Idaho State University Undergraduate Catalog 2011-2012
The study of governments and human beings as decision makers is at once an ancient discipline and one of the most recently developed social sciences. Political inquiry reaches back to the recorded beginnings of human society, for individuals have always been curious about the nature of governments, the bases of authority and personality of leaders, the obligations of followers, and consequences of public policies. Although interest persists in these matters, inquiry has broadened to include scientific observations about politics which utilize relatively new techniques of analysis that are common to many of the social sciences. The newer emphasis is upon systematic procedures of investigation, rigorous standards of proof, comparative analysis and interdisciplinary studies.
Both of these approaches—the traditional and the behavioral—are offered in the undergraduate and graduate levels of study. The curriculum provides background in the theory and practice of politics and techniques of methodological inquiry for the student with general interests. It offers training of a general and specific nature that is useful for persons planning to seek careers in education, the legal profession, state and local government, urban and regional planning, the federal bureaucracy and journalism, or in any of the proliferating quasi-public organizations which seek to monitor the political processes or to influence the content of public policy.
The Department of Political Science offers programs leading to Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Public Administration, and Doctor of Arts degrees. Within the framework of the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs, students may pursue a major in political science or they may choose an emphasis in pre-law. There is no required or specified curriculum which students who emphasize pre-law are expected to follow. An advisory committee has been created to assist such students in developing a curriculum that reflects their individual needs.
Outcome objectives are related to both student and program development. Student-related outcome objectives are listed below:
1. To gain a well-rounded knowledge of the basic fields of the discipline.
2. To develop an understanding of how political scientists think, gather evidence, process data, and reach tentative conclusions.
3. To think critically about political phenomena and thought.
4. To develop effective oral and written communication skills.
5. To engage in problem solving.
6. To be exposed to a rich variety of perspectives and ideas.
7. To prepare for a career or profession after graduation that is related to the political science major. This includes graduate school.
1. Completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours with at least a 2.25 GPA.
2. Satisfactory completion of general education Goals 1 (English Composition), 2 (Principles of Speech), and 3 (Mathematics).
3. Completion of both POLS 1101 Introduction to American Government and POLS 2202 Introduction to Politics (or their equivalents) with at least a C grade in each.
4. A signed agreement between the student and a member of the faculty agreeing to academic advising.
Core Curriculum: In addition to the general requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees, political science majors are required to take the following courses from the core curriculum:
POLS 1101 Introduction to American Government 3 crIn addition to the 27 credits from the core curriculum, majors are required to earn a minimum of 12 elective credits selected from any of the courses in the political science curriculum (excluding POLS 4459).
POLS 2202 Introduction to Politics 3 cr
POLS 2221 Introduction to
International Relations 3 cr
POLS 3313 Introduction to Political Philosophy 3 cr
POLS 3331 Comparative Politics:
Framework for Analysis 3 cr
POLS 4401 Political Parties and Interest Groups 3 cr
OR
POLS 4427 Voting and Public Opinion 3 cr
POLS 4403 The Presidency 3 cr
OR
POLS 4404 Legislative Process 3 cr
POLS 4442 Constitutional Law 3 cr
OR
POLS 4443 Constitutional Law 3 cr
POLS 4460 Senior Seminar 3 cr
General Education Goals for
Bachelor of Science variable
POLS 1101 Introduction to American Government 3 cr
POLS 2202 Introduction to Politics 3 cr
POLS 2221 Introduction to
International Relations 3 cr
POLS 2248 Politics and the
Administration of Justice 3 cr
OR
POLS 2249 Introduction to Criminal Law 3 cr
Three additional courses in Political Science 9 cr
Electives to bring total to 64 cr variable
TOTAL: 64 cr
*The number of credits required for the General Education requirements
varies depending on the student's performance on proficiency or
placement tests in English, foreign languages, and mathematics.
Topics:
American
Indian Studies
American
Politics
Comparative
Government
General
Courses
International
Politics
Introductory
Courses
Political
Analysis
Political
Theory
Public
Administration
Public Law
Courses in numerical order:
POLS 1101 Introduction to American Government - Introductory Courses
POLS 2202 Introduction to Politics - Introductory Courses
POLS 2221 Introduction to International Relations - International
Politics
POLS 2248 Politics and the Administration of Justice - Public Law
POLS 2249 Introduction to Criminal Law - Public Law
POLS 2250 Idaho Politics - American Politics
POLS 3308 State and Local Government - American Politics
POLS 3313 Introduction to Political Philosophy - Political Theory
POLS 3326 Recent American Foreign Policy - International Politics
POLS 3331 Comparative Politics: Framework for Analysis - Comparative
Government
POLS 3342 American Legal Systems - Public Law
POLS 3350 Special Topics in Political Science - General Courses
POLS 4401 Political Parties and Interest Groups - American Politics
POLS 4403 The Presidency - American Politics
POLS 4404 The Legislative Process - American Politics
POLS 4405 The Administrative Process - American Politics
POLS 4406 Intergovernmental Relations - American Politics
POLS 4408 Metropolitan and Urban Studies - American Politics
POLS 4409 Community and Regional Planning American Politics
POLS 4411 American Political Theory Political Theory
POLS 4412 Modern Political Analysis - Political Analysis
POLS 4418 Topics in Political Theory - Political Theory
POLS 4419 Political Research Methods - Political Analysis
POLS 4419L Political Research Methods Laboratory - Political Analysis
POLS 4420 Contemporary Political Theory - Political Theory
POLS 4421 Democratic Political Thoughts - Political Theory
POLS 4425 Topics in International Politics - International Politics
POLS 4427 Voting and Public Opinion - American Politics
POLS 4432 Comparative Politics: Change and Political Order -
Comparative Government
POLS 4433 Politics of Developing Nations - Comparative Government
POLS 4434 Terrorism and Political Violence - International Politics
POLS 4435 Topics in National and Regional Studies - Comparative
Government
POLS 4441 Administrative Law - Public Administration
POLS 4442 Constitutional Law - Public Law
POLS 4443 Constitutional Law - Public Law
POLS 4445 Jurisprudence and Legal Systems - Public Law
POLS 4450 Special Topics in Law - Public Law
POLS 4451 Organizational Theory and Bureaucratic Structure - Public
Administration
POLS 4452 Financial Administration and Budgeting - Public
Administration
POLS 4453 Public Policy Analysis - American Politics
POLS 4454 Public Personnel Administration - Public Administration
POLS 4455 Environmental Politics and Policy - American Politics
POLS 4456 Labor Organization - Public Administration
POLS 4457 Grantwriting - Public Administration
POLS 4458 Public Administration Ethics - Public Administration
POLS 4459 Government Internship - General Courses
POLS 4460 Senior Seminar - General Courses
POLS 4465 U.S. Political History - American Politics
POLS 4466 Public Lands Policy - American Politics
POLS 4467
POLS 4471 Historical Geography of Idaho - General Courses
POLS 4478 Federal Indian Law - American Indian Studies
POLS 4479 Tribal Governments - American Indian Studies
POLS 4491 Seminar - General Courses
POLS 4492 Seminar - General Courses
Course Descriptions, grouped by topic:
POLS 1101 Introduction to American Government 3 credits. Constitutional basis, structure, and administrative organization of the national government. Satisfies Goal 11 of the General Education Requirements. F, S, Su
POLS 2202 Introduction to Politics 3
credits. This class is an introduction to the fundamental issues
in political science. Examples of topics covered include equality,
majority rule, and
the fact-value distinction. Required for all students majoring in
political
science. F, S, Su
POLS 4478 Federal Indian Law 3 credits. Examination of tribal governments; their relationship with the federal government; sovereignty, jurisdictional conflicts over land and resources; and economic development. Cross-listed as ANTH 4478. D
POLS 4479 Tribal Governments 3 credits. Complex
legal position of Indian tribes as self-governing entities; principles
of inherent powers; governmental organization, lawmaking, justice,
relation to state and federal government. Cross-listed as ANTH 4479. D
POLS
2250 Idaho Politics 3 credits. Historical development and
political analysis of
POLS 3308 State and Local Government 3 credits. Study of the institutions of state and local government in a behavioral context. D
POLS 4401 Political Parties and Interest Groups 3 credits. The nature and development of political parties and pressure groups as exemplified in the United States. S, Su
POLS 4403 The Presidency 3 credits. Evolution and development of the office of the President; its major responsibilities in domestic and foreign affairs, with emphasis on particular power problems that confront the President. F, Su
POLS 4404 The Legislative Process 3 credits. Nature and functions of the U.S. Congress. Topics covered: legislative campaigns, the politics of lawmaking, congressional investigations, and major problems facing the Congress. S, Su
POLS 4405 The Administrative Process 3 credits. Analysis of the principles of public administration with an introduction to theories of organization and administration. D
POLS 4406 Intergovernmental Relations 3 credits. Analysis of patterns of intergovernmental relations including changing patterns of program and fiscal responsibility in the federal system. The emerging role of new federal structures, state and substate regional organizations will be reviewed in the context of "new" federalism and its implications for intergovernmental relationships. D
POLS 4408 Metropolitan and Urban Studies 3 credits. Analysis of metropolitan and smaller urban systems with emphasis on relationships among general groups, political organizations and institutions. Federal, state and interlocal programs will serve as a focus for analyzing particular problems of metropolitan and urban systems in the 20th century. D
POLS 4409 Community and Regional Planning 3 credits. Steps involved in planning will be analyzed in the context of community and regional decision-making processes. Two perspectives will be stressed—that of the decision-maker, the social structure within which the decision-maker operates and strategies for implementing decision; and that of the citizen or group interest which lies outside the power structure of the community. Each perspective will be used as a framework for analyzing power configurations, techniques of identifying patterns of decision making, and various forms of citizen participation. D
POLS 4427 Voting and Public Opinion 3 credits. Analysis of the way citizens and government communicate with each other. Elections, public opinion, and media influence are studied. F
POLS 4453 Public Policy Analysis 3 credits. Theoretical and practical analyses of public policies, including theories of policy formation and their political implementation through governmental institutions. Case studies will provide the means of analyzing specific policy problems. D
POLS 4455 Environmental Politics and Policy 3 credits. Study of the political forces affecting environmental policy and investigation of several specific policies affecting the environment, such as: pollution control, energy production, hazardous chemicals, and the public lands. D
POLS 4465 U.S.
Political
History 3 credits. Study of the political history of the United
States
involving a discussion of theories of popular voting behavior, critical
elections, and political party systems. Cross-listed as HIST 4465. D
POLS 4466 Public Lands Policy 3 credits. Analysis of the historical and contemporary use and disposition of the federal public lands. The agencies that manage the public lands, major laws, and regulations and the political conflict that surrounds their use and conservation. D
POLS 4412 Modern Political Analysis 3 credits. Methods of political inquiry and theories and doctrines of politics, with emphasis on modern developments. D
POLS 4419 Political Research Methods 3 credits. This class investigates the theory and application of various research methods and statistical techniques common to the social sciences, with particular reference to their use in political inquiry. COREQ: POLS 4419L. D
POLS 4419L Political Research Methods
Laboratory 1 credit. Application of and practice in research
methods. COREQ: POLS 4419. D
POLS 4441 Administrative Law 3 credits. Introductory survey of the legal principles defining governmental administrative processes. Topics include judicial review, tort liability of governments and offices, rules and rule-making, due process, and the limits of administrative discretion. D
POLS 4451 Organizational Theory and Bureaucratic Structure 3 credits. Introduction to the study of complex organizations and organizational behavior in the administration of public policy. Emphasis on public institutions. POLS 4405 recommended. D
POLS 4452 Financial Administration and Budgeting 3 credits. Emphasis on different approaches to financial administration, ranging from incremental and short-term planning to more recent and comprehensive emphases on management by objectives and zero-based budgeting. The development of the Office of Management and Budget and its relationship with the President, Congress and the Federal Bureaucracy will be considered as well as political, organizational and behavioral constraints on budgetary decision-making. D
POLS 4454 Public Personnel Administration 3 credits. Operations and processes of personnel management in public institutions. Major topics include personnel processes, public employee rights and duties, employee motivation and morale, the political environment of public personnel administration, and the impact of professionalism, technology, and participatory democracy on public personnel practices. D
POLS 4456 Labor Organization 3 credits. Evolution of economic systems and labor's response to changing patterns of production is studied, and a counter perspective to traditional management views of "efficiency" is presented. Emphasis is on governmental employee unions. D
POLS 4457 Grantwriting 3 credits. Steps involved in the grantwriting process from strategic planning, research, and writing to finding appropriate grant sources. D
POLS 4458 Public Administration Ethics 3 credits. A course in applied ethics serving to educate students from a theoretical and a practical point of view. The course provides an historical and social perspective of ethics in public administration. D
POLS 3313 Introduction to Political Philosophy 3 credits. Examination of selected writings in political philosophy from the classical, Christian and early modern eras. F, S
POLS 4411 American Political Theory 3 credits. Political ideas in the United States from Colonial and Revolutionary times through the controversies of the Civil War to the present. D
POLS 4418 Topics in Political Theory 3 credits. This course requires examination, analysis and investigation of selected texts and topics in political philosophy. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. D
POLS 4420 Contemporary Political Theory 3 credits. Recent 20th century political philosophies and theories ranging from democratic, Marxist, and existentialist thought to Critical Theory and postmodernism. D
POLS 4421 Democratic Political Thoughts 3
credits. Historical and contemporary models of democracy as well
as contemporary debates in democratic thought. Democracy is treated as
a contested idea.
D
POLS 2221 Introduction to International Relations 3 credits. Conceptual introduction to international relations, with emphasis on sovereignty, national interest, power, and balance of power. F, S
POLS 3326 Recent American Foreign Policy 3 credits. Study of recent American foreign policy focused on the interrelationship of domestic and foreign policies and the problems of formulating foreign policy in a democratic state. D
POLS 4425 Topics in International Politics 3 credits. This course requires examination, analysis and evaluation of selected topics in international politics. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. D
POLS 4434 Terrorism and Political
Violence 3
credits. A survey of forms of domestic and transnational terrorism,
other
forms of political violence, and problems of counter-terrorism. D
POLS 3331 Comparative Politics: Framework for Analysis 3 credits. Introduction to various theoretical approaches to comparative analyses of different cultures and nations, and to other courses in this area of emphasis. F, S, Su
POLS 4432 Comparative Politics: Change and Political Order 3 credits. An examination of political change, political order, political culture and the role of revolutionary violence. Change and order in the context of globalization is emphasized. D
POLS 4433 Politics of Developing Nations 3 credits. Study of problems in the political analysis of rapidly changing and unstable "developing" nation states with an emphasis on problems of the political, economic, and social development of selected states. D
POLS 4435 Topics in National and Regional
Studies 3 credits. Surveys the political, economic, and social
issues of a nation or region. May be repeated once with a different
topic. D
POLS 2248 Politics and the Administration of Justice 3 credits. The criminal justice system in the United States will be examined by investigating its component parts: police, court, and correction. In addition, the problem of coordination among these agencies will be explored as will the relationship of the criminal justice network to the larger society. D
POLS 2249 Introduction to Criminal Law 3 credits. The major categories of criminal liability are studied within the context of American criminal justice. These include crimes against individuals, property, and society. Defenses available to those accused of criminal activity are also discussed. D
POLS 4442 Constitutional Law 3 credits. Analysis of opinions of the United States Supreme Court concerning the distribution of authority between the national government and the states and the relationship among the branches of the national government. F
POLS 4443 Constitutional Law 3 credits. Analysis of opinions of the United States Supreme Court with a special emphasis on criminal cases and civil liberties. S
POLS 4445 Jurisprudence 3 credits. Nature, source, and theories of law; the role of law in modern society; and the application of legal philosophy to the political system. D
POLS 4450 Special Topics in Law 3 credits. Examine and analyze selected topics in constitutional law and legal philosophy. Topics may include the constitution and foreign affairs, women and the law, law and literature, and law and film. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. D
POLS 3350 Special Topics in Political Science 3 credits. Examine and analyze selected topics in politics. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. D
POLS 4459 Government Internship 1-9 credits. Directed student internship in political science and organizations or associations related to public policy and the selection of public officials involving supervised work experience in research, staff management practices, or making and implementing public policies. The student will be placed in a supervised position commensurate with his/her abilities as determined and approved by faculty in the department. May be repeated for a total of 9 credits. Graded S/U. F, S, Su
POLS 460 Senior Seminar 3 credits. This seminar is designed to integrate undergraduate academic experience in the major. Students will be required to do research and writing on topics encountered in their undergraduate curriculum. Required of, and open to, senior majors. F, S
POLS 4471 Historical Geography of Idaho 3 credits. Influences of geography and geology on Idaho's economic, political and cultural history. May be team taught and include field trips, discussion sections. Cross-listed as GEOL 4471 and HIST 4471. D
POLS 4491 Seminar 1-3 credits. Research, reading, discussion, and the preparation of reports on selected topics. Ordinarily for seniors majoring in political science and having the instructor's consent. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. F, S, Su
POLS 4492 Seminar 1-3 credits. Research, reading, discussion, and the preparation of reports on selected topics. Ordinarily for seniors majoring in political science and having the instructor's consent. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. F, S, Su
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