Catalog - Course Descriptions

State and local governments are vital components of the American political system. While the activities of national-level actors, such as the president and Congress, tend to be most visible to the average citizen (especially through the news media), actors at the state and local level frequently make political decisions that impact our daily lives. In addition, states and localities often experiment with innovative policies in an attempt to adress social, economic, and environmental problems. Given the importance of states and localities in American politics, this course is designed to provide you with an understanding of the structure, functions, and responsibilities of state and local governments. You will explore the impacts of decisions made at the state and local levels, compare and contrast policies across various states and localities, and learn about how the levels of government function and interact with each other. You will apply that knowledge of state and local politics to current issues such as economic development, criminal justice, and budgeting.

Survey the basic principles, terminology, and methods of political science in this course, which combines a historical study of the discipline's greatest thinkers with an analysis of contemporary issues.

An introduction to American government, its historical foundations, institutions, and political processes will teach you about the institutions, practices, and history of politics and government in the United States. You will examine some of the leading perspectives in political science, discuss the Constitution, the three branches of the federal government, interest groups, public opinion, campaigns, elections, and parties.

Survey of the governments and politics of many of the world's most important countries. Explores political leadership, representative mechanisms, legal processes, and the extra-institutional behaviors of voting, culture, ethnic conflict, and corruption.