DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE (POL)

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Lower-Division Courses

1550.   Introduction to Political Science.   Study of politics, government, and societal institutions at both national and international levels.   (3 s.h.)

1560.   American Government.   The foundations of American democratic government with an emphasis on the responsibilities of citizenship, civil rights, and civil liberties, parties and elections, and American political institutions.   Students are encouraged to understand and discuss issues of social justice, equality and freedom, and majoritarianism.   Topics include the civil rights movement, campaign finance reform, federalism, and affirmative action.   (3 s.h.)

2640.   Contemporary World Governments.   A comparative analysis of the development of institutions, attitudes, public policy, economic, and social systems of a number of foreign political systems.   Prereq.:   POL 1550 or 1560.   (3 s.h.)

2660.   International Relations.   An examination of theoretical and practical issues in the development of modern international politics, law and organization and political economy, with special attention to contemporary global and regional issues.   Prereq.:   POL 1550 or 1560 (3 s.h.)

2695.   Model United Nations.   A comparative study of foreign policy, contemporary global issues, international law, and international governmental organizations.   Stresses interactive and role playing educational methodologies.   Students are required to participate in one or more approved conference or field trips.   May be repeated to a maximum of 3 s.h.   Prereq.:   Consent of instructor.   (1 s.h.)

Upper-Division Courses

3700.   American Presidency.   An examination of the role of the chief executive officer within the governmental framework.   The offices of mayor and governor are treated, but the primary emphasis is on critical evaluation of the American presidency.   Prereq.:   POL 1560   (3 s.h.)

3701.   American Legislative Process.   An examination of the lawmaking function.   Emphasis on the United States Congress, with limited consideration of state and local government legislative practices.   Prereq.:   POL 1560   (3 s.h.)

3702.   Law and Society.   The American judicial system, its institutional development and its role in policy determination, as evidenced in leading Supreme Court decisions.   Limited coverage of state judicial systems.   Prereq.:   POL 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3703.   American Constitutional Law.   An inquiry into constitutional interpretation by the Supreme Court based on examination of leading cases, with particular emphasis on questions of federalism, executive power, civil liberties, and economic regulation.   Prereq.:   POL 3702   (3 s.h.)

3704.   American Political Parties and Elections.   A descriptive analysis of the role of political parties in a democratic society, with emphasis on development of a theory of party, an examination of the history and characteristics of the American party system, and a quantitatively structured description of the national electorate.   Prereq.:   POL 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3706.  African-American Polities.   The politics of African Americans within American society in terms of organization, behavior, objectives, relative influence and power.   Prereq.:   POL 1560 or AFST 2600.   (3 s.h.)

3712.   Political Behavior.   An introduction to the primary research theories, perspectives and methodologies common to the study of government and global affairs, including computerized quantitative analysis.   Prereq.:   POL 1550 or 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3714.   American Public Opinion.   An introduction to the origins, uses, effects, and analysis of public opinion, including a practicum in opinion polling requiring field work and computerized quantitative analysis.   Prereq.:   POL 1550 or 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3717.   Health Care Policy.   Seminar on the politics of health care formation and alternative proposals for the organization of health care delivery, manpower, and finance systems; interviews with administrative and planning personnel.   Prereq.:   POL 1560, or admission to NEOUCOM-YSU, or junior standing in a health field.   (3 s.h.)

3718.   American Public Policy and Policy Analysis.   The formation, implementation and evaluation of contemporary American public policy.   Prereq.:   POL 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3720.   Public Management.   A study of administrative organizations in American federal and state governments, with special attention to their role in the formulation and implementation of public policy as demonstrated in case studies.   Prereq.:   POL 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3721.   Urban Government.   The structure and politics or urban government, with special attention to intergovernmental relationships.   Prereq.:   POL 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3722.   State and Local Government.   The political processes and institutions of state and local governments, with special attention to Ohio government.   Prereq.:   POL 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3724.   Public Budgeting.   Study of the politics, theories, and techniques of public budgeting.   Includes the process of budget preparation, adoption and execution.   Topics include debt management and capital budgets.   This course is cross-listed with ECON 3724.   Prereq.:   POL 3720.   (3 s.h.)  

3725.   Individualized Study.   A supervised individual study of a special topic or issue in any area of contemporary politics and political science.   An academic plan of study including a syllabus is required and will be placed in the student’s file.   May be repeated for up to 6 s.h.   Prereq.:   POL 1560 or 2640 or 2660, and permission of the chairperson.   (1-3 s.h.)

3741.   Russia and China:   From Revolution to Reform.   A comparative analysis of politics in the Russian Federal Republic and the People’s Republic of China, emphasizing contemporary issues of domestic governance and regional international relations as seen in the context of revolutionary Communism and the appearance of post-Communist reform politics.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3742.   Political Development and Political Regimes.   A comparative analysis of political development of selected states, with a focus on the social and political forces that lead to the formation of democracies and dictatorships.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3744.   European Politics.   Comparative analysis of the political development, governing systems, political behavior, public policy, and interrelations of selected European states, emphasizing the role of the European Union and the formation of new democracies in Eastern Europe.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3751.   Latin American Politics.   A comparative analysis of the political development, governing systems, political behavior, public policy, and international relations of selected Latin American states.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3757.   Aging and Social Policy.   Critical examination of the social policies and social systems which affect aging and retirement.   Prereq.:   SOC 1500, GERO 1501, or POL 1560.   (3 s.h.)

3760.   International Political Economy.   Study of the relationship between global capitalism and the interstate political system, with emphasis on post-Cold War issues and American policy.   Prereq.:   POL 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3761.   U.S. Foreign Policy.   Examination of the domestic political formulation and international execution of U.S. foreign policy, emphasizing regional issues of security and political economy and the changing U.S. role in the post-Cold War world.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3763.   International Law.   Analysis of the principles and formation of international law as it has developed through customs and international agreement.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3764.   International Organizations.   Analysis of the development, organizational structure, public policy and political behavior of regional and international organizations, with focus on the United Nations.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3767.   Asian Politics.   A comparative analysis of the political development, governing systems, political behavior, public policy, and international relations of selected Asian states, with emphasis on their role in the global economy relative to the U.S.   Prereq.:   POL 2640 or 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3768.   International Conflict.   Examination of the dynamics of international political conflict, with special attention to issues of the use of force, the nature of ethnopolitical conflict, and the relative effectiveness of various approaches to negotiation, conflict management, and conflict resolution.   Prereq.:   POL 2660.   (3 s.h.)

3785.   Political Thought I.   The development of western political thought from the time of classical Greece through the Medieval period.  Among major figures treated:   Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Aquinas, and Machiavelli.   Prereq.:   9 s.h. of Political Science. (3 s.h.)

3786.   Political Thought 2.   The development of western political thought from the Renaissance to the Modern period.   Among the major figures treated:   Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Smith, Publius, Tocqueville, and Mill.   Prereq.:   9 s.h. of Political Science.   (3 s.h.)

3787.   Political Thought 3.   The development of western political thought of the 19 th and 20 th centuries.   Among the major figures treated:   Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Arendt, and Rawls.   Prereq.:   9 s.h. of Political Science.  (3 s.h.)

4801.   Senior Research Seminar.   Investigation and presentation of a research project.   Students explore a research topic, using appropriate political science methods, and present their results in oral and written form.   Prereq.:   24 hours of Political Science.   (3 s.h.)

4805.   Public Administration and the Political Process.    Political factors which condition the structure and function of public agencies, including the public interest, agency constituencies, and political influence.   Prereq.:   YSU/CSU MPA or permission of Chair.   (4 s.h.)

5800.   Select Problems, American Government.   Seminar/capstone course examining topical issues of American Government.   Prereq.:   15 s.h. of Political Science and consent of chairperson.   (2-4 s.h.)

5830.   Public Human Resource Management.   The issues and public policies that have an impact on the management of human resources in the public sector.   Differences between public and private personnel administration; the American civil service system; recruitment, placement, promotion, training, and compensation; performance assessment; rights and duties of public employees.   Prereq.:   YSU/CSU MPA or permission of the Chair.   (4 s.h.)

5860.   Select Problems of Global Affairs.   Seminar/capstone course examining topical issues of contemporary global affairs and international relations.   This course may be repeated once.   Prereq.:   15 s.h. of Political Science and consent of Chair.   (2-4 s.h.)

5865.   Global Environmental Policy and Law.   An analysis of the development, foundations, and principles of international environmental policy and law; includes consideration of the relationship between domestic and international environmental law, and the role of international organizations in the implementation of international environmental policy and law.   Prereq.:   POL 3760, or 3742, or ENST 3760.   (3 s.h.)

5880.   Select Problems, Political Thought.   Seminar/capstone course examining selected political issues and ideologies within the context of the broader traditions of political thought.   Prereq.:   15 s.h. of Political Science and consent of Chair.   (2-4 s.h.)