Political Science

Analysis of research methods currently used for the study of politics. Traditional, behavioral, and post-behavioral methods are discussed. Training in the writing of graduate-level theses is also provided.

Analysis of American politics at the national level; duties and powers of the three branches of branches, citizen rights, federal-state relations, government programs & enforcement. (Formally PSC 510).

Analysis of the government and politics of Japan (the Great Dragon), the four little Dragons of East Asia (Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore) and the other industrializing states of the Western Pacific Rimlands.

An analysis of the relationships among the presidency, Congress, and the bureaucracy in making national public policies.

Analysis of one country or world region focusing on political, economic, and social change. Theories and case studies (Formally PSC 549).

The development, structure, functions, and politics of American government at the state and local levels. Constitutional problems; state and local government; organizational; judicial, and financial problems; interrelationships, and positions within the federal system. Scheduled irregularly.

Addresses leadership in the public interest in the context of government and non-profit organizations. Examines leadership traits and skills, vision setting, conflict management, and ethics in leadership.

An examination of contemporary political parties as linkage institutions in American politics and their impact on voting at both the individual and societal level, as well as how parties influence electoral politics in the United States.

An Examination of the roles of Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans in comparison with Whites in the U.S. political system. Issues about political participation, voting behavior, affirmative action, and public policy are examined.

Examination of the public policy-making process to include policy theories, models, analytical approaches, evaluation methods, and case studies.

The political content of the works of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and their successors and its application in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Communist and post-communist governments in the former Soviet Union and East Central Europe.

The structure of government in urban areas and the nature of political power as it deals with the key problems of education, employment, housing, race and federal and state government.

Analysis of urban and regional issues and the implications to today’s society. The relationship of the central city to the suburbs and the region, growth issues, and the conflicting forces will be examined. Involvement in current urban affairs.

Examination of the emergence of globalization and its impact on political institutions and public policy-making within and among nations with an emphasis on global cooperation and transnational policy issues. Scheduled irregularly.

For thesis students only. Development of thesis proposal, including: introduction, literature review, statement of the problem, hypothesis, and research design.

Examination of the interconnections between urban and suburban America in terms of governance, policy decision-making, housing, crime, and sprawl.

Implementation of research design from approved thesis proposal and written presentation of findings, including analysis of data, results, discussions, summary, conclusions, and recommendations for future study.

A supervised public service internship at the state, local, national or international level providing practical training. Elaboration of applicable theories of public organizations. Always offered.

Selected problems and issues in the field of Political Science.

Prerequisite: departmental permission. Always offered.