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Political Science Courses

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 - Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
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 306 - Comparative Public Policy (3 hours)
A comparative introduction to the social and economic policies of such advanced industrial democracies as Japan, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United States. 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 Electorate and Politics (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)
Nature, sources, and development of international law as it has been invoked in diplomatic practices, international adjudications, and national courts. Prerequisite: PLS 208 or consent of instructor.

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 (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 (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 I (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 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)
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)
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)
Prerequisite: senior standing; major or minor in political science. No political science major may take more than two courses in the 490 sequence.

This is the official catalog for the 2021-2022 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.