction to international
relations theories through a study of political, economic,
historical, geographic and sociological variables as they
inf luence relations among states, international and
transnational organizations, and other non-state actors. The
relationship between these theories and significant current
international events will then be examined. Emphasis will be
placed on the interdependence of nations in the modern world,
and the links between local and international communities in
an era of contemporary economic and cultural globalization.
(A, CSU-GE, UC, I) (C-ID POLSCI 140)
110
AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS
3 units, 3 lecture hours, (Pass/No Pass)
ADVISORIES: Eligibility for English 125 and 126.
This course explores national, state, and local
governments, the political processes, issues, and policies of
those governments, and the rights and responsibilities of
citizens living under these governments by outlining the
structure, processes, function of each area of government.
(Meets the Reedley College government and constitution
requirement for the associate degree, does not satisfy the U.S.
Constitution, national, state, or local government requirements
for transfer students seeking a bachelors degree) (A)