Political Communication (B.A., B.S.)

This course will introduce students to ideas about institutional structures, political actors, and constitutional debates in U.S. government and politics. We will explore the historical development and founding of the United States, discuss major debates about the structure of our republican form of government, connect the three branches of government to contemporary politics and elections, examine the role of race and gender in American politics, and critique the American constitutional system.

This course provides an introduction to a basic understanding of the concepts of international relations. It focuses on the interrelationship of nations and how they coexist and interact with each other. It will expose the student to the theories of international relations and how these theories apply to current problems and experiences.

This course provides an introduction to the concepts and methods of comparative politics. It highlights those factors that are common to all political systems and the ways in which political behavior and institutions differ between nations. It will achieve these goals by examining the problems that all political systems face: political violence, power transfer, public policy, and what role the government plays in the society.

This course introduces students to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and its statistical procedures. The course will teach students how to run programs with the software and to interpret the output from those programs. Students will enter, edit, and learn how to analyze data using SPSS.
Corequisite(s): POLSC 3000 Research Methods in Political Science.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

This course examines the impact of the contemporary mass media on politics in the United States, focusing most directly on the effect of news gathering and reporting practices on political processes and institutions, and on the responses of political actors to those journalistic norms. Questions about the nature of democracy in a media society will arise and be addressed over the course of the semester.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1000 United States Government and Politics.

This course allows students to participate at a meaningful level in an internship with a public official, political figure, public agency, campaign or interest group and to use that experience as the basis for an academic paper.
Pass/Fail only.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the department chair.

An examination of social science research with an emphasis on the development of research skills and methodology.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or permission of the department chair.
Corequisite(s): POLSC 2000 Introduction to Statistics and SPSS.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

This course is designed to help students develop the skills necessary to effectively communicate in public, private and professional settings. The course will focus on a broad base of communication theory, concepts and skills and offer students the opportunity to apply those skills.  Students will explore several models of communication, including: invitational, persuasive, dialogic, conflict management, group and interpersonal. Students will explore the foundations of the communication discipline as well as the influence of communication scholars across public and private realms. Once they have developed an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of effective communication; students will develop the skills necessary to overcome the barriers to effective communication.

The study of cultural differences that influence the exchange of meaning between individuals and groups of different cultural and/or racial backgrounds. The course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the uniqueness of cultures and the resulting variations in communication styles and preferences, and to provide strategies and skills for successfully communicating across cultural barriers. Students will spend at least 20 hours during the semester working with community agencies serving clients from different cultures.
(Normally offered each semester.)

This course is intended to serve as a general introduction for majors and interested students to the theories and research questions investigated by social scientists interested in the processes of human communication.
Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing.
(Normally offered each semester.)

A study of the development of types of media including books, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and film. The interaction of these media and their impact on society and the individual are included. (Normally offered each spring semester.)

A study of theories and practices of persuasion within a variety of communication contexts. Students will be expected to apply these concepts to out-of-class persuasive situations.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

Students will design and make presentations for a variety of communication contexts and audiences. Both practical skills and theoretical insights will be enhanced. Students will complete major projects related to their professional interests.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing and instructor permission.
(Normally offered each semester.)

The Senior-Level Communication Internship has been developed to provide a culminating experience for your major, thus senior status (successful completion of 90 or more credit hours) is required. In addition, it is often the case that a senior level internship offers amazing career exploration opportunites. The Senior-Level internship should be viewed as seriously as you would a full-time job.
Pass/Fail only.
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing and permission of the department chair. 
(Normally offered each semester and summer.)

A study of the role of political parties and interest groups in national, state, and local government, and of elections in the United States.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1000 United States Government and Politics.

The focus of this course is the development and implementation of public policy. The course will consider the actors constituting the environment in which policies are formulated. Next it will survey the major areas of public policy to understand the processes that constrain ongoing policy implementation. Finally, it will study one or two particular factors that influence the development and implementation of policy.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1000 United States Government and Politics and sophomore standing or permission of the instructor.

An examination of the political role of minorities in U.S. society. The course will focus on the historical evolution of minority rights with emphasis on current debates and controversies. It will also apply political science theories to the relationship between majority and minority communities in the U.S.

In this course students will examine the organization, functioning, and impact of courts in the United States. Attention will be paid to the role of lawyers in the judicial system, trial and appellate court procedures, selection of judges, and the relationship of courts to other elements of the U.S. political system. Topics will include the nature of law, the role of juries, plea bargaining, alternative conflict resolution, court workload, and proposals for reform.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1000 United States Government and Politics.
(Normally offered alternate years.)

This course examines the functioning of legislatures in the United States, chiefly but not exclusively the U.S. Congress. Legislatures' place in the political system, the forces acting on them, and their impacts on other actors in politics will be examined, as well as the behavior of legislators and the internal structures of legislatures will be considered.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1000 United States Government and Politics or permission or the instructor or department chair.

A topical course designed to investigate relevant subject matter not included in any of the standard courses. The title, content, and credit will be determined by current mutual interests of students and faculty.

A course designed to treat subject matter not covered in other departmental courses or to provide advanced study of subject matter introduced in other courses. The title, content, and credit hours will be determined by current mutual interests of faculty and students.

An advanced course focusing on an examination of the basic principles of U.S. constitutional law, based on study of U.S. Supreme Court cases. Trends in interpretation of the Constitution and the role of Supreme Court decisions in U.S. politics will be stressed.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1000 United States Government and Politics and junior standing or permission of the instructor.

A study of the social, historical, and political factors that have affected the countries of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal). The course will examine the historical origins of the culture; the development of Hinduism and Buddhism; and the current political, economic, and social problems that the countries of the region face.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1090 Introduction to International Relations or POLSC 1200 Introduction to Comparative Politics.

This course will examine the current state of politics in Europe. In particular, the course will focus on European integration and expansion, and questions of ethnicity and nationalism. The course will also examine European social policy.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1100 Introduction to International Politics or approval of the instructor.

This course examines the participation of women in society and politics, and their ability to influence the policy decisions related to the issues of concern to them. The course will take a cross-national persepective, although primary emphasis will be women in Middle Eastern and South Asian societies.

The problems faced by the political systems of the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Specific topics will include their attempts to maintain political stability and resolve such issues as the food and population problems.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 1090 Introduction to International Relations or POLSC 1200 Introduction to Comparative Politics and junior standing or permission of the instructor.

In this course the sources, content, and impact of international law will be examined in detail. Special attention will be given to some of the modern substantive areas of international law such as human rights, international economic relations, and the international environment. This course is also designed to familiarize the student with the rise and role of public international organizations since 1945.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or permission of the instructor.

In this course the student will examine the theoretical body of literature on international security. We will consider traditional topics in international security, such as the role of conventional and nuclear weapons, arms control, the impact of alliances and collective security agreements, and the stability of bipolar vs. multipolar international systems. We will also broaden our defintion of security politics to include environmental degradation, ethnic conflicts, and even organized crime.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or permission of the instructor.

Analysis and discussion of two major works of classic Greek political philosophy by Plato and Aristotle. This course introduces students to the kind of close reading and thoughtful writing necessary to deal effectively with such works.

An examination of significant works of political philosophy in the modern era, including pieces by Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Mill with emphasis on close reading of and thoughtful writing about these works.

Students will explore components of leadership theory, skills, and behaviors, and will examine and practice effective communication behaviors as related to leadership processes and roles.

The course in Public Relations is a study of the nature of public relations, the persons involved, its relationship to public opinion, and the channels of communication that are used. Special attention is given to the application of public relations strategies for particular events or organizations.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or permission of the instructor.
(Normally offered each semester.)

Students will explore the intersection of the theory and practice of communication in an organizational context. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding how power within and between organizations is shaped by and shapes society. Topics include identity, power, globalization, technology, and ethics.
Prerequisite(s): Junior standing, COMM 2300 Communication Theory and COMM 3500 Research Methods or permission of the instructor.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)

A research seminar in which students conducting their research to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement meet regularly to make formal presentations on part of their research projects and to share insight progress and problems encountered in their project.
Prerequisite(s): POLSC 3000 Research Methods in Political Science and senior standing or permission of the department chair.
(Normally offered each spring semester.)