Course Descriptions

PLS 105 - Introduction to American Government (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
The American political system: constitutional principles, political processes, and governmental policy making.

PLS 205 - Governments Around the Globe (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB,GP WC
Comparative analysis of selected political systems.

PLS 207 - Introduction to Political Thought (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. HP
Core Curr. HU
Recurrent concepts or issues in political thought and ways they have been treated by classic and contemporary writers. Obligation and the social contract, liberty, justice and equality, property, representation.

PLS 208 - Fundamentals of International Relations (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. GP GS
Fundamental issues and problems that have contributed to structuring current patterns of international relations.

PLS 209 - Scope and Methods of Political Science (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Introduction to political inquiry; research methods necessary for in-depth research. Prerequisite: PLS 105

PLS 300 - Topics in Political Thought (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: PLS 207.

PLS 301 - Topics in American Politics (3 hours)
Analysis of research, concepts, institutions, theories, and literature. Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: PLS 105.

PLS 302 - Topics in International Relations (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: 3 hours of political science.

PLS 303 - Sub-Saharan African Politics (3 hours)
Focuses on Sub-Saharan African politics through examination of the influence of: historical factors such as pre-colonial governance and European colonization; social factors including gender, class, religion, and ethnicity; economic factors involving natural resources and corruption; health factors including malaria, HIV, and climate change; and political factors including political parties, personal rule, and military rule. Course does not presume any preexisting knowledge of Sub-Saharan Africa specifically but does require basic knowledge of comparative politics broadly. Prerequisite: PLS 205 or consent of instructor

PLS 304 - Governments of West Europe (3 hours)
Governmental structures, public policies, policy making processes, ideological foundations, and dynamics of political and economic change in the parliamentary democracies of West Europe; emphasis on Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Prerequisite: PLS 205.

PLS 305 - Topics in Comparative Government (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: PLS 205.

PLS 307 - Classical Political Philosophy (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. HP
Core Curr. HU
Systematic political thought in Western philosophy during ancient and medieval times. Cross listed as PHL 307. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

PLS 308 - Modern Political Philosophy (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. HP
Core Curr. HU
From the beginning of the modern period through the 19th century. Cross listed as PHL 308. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

PLS 309 - Gender and Sexuality in Political Thought (3 hours)
This course considers the concepts of gender and sexuality as they relate to various theories of politics. Spanning more than two millennia of western political thought from ancient Greece to modern Britain to contemporary America, the course presents a variety of perspectives including (but not limited to) Platonism, liberal feminism, utilitarianism, and Nussbaum's capabilities approach. By the end of the course, students should have a grasp of the historical significance of both gender and sexuality in political thought, as well as a sense of the different ways in which those concepts have been understood and treated in different eras and philosophical traditions.

PLS 310 - Political Behavior (3 hours)
Formation of opinion, perception of political events, voting behavior, and political participation; significance for democratic government. Prerequisite: PLS 105.

PLS 311 - Political Parties (3 hours)
Organization and activities of modern political parties, forces shaping partisan organization and activities, and development of public policy. Emphasis on party politics in contemporary America, with attention to American political history and comparative party systems. Prerequisite: PLS 105

PLS 312 - State and Local Politics (3 hours)
Political processes through which rapidly growing problems of the state and local governments are identified, fought over, and resolved. Prerequisite: PLS 105

PLS 314 - The U.S. Congress (3 hours)
Provides an advanced understanding of the American Congress and its members within the framework of social science. Discusses congressional rules and procedures, member behavior and motivation, and the role of parties and leaders. Addresses debates about the modern Congress including lack of competition for seats, polarization, redistricting, the filibuster and pork-barrel politics. Prerequisite: PLS 105

PLS 315 - The U.S. Presidency (3 hours)
Provides a comprehensive, theoretical, and logical framework to analyze the presidency. Examines the institutional presidency, formal powers, and the president's role in a separated system. Explores the development of the president's power over time, and changes in vetoes, signing statements, bureaucratic management, and relationship with Congress and the courts. Prerequisite: PLS 105

PLS 317 - International Law (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP GS
Nature, sources, and development of international law as it has been invoked in diplomatic practices, international adjudications, and national courts. Prerequisite:

PLS 318 - International Organization (3 hours)
The analysis of major international problems of a character requiring the concerted efforts of international organization in their solutions. Prerequisite: PLS 208 or consent of instructor.

PLS 319 - International Political Economy (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Overview of theories and issues in international political economy affecting relations among advanced industrialized countries. Development of the international political economy; institutions for its management; emerging issues and future prospects. Prerequisite: PLS 208 or consent of instructor.

PLS 360 - Judicial Politics (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Political behavior of American trial courts and variables connecting them to the larger political system. Examples from criminal procedure and civil justice cases. Emphasis on police and prosecutorial discretion; recruitment of judges; juries; and social function of judgments and punishments. Prerequisite: PLS 105 or consent of instructor.

PLS 380 - Washington Center Seminar (3 hours)
Provides credit for students participating in the seminar component of the Washington Center program in Washington, D.C. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

PLS 407 - American Political Thought (3 hours)
Systematic political thought in American philosophy from colonial times to the present. Prerequisite: PLS 207 or consent of instructor.

PLS 419 - Introduction to Public Administration (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Public administration in a democratic setting: history of American PA, organization theory, public personnel, budgeting, intergovernmental relations, decision making and policy analysis, the regulatory process, and ethics in government. Prerequisite: PLS 105 or 202.

PLS 420 - Public Personnel Administration (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
A study of the basic issues and techniques of public personnel administration: focus on the distinctive setting in which public managers function, theories of motivation in the work place, and the tasks commonly faced by human resource managers in the public sector. Prerequisite: junior standing.

PLS 421 - The Politics of Regulation (3 hours)
An examination of the modern administrative state through an in-depth study of the federal regulatory process; administrative law and procedure; the politics involved in the development and reform of the federal regulatory bureaucracy. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.

PLS 422 - Urban Politics (3 hours)
Study of selected problems in metropolitan areas: political forms, ethnic politics, education, housing, poverty, corrections; theories dealing with these problems. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.

PLS 459 - Constitutional Law: Institutional Powers and Constraints (3 hours)
Position of the Supreme Court in American system of government as both symbol and instrument of power. Case method. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.

PLS 460 - Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (3 hours)
Supreme Court as one of the policy making agencies of the federal government. Relationship between citizen and government in civil, property, and political rights. Prerequisite: PLS 105; junior standing.

PLS 480 - Internship in Political Science (1-6 hours)
Core Curr. EL
Students work with selected political agencies, to study practical political problems from the perspective of the discipline. Course may be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours. Pass/Fail. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.

PLS 483 - Reading in Political Science (1-6 hours)
Individual in-depth work on a subject approved and supervised by a PLS faculty member. For highly qualified students. May be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing and consent of instructor

PLS 484 - Reading in Political Science II (1-3 hours)
Individual in-depth work on a subject approved and supervised by a PLS faculty member. For highly qualified students. Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing and consent of instructor

PLS 485 - Research (1-6 hours)
Core Curr. EL
Individual research for qualified students. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours credit. Prerequisite: 3.2 average in student's major; junior/senior standing; consent of instructor.

PLS 491 - Seminar in Comparative Politics (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Seminar in Comparative Politics Prerequisite: Senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.

PLS 492 - Seminar in International Relations (3 hours)
Prerequisite: senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.

PLS 493 - Seminar in Political Theory (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Seminar in Political Theory Prerequisite: Senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.

PLS 494 - Seminar in American Politics (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Seminar in American Politics Prerequisite: senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.

I S 100 - Contemporary World Forces (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. GP GS
Great international forces influencing the contemporary world: secular and religious nationalism, global terrorism, international conflict and cooperation, poverty, and climatic changes. Understanding and evaluating the impact of these forces on national society and world affairs.

I S 103 - Fundamentals of International Studies: Global Analysis (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP GS
Overview of principal macro-level phenomena in discipline of international studies; addresses matters with worldwide coverage such as power relationships, war, and globalization.

I S 104 - Fundamentals of International Studies: Area Analysis (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. NW
Core Curr. GP WC
Overview of discipline of international studies at micro-level; focus on major states or groups of states.

I S 182 - Fundamentals of Contemporary East Asian Civilization (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. NW
Core Curr. GP WC
Civilization and traditional cultures of East Asia; origins of fundamental values in indigenous East Asian ways of life.

I S 275 - Political Economy of the Developing World (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. MI
Survey of political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of development. Theories of development, relations between industrial and developing states, impact of domestic institutions and conditions, globalization, and international institutions on the developing world.

I S 295 - Research Design and Qualitative Methods for International Studies (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Design of research and qualitative research methods for international studies. Prerequisite: IS 103; IS 104; or consent of instructor.

I S 305 - Diplomacy in International Affairs (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP GS
Evolution of modern diplomacy, fundamentals of diplomacy theory, and contemporary use of diplomacy. Negotiation game for application of student's new knowledge of diplomatic practice. Prerequisite: IS 103 or 104 or consent of instructor.

I S 306 - Intelligence in International Affairs (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. GP GS
Development of secret intelligence practice; contemporary operations of selected intelligence organizations. Emphasis on US capabilities, counterterrorism, management and control, and tension between secrecy and democracy.

I S 307 - Science and Politics of Global Climate Change (3 hours)
Core Curr. MI
The complex problem of global climate change will be explored by connecting knowledge and perspectives from the natural and social sciences, concentrating particularly on the links between atmospheric and terrestrial sciences and international studies/political science. Cross-listed with ENS 307. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor

I S 312 - American Foreign Policy (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
Survey of factors and forces shaping the formulation and practice of American foreign policy. Impact of domestic political factors--public opinion, the media, interest groups, and Congress--on presidential foreign policy decisions; special emphasis on contemporary issues and problems.

I S 318 - United States-East Asian Relations (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP GS
Critical studies of US relations with China, Japan, Korea, and other selected countries of East Asia since World War II.

I S 322 - Latin America in the International System (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP WC,WI
Critical analysis of the role of Latin America in world affairs and the impact of external forces on politics, society, and interstate relations. Topics include: colonialism, revolutionary change and regional stability, transition to democratic rule, impact of foreign intervention, and role of Latin America in the global political economy.

I S 330 - European Integration (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP GS,MI
Focus on phenomenon of integration, the movement toward political, economic, and social cooperation and unity on the European continent; examination of history, evolution, current and future development of the European Communities/Union.

I S 353 - Russian Foreign Policy (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP WC
Evolution of major elements of Russian foreign policy, impact of communist past, current post-communist attitudes and policies toward the world, analysis of foreign policies of other post-Soviet Slavic states.

I S 363 - Middle East Nations in International Affairs (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. NW
Core Curr. GP WC,GP GS
Introduction to the modern politics of the Middle East. Examination of Arab-Israeli conflict, politics of OPEC, inter-Arab rivalries, terrorism, and the impact of these issues on the role of the Middle East in international affairs. Impact of the end of the Cold War and the Gulf Wars.

I S 373 - South and Southeast Asian Nations in International Affairs (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP WC
International relations of the south Asian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Legacy of colonization, religious conflict, territorial disputes, and the nuclear threat. Also the regional political economy and terrorism.

I S 381 - East Asian International Relations (3 hours)
East Asian international relations (China, Japan, Korea, and East Asia in general) from ancient times to the present.

I S 385 - Issues of Contemporary Asia (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP WC
Critical studies of new issues and problems in contemporary Asia: tensions between traditional Asian cultures and modern Western ideologies, Asian leadership styles, political institutions, and economic development.

I S 410 - Globalization in World Affairs (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP GS
Present trends in globalization; challenges presented to nation-states in an increasingly complex international environment. Issues include economic and cultural globalization, global and regional governance. Prerequisite:

I S 475 - Contemporary Issues in International Studies (1-3 hours)
In-depth study of selected problems in world affairs. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hrs. credit provided a different topic is taken each term.

I S 490 - Directed Study and Travel Abroad: Selected Region (0-3 hours)
Core Curr. EL
Provides academic credit to students participating in designated, short-term programs abroad. Student must participate in the designated travel program in order to receive credit for this course. Course may be repeated once providing the student participates in a different travel program.

I S 495 - Advanced Seminar in International Studies (3 hours)
Core Curr. EL,WI
Relationship of empirical theory to the practice of international studies; completion of a baccalaureate thesis. Prerequisite: IS 295; junior or senior standing in International Studies

I S 498 - Department of State Internship (0-12 hours)
Core Curr. EL
For majors planning careers in the foreign service: 3 months of work-study at the junior officer level in the Department of State or in a United States embassy. Qualified students should contact the IS director six months in advance to allow for clearance and acceptance. Prerequisite: Senior standing; approval of IS director

I S 499 - Research in International Relations (1-3 hours)
Core Curr. EL
Special projects in IS for qualified students. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hrs. credit provided a different project is undertaken each term.