(POLS)
Professors J.E.Anderson,
J.A. Baer, J.R.Bond, G. C. Edwards, R.B.Flemming, R.E.Harmel,
C. F. Hermann, K.Q.Hill, P.A.Hurley (Interim Head), C.A.Johnson,
W.Jones,Jr., J.E.Leighley, N.R.Luttbeg, K. J. Meier, A.Mintz,
C. J. Nederman, E.B.Portis, M. F. Rice, J.D.Robertson, H.J.Tucker,
P. P. VanRiper, A.Vedlitz, W.F.West, C. W. Wiggins, B. D. Wood; Associate Professors A.Astorino-Courtois,
V. Danilovic, J.A.Dyer, N. Geva, G.M.Halter, A.Pacek, J. R. Rogers,
M.Taylor-Robinson, G. S. Whitten; Assistant Professors W.A.Dixon,
E. H. Ellis, M. C. Escobar-Lemmon, M. Hoddie, D. A. Peterson,
C. L. Silva, C. M. Sprecher; Instructor A.
Tarar; Senior Lecturers W.W.Anthony,
N. Van Hightower; Lecturers J.
James, T. G. White
206. American National Government. (3-0).
Credit 3. I, II, S
Survey of American national government, politics,
and constitutional development.
207. State and Local Government. (3-0).
Credit 3. I, II, S
Survey of state and local government and politics
with special reference to the constitution and politics of
Texas.
209. Introduction to Political Science
Research. (3-0). Credit 3.
Introduction to the philosophy and practice
of social science and to modes of research in major subfields
of political science. Prerequisite: Political science majors
must have completed POLS 209 before they enroll in their last
18 hours of 300- and 400- level POLS courses. This means a
student may take no more than 6 hours of upper division (300-
and 400-level courses) before completing POLS 209. Enrollment
is restricted to political science majors.
300. Foundations of Political Science.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Survey of the scholarly discipline of political
science, the subfields of the discipline, the major research
questions and the modes of scholarship in the latter subfields,
and the character of the discipline as a profession. Prerequisites:
POLS 206, 207, 209; junior classification.
302. The Mass Media and Politics. (3-0).
Credit 3. II
Examination of mass media impact on politics
and political behavior, and governmental impact on the mass
media. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
306. Contemporary Political Problems and
Issues. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S
Major contemporary political problems and issues
with primary emphasis on the U.S. Each term one to three problems
or issues will be examined in some depth. Students may register
in up to but no more than two different sections of this course.
May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval
of department head.
307. The Texas Legislature. (3-0). Credit
3.
Examination of contemporary political problems
and issues in the Texas Legislature. Prerequisites: POLS 206
and 207; junior or senior classification.
310. Legal Research. (2-0). Credit 2.
Basic legal research techniques and resources
with emphasis on technological trends in research; an overview
of the structuring of the legal system and the interplay between
state and federal jurisdictions. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and
207; junior or senior classification.
311. China, Japan and the United States.
(3-0). Credit 3.
International relations among China, Japan and
the United States; primary attention to the domestic political
system and international political and economic interaction.
Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
313. Public Opinion. (3-0). Credit 3. I,
S
Role of public opinion in a democratic political
system--its formation, properties and patterns, with special
attention to problems of linking public opinion to public policy.
Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
314. Interest Groups. (3-0). Credit 3.
Role of interest groups in politics; types of
groups and resources; internal dynamics; group strategies/tactics
(including PACs); forms of indirect and direct lobbying; influence
of groups in political arena. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval
of department head.
315. Political Parties. (3-0). Credit 3.
I
Organization, history, and activities of political
parties and functions they serve in national, state and local
politics in the United States and elsewhere. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of department head.
316. Urban Politics. (3-0). Credit 3. I
Politics at the community level; urban and metropolitan
political systems. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207 or approval
of department head.
317. Women in Politics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Role of women in the political system; treatment
of women in political theory; effect of law on women's status;
women as political leaders; current policy issues of concern
to women. Prerequisite: POLS 206. Cross-listed with WMST 317.
319. The American Presidency. (3-0). Credit
3. I, S
The American Presidency and the primary relationships
and responsibilities of the office, dealing with the public,
decision making, influencing Congress, and implementing policy.
Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
320. Race, Ethnicity and Politics in the
United States. (3-0). Credit 3.
The politics of race and ethnicity in the United
States; contrast of the political experiences of racial and
ethnic groups with the ideals and realities of democratic political
systems. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207; junior or senior
classification.
322. Western European Government and Politics.
(3-0). Credit 3. II
Political institutions and ideas of major European
countries. Prospects for political integration. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of department head.
323. Political Systems of Latin America.
(3-0). Credit 3. I
Survey of the major features of the political
process in Latin America; key political groups and sources
and characteristics of their political power; studies of selected
countries. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
324. Third World Politics. (3-0). Credit
3.
Current political trends in the Third World;
authoritarianism, democratization, economic development and
dependency; countries studied chosen from Latin America, Asia,
and Africa. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
326. Government and Politics of Eastern
Europe. (3-0). Credit 3.
Political, social and economic transformations
in the post-Communist Eastern and Southern European countries;
examination of the interrelations between political, economic
and social issues that impact the building of new governments
and institutions in these countries. Prerequisites: POLS 206
and 207; junior or senior classification.
327. Congressional Politics. (3-0). Credit
3. I, S
Congressional elections, decision-making structure
and processes in Congress, and their implications for representation
and public policy in the United States. Prerequisite: POLS
206 or approval of department head.
329. Introduction to Comparative Politics.
(3-0). Credit 3. I
A comparison of political institutions, processes
and issues across a wide variety of political systems. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of department head.
331. Introduction to World Politics. (3-0).
Credit 3. I, S
Analysis of contemporary world from point of
view of nation-state; political problems, factors involved
in foreign policies and relations of nations. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of department head.
338. Government and Politics of the Former
Soviet Union. (3-0). Credit 3. I
Major political issues of the post-communist
transition in the former Soviet Union. Prerequisite: POLS 206
or approval of department head.
340. Introduction to Public Administration.
(3-0). Credit 3. I, II
American public administration; development
of the public service; the political and constitutional context;
organization theory; leadership and decision-making; personnel
and resource staff functions; administrative law and regulation;
ethics and administrative accountability. Prerequisite: POLS
206 or approval of department head.
341. Urban Administration. (3-0). Credit
3. II, S
Practices and problems of city government. Organization,
administration, and planning and their relation to political
processes and structure. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207 or
approval of department head.
342. Politics and Bureaucracy. (3-0). Credit
3. II, S
Public bureaucracy in the context of a political
environment; role of experts, the use of political power and
problems of bureaucratic accountability and responsibility.
Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
347. Politics of Energy and the Environment.
(3-0). Credit 3. I
U.S. energy and environmental problems and policies
and the political, legal and institutional factors influencing
their development and implementation. Prerequisite: POLS 206
or approval of department head.
349. Early Political Thought. (3-0). Credit
3. I, S
Political thought from Greek antiquity to Renaissance.
Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
350. Modern Political Thought. (3-0). Credit
3. II, S
Political thought from Machiavelli to Marx.
Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
351. Law and Legislation. (3-0). Credit
3.
Legal, political and institutional factors that
influence the passage of legislation in American legislative
bodies. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207; junior or senior classification.
352. Empirical Democratic Theory. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Examination of empirical political science theory
about the nature and consequences of democratic government
in the modern era; study of scientific theory that accounts
for the rise, characteristics and behavior of democratic political
systems. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207; junior or senior
classification.
353. Constitutional Rights and Liberties.
(3-0). Credit 3. I
Legal issues, controversies and significant
developments in constitutional rights and liberties, and the
impact of these developments upon American politics, culture
and social institutions. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval
of department head.
355. United States Constitutional Development.
(3-0). Credit 3. II
Leading decisions of the Supreme Court. Trends
in our constitutional development since 1789; expansion through
judicial interpretation of powers delegated to national government.
Prerequisites: POLS 206 and HIST 105 or approval of department
head.
356. Law, Politics and Policy. (3-0). Credit
3. II
An introduction to the American legal system,
its development and structure: the role of lawyers, law enforcement
agencies, and interest groups in its operation; the dynamics
of civil litigation and criminal processes of courts; the impact
of legal policies on society, politics and the economy. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of department head.
357. National Judicial Politics. (3-0).
Credit 3. II, S
Political factors that influence judicial selection;
decision-making and policy-making roles and impact of the U.S.
Supreme Court and Federal Court System.
358. Comparative Judicial Politics. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Survey of the major features of court systems
of the world; examination of the role played by courts in the
politics of selected nations of the world; comparison of judicial
decision making in selected counties; the impact of courts
in developing democracies. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207;
junior or senior classification.
359. American Political Thought. (3-0).
Credit 3. I, S
American political thought from colonial times
to the present. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
360. American State Politics. (3-0). Credit
3. I, II, S
American state governments; comparative state
policies and politics. Prerequisite: POLS 207 or approval of
department head.
365. Asian Governments and Politics. (3-0).
Credit 3. I, S
Contemporary political systems of Asia, political
institutions, actors and processes. Prerequisite: POLS 206
or approval of department head.
369. Theories of Democracy. (3-0). Credit
3. II
Definitions and justifications of democratic
political systems; criticisms of democratic legitimacy, difficulties
encountered by actual democratic regimes; methodological problems
of assessing the fulfillment of democratic goals. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of instructor.
375. Campaigns and Elections. (3-0). Credit
3. I, S
Theories of voter choice; effects of mass media
and campaign finance regulations on the conduct and outcome
of elections; effects of elections on policy; emphasis on U.S.
national elections. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
400. Public Leadership Development. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Major issues in the study of public leadership,
development of leadership skills, and a field investigation
done in conjunction with local public leaders. Prerequisites:
Junior classification and approval of instructor. Cross-listed
with AGED 400 and ENGR 400.
413. American Foreign Policy. (3-0). Credit
3. II
Evolution of U.S. foreign policies since World
War II. Policy process; role of executive, legislative, bureaucratic
and private institutions; current foreign policy issues and
problems. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
415. Contemporary Issues in American Foreign
Policy. (3-0). Credit 3. II, S
Detailed analysis of a selected aspect of American
foreign policy. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
421. Social Conflict and Political Change.
(3-0). Credit 3. I
Comparative study of state-society relations,
paying particular attention to political demands, conflict
and accommodation. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
423. U.S.-Latin American Relations. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Political, economic and social relations between
the United States and Latin American nations from independence
to the present. Prerequisites: POLS 206, 207, 323; junior or
senior classification.
424. Comparative Governmental Institutions.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Study of the politics and structure of governmental
institutions in a comparative venue; examination of the building
blocks by which patterns of governments and institutions can
be identified across various political systems of the world;
role of institutions across different types of political systems
and how they are affected by global economic factors. Prerequisites:
POLS 322 and 323; POLS 326 or 365; junior or senior classification.
429. Issues in World Politics. (3-0). Credit
3. II
Selected issues of importance in contemporary
world politics. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
432. The Politics of European Union. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Examination of the institutional, economic and
political forces that led to the development of the European
Economic Union; impact of the European Union on world affairs.
Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207; junior or senior classification.
435. Voting Behavior. (3-0). Credit 3.
I, S
Voting decisions, electoral behavior and consequences
for the political system. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval
of department head.
440. Public Policies and Policymaking.
(3-0). Credit 3. I
Socio-economic, political, and institutional
factors as they affect the development, implementation and
impact of public policies. Strategies of choice by political
regimes in the formation of public policies. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of department head.
441. State and Local Financial Administration.
(3-0). Credit 3. I
Financial management practices in state and
local governments including the impact of management practices
and political factors on revenues, expenditures, budgeting
and debt financing. Prerequisite: POLS 207.
442. Social Welfare Policy. (3-0). Credit
3. II
Political and social issues involved in social
welfare and income security policies; problems of poverty and
public welfare in the United States. Prerequisite: POLS 206
or approval of department head.
447. National Security Policy. (3-0). Credit
3. I, S
Need for national security policy, the factors
involved in determining defense policy and the resulting problems;
special attention to the United States. Prerequisite: POLS
206 or approval of department head.
454. Contemporary Political Ideas. (3-0).
Credit 3. I
Contemporary political ideas such as liberalism,
socialism, communism and fascism; role of ideology in political
change. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
455. Traditions of Political Theory. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Survey of particular
schools or historical periods of normative political theory.
May be taken three times. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207;
junior or senior classification.
461. Jurisprudence. (3-0). Credit 3.
History of legal philosophy from the ancient
Greeks to the present; exploration of recurring themes such
as natural law, legal positivism, legal realism, sociological
jurisprudence and Marxist jurisprudence; exposure to various
issues, such as liberty, privacy, obedience, responsibility
and punishment. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head.
462. Women and the Law. (3-0). Credit 3.
The legal status of American women from the
adoption of the Constitution to the present: constitutional
developments; the 19th Amendment and the proposed Equal Rights
Amendment; employment; family law; reproductive rights; education;
sexual equality in context of other claims to equality; law
and social norms. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department
head. Cross-listed with WMST 462.
475. Government and the Economy. (3-0).
Credit 3. II
Constitutional and legal framework of governmental
involvement in economy; governmental budget in management of
business cycle; regulation of business activities; governmental
economic planning in democratic societies. Prerequisite: POLS
206 or approval of department head.
484. Internship. Credit 1 to 6. I, II,
S
Directed internship in a public organization
to provide students with on-the-job training and applied research
experience with professionals in settings appropriate to the
student's degree plan and career objectives. Prerequisite:
Approval of department head. Must be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory
basis.
485. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 6 each
semester. I, II, S
Individual instruction in selected aspects of
political science not adequately covered by other courses.
Prerequisite: Approval of department head.
489. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4.
I, II, S
Selected topics in an identified area of political
science and public policy. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite:
POLS 206 or approval of department head.
497. Independent Honors Studies. Credit
1 to 4. I, II, S
Directed independent studies for upper division
Honors students, regardless of academic major, in selected
aspects of political science. Prerequisites: Junior or senior
classification either as Honors student or with overall GPR
of 3.25; letter of approval from head of student's major department.
