Department of Political Science

Professor Philip Marshall, Chairperson.

Professors Cochran, Dometrius, Fox, Lanoue, and Mayer; Associate Professors Emmert, Khan, and Lee; Assistant Professors Barkdull, Hindera, Josephson, Neeley, Saideman, and Tuman.

This department offers study in the following graduate degree programs: POLITICAL SCIENCE, Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. The department also participates in the interdisciplinary program in PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION leading to the Master of Public Administration degree. See the section on "Opportunities for Interdisciplinary Study" in this catalog for further description of this program.

The department emphasizes and encourages specialization in the following areas of political science: American institutions and behavior, public policy, public administration, comparative politics, and international relations. In addition, the department offers graduate courses in political theory and methodology.

To be admitted to the graduate program, the student must submit three letters of recommendation, preferably from former teachers, to the chairperson of the department and should have a total verbal and quantitative GRE score of at least 1000 and at least a B average over undergraduate work. M.A. and Ph.D. students must develop their courses of study in consultation with the departmental graduate advisor; M.P.A. students, with the advisor for the Center for Public Service.

Master's degree work may follow either of two plans: 24 hours of course work plus a thesis, or 36 hours of course work without a thesis. M.A. students are required to take POLS 5381 and 5482. The M.P.A. program requires 42 hours of course work and an internship assignment. Courses are scheduled so that the degree may be obtained in evening study.

The doctoral degree requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate work beyond the bachelor's degree, exclusive of credit for the dissertation. A minimum tool requirement for all Ph.D. students is the successful completion of POLS 5381 and 5482 (or their equivalents) plus POLS 5383. Additional language or tool requirements may be imposed at the time of the student's preliminary examination and will be tailored to the student's field of specialization.

Students are required to complete course work in one major field and two minor fields, one of which may be taken outside the department. For the qualifying examination, the student will select one major field and one minor field, and will be tested in those fields only. However, if the student chooses to take a minor outside the department, the outside field will automatically be counted as the second minor field and will be exempted from examination.

A brochure providing additional information regarding requirements and procedures may be obtained from the department.

Courses in Political Science. (POLS)

5100. Colloquium in Political Science (1:1:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Presentations of current research and discussions of the political science profession by department and visiting faculty. Credit-no credit. May be repeated.

5200. Teaching College Political Science (2:2:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Strategies and innovations in teaching political science at the college level, including supervised teaching. May be repeated and taken as independent study. Credit-no credit. Does not count toward minimum degree requirements.

5201. Research and Writing in Political Science (2:2:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Guided research on topics suitable for publication including manuscript preparation, presentation, and critiques. Credit-no credit. May be repeated and taken as independent study.

5321. Seminar in Political Behavior (3:3:0). Current research on mass political behavior, including public opinion, political socialization, and voting behavior. Topics vary each semester. May be repeated for credit.

5322. The American Political System (3:3:0). Advanced study in subjects relevant to an understanding of how the political process is affected by the environment of politics.

5323. American Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Politics (3:3:0). Advanced study of the political process, oriented to recent research in the area of political parties, elections, and the recruitment of political leadership.

5324. The Executive (3:3:0). Study of the executive branch of government in the United States, with particular emphasis on the presidency.

5325. The United States Congress (3:3:0). An examination of the Congress, from formal organization, member recruitment, and theories of representation, to Congressional reform, policy-making, and interbranch relations.

5327. Selected Topics in American Government and Politics (3:3:0). Problems in American government and politics. Varying topics from semester to semester.

5329. Urban Government and Politics (3:3:0). The structure and function of urban political systems; the distribution of political, economic, and social power; correlates of urban public policy; intergovernmental relations; and minority group politics.

5330. Ancient and Medieval Political Theory (3:3:0). Political ideas of the great thinkers in the Western world from the time of the Golden Age of Greece until the rise of modern political thought in the 16th century.

5335. Modern Political Theory (3:3:0). Major political thinkers beginning with the 16th century and ending with Fascism.

5336. Contemporary Political Theory (3:3:0). An examination and criticism of the main concepts, movements, and thinkers in political theory in the contemporary world.

5339. Seminar in Political Theory (3:3:0). Examination of ideas and concepts such as liberty, authority, justice, equality, and nationalism.

5341. Public Policy Implementation (3:3:0). Prerequisite: PUAD 5340 and consent of instructor. The study of processes and problems of implementing different types of public policies in urban, legal, interest groups, and intergovernmental contexts.

5356. Judicial Behavior (3:3:0). Political analysis of actors in the judicial decision-making arena.

5360. International Relations Theory (3:3:0). Survey of contending theories of world politics, focusing on those that emphasize the role of power and interest in shaping state behavior.

5361. Interdependence and World Order (3:3:0). Survey of contending theories of world politics focusing on those that emphasize interdependence, democratization, transnationalism, nonstage actors, and the potential for system transformation.

5363. International Organization (3:3:0). Theoretical examination of the rise of global, regional, and functional international organizations and their role in the solution of economic, social, environmental, and political problems.

5364. State and International Politics (3:3:0). The course will consider how political scientists theorize about the primary unit, the state, in international relations.

5365. Special Topics in International Relations (3:3:0). Intensive research on topics in international relations. Subjects vary.

5367. International Political Economy (3:3:0). An exploration of the interaction of international politics and international economic trends. The course surveys the theories in the field, particularly as they relate to the political economy of trade, foreign investment, finance, and development.

5369. International Security Studies (3:3:0). This course examines how states maintain their security in a dangerous world.

5370. Comparative Politics (3:3:0). Critical survey of the major theories and literature in comparative politics, the logic of cross-national and cross-cultural inquiry, and the major concepts and approaches.

5371. Area Studies in Comparative Politics (3:3:0). The culture and political system of a major geographical area like Western Europe, Latin America, or Asia. topics vary each semester. May be repeated for credit.

5376. Selected Topics in Comparative Government (3:3:0). Studies in comparative politics, with topics varying from semester to semester.

5378. Politics of the Developing Areas (3:3:0). Substantive and theoretical-methodological issues in the study of the development process, emphasizing the political aspects of development.

5381. Research Design (3:3:0). Design and execution of political research.

5383. Advanced Quantitative Research Methods in Political Science (3:3:0). Prerequisite: POLS 5382 or equivalent. Extensions of the least squares model to such techniques as regression and diagnostics, structural equations, factor analysis and/or time series, and computer programs applicable to political data.

5384. Advanced Political Analysis (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Examination of contemporary methods for investigating selected political topics. Topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit.

5385. Policy Research (3:3:0). Prerequisite: POLS 5381 and 5382 or equivalent, and completion of 18 graduate hours. Conceptual and quantitative tools for academic research into the policy process. Concurrent enrollment in POLS 5383 recommended.

5482. Data Analysis (4:3:2). Techniques of analyzing political data, including descriptive and inferential statistics and computer applications. Concurrent registration in 5482 lab required.

6000. Master's Thesis (V1-6).

7000. Research (V1-12).

8000. Doctor's Dissertation (V1-12).

Courses in Public Administration. (PUAD)

5100. Colloquium in Public Administration (1:1:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Discussion of current issues in public administration led by department and visiting faculty. Credit-no credit.

5320. Program Evaluation and Quantitative Analysis (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Introduction to the design, logic, and politics of research methods appropriate for the evaluation of policies and programs before, during, and after their implementation.

5321. Advanced Quantitative Methods in Public Policy and Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Quantitative methods and approaches for analyzing public policy questions and data, including inferential statistics and the use of computer-based statistical programs.

5331. U.S.-Mexico Border Administration (3:3:0). Discussion of the history, politics, and social problems of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, with an emphasis on the policy challenges posed by regional integration.

5332. Social Policy in the United States (3:3:0). History, structure, implementation, reforms, and analysis of social policy in the U. S. Considers programs for the poor, elderly, disabled persons, and children. Compares U. S. to other industrialized democracies.

5333. Environmental Policy and Administration (3:3:0). Analysis of the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of environmental and natural resources policy, emphasizing theoretical foundations, political contexts, and principles of administering environmental policies.

5334. Health Care Policy and Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Analysis of the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of health care policy and service delivery, emphasizing skills and knowledge in policy-making, management, and decision-making.

5335. Management of Nonprofit Organizations (3:3:0). Study of the third sector and the administration of nonprofits, including laws, boards, personnel, volunteers, finances, grant writing, fundraising, marketing, and planning.

5340. Seminar in Public Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Critical survey of the field of public administration.

5343. Public Personnel Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Description and analysis of the personnel function in public agencies.

5344. Public Budgeting (3:3:0). Political aspects of the budgetary process as the central mechanism for public resource allocation and executive planning.

5345. Administrative Ethics (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Considers applications of ethical systems and thinking in public organizations. Particular emphasis on the ethical dilemmas caused by administrative discretion and defining the public interest.

5346. Public Financial Management (3:3:0). Prerequisite: PUAD 5344 or consent of instructor. An in-depth study of government finance function with emphasis on fund structure, financial reporting, and related management practices including cash, debt, risk, and inventory management.

5347. Internship in Public Administration (3:3:0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Service assignment in a public agency to enhance professional skills for students in the Masters in Public Administration program. Graded pass-fail and may be repeated for credit.

5348. Selected Topics in Public Administration (3:3:0). Special studies on subjects in public administration. Topics will vary from semester to semester.

5357. Law for Public Administrators (3:3:0). Detailed analysis of legal duties and obligations of local government officials to employees and citizens.


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