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POLS-204: LBAR 204
The intellectual roots and characteristic values and methods of liberal arts studies with emphasis on social science disciplines. Offered as an honors course only. Restricted to students in the College of Liberal Arts and the General Studies Program. Prerequisite: Approval of the dean of liberal arts.
Credits: 3
POLS-206: American National Government
Survey of American national government, politics, and constitutional development.
Credits: 3
POLS-207: State and Local Government
Survey of state and local government and politics with special reference to the constitution and politics of Texas.
Credits: 3
POLS-209: Introduction to Political Science Research
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-300: Foundations of Political Science
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 and junior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-302: The Mass Media and Politics
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-303: Introduction to Political Theory
Introduction to the study of political theory, with attention to major themes in the history of political thought; discussion of the nature of politics; examination o method in political theory and its relation to the discipline of political science. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-304: Latino Politics in the United States
Survey of historical and contemporary issues in Latino politics in the U.S.; race and ethnicity in the context of U.S. politics; comparisons of racial and ethnic group experiences in the U.S. with those experienced by racial and ethnic groups elsewhere; Latino access to the political system through political participation. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-306: Contemporary Political Problems and Issues
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. Especially designed for non-political science majors. 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.
Credits: 3
POLS-307: The Texas Legislature
Examination of contemporary political problems and issues in the
Texas Legislature. Prerequisites: Pols 206, 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-309: Polimetrics
Theory, techniques, and application of quantitative analysis in political science; focus on quantitative techniques commonly used to evaluate empirical theories of politics. Prerequisites: POLS 209 or equivalent; 9 additional hours of political science; STAT 307 and 301 or 303 or equivalents or approval of instructor.
Credits: 3
POLS-310: Legal Research
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 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 2
POLS-311: China, Japan and the United States
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-312: Ethnic Conflict
Examination of governemnt institutions designed to structure ethnic relations; source of ethnic conflict; machanisms to facilitate the peaceful resolution of ethnic convlict. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-313: Public Opinion
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-314: Interest Groups
Role of interest groups in politics; types of gorups 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.
Credits: 3
POLS-315: Political Parties
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-316: Urban Politics
Politics at the community level; urban and metropolitan political systems. Prerequisites: POLS 206 and 207 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-317: Women in Politics
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
Credits: 3
POLS-319: The American Presidency
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-320: Race and Politics in the United States
The politics of race and ethnicity in the United States: Contrast of the political experiences of racial groups with the ideals and realities of democratic political systems. Prerequisites: Pols 206 and 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-322: Western European Government and Politics
Political institutions and ideas of major European countries. Prospects for political integration. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-323: Political Systems of Latin America
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-324: Politics of Global Inequality
Examination of the causes and consequences of economic inequality between rich and poor states; evaluation of competing explanations for poverty of less-developed countries; development strategies employed by poor states; and structure of global economic relations. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-326: Government and Politics of Eastern Europe
Political, social and economic transformations in post-Communist Eastern and Southern European Countries. Examination of interrelations between political, economic and social issues that impact the building of new governments and institutions in these countries. Prerequisites: Pols 206, 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-327: Congressional Politics
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-328: Globalization and Democracy
Examination of the political and economic origins of globalization; effects of globalization on advanced industrial democracies; effect on less developed nations; evaluation of the economic, social, cultural and political consequences of globalization. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-329: Introduction to Comparative Politics
A comparison of political institutions, processes and issues across a wide variety of political systems. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-331: Introduction to World Politics
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-338: Government and Politics of the Former Soviet Union
Major political issues of the post-communist transition in the former Soviet Union. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-340: Introduction to Public Administration
American public administration; development of public service; theories of organization and management, executive leadership and policy formation, bureaucratic politics, administrative accountability and personnel practices. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-341: Urban Administration.
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-342: Politics and Bureaucracy
Public bureaucracy in the context of apolitical environment; role of experts, the use of political power and problems of bureaucratic accountability and responsibility. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-347: Politics of Energy and the Environment
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-349: Early Political Thought
Political thought from Greek antiquity to Renaissance. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-350: Modern Political Thought
Political thought from Machiavelli to Marx. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-351: Law and Legislation
Legal, political and institutional factors that influence the passage of legislation in American legislative bodies. Prerequisites: Pols 206 and 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-352: Empirical Democratic Theory
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, 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-353: Constitutional Rights and Liberties
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-355: United States Constitutional Development
Leading decisions of the Supreme Court. Trends in our constitutional development since 1789; expansion through judicial interpretation of powers delegated to national government. Prerequisite: POLS 206 and HIST 105 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-356: Law, Politics and Policy
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-357: National Judicial Politics
Political factors that influence judicial selection; decision-making and policy-making roles and impact of the U.S. Supreme Court and Federal Court System.
Credits: 3
POLS-358: Comparative Judicial Politics
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 countries. The impact of courts in developing democracies. Prerequisites: Pols 206 and 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-359: American Political Thought
American political thought from colonial times to the present. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-360: American State Politics
American state governments; comparative state policies and politics. Prerequisite: POLS 207 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-362: Latin American Political Thought
Survey of various traditions in the history of Latin American political thought; key texts in the history of political theory in the Spanish-American continent. Prerequisites: POLS 206; junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.
Credits: 3
POLS-364: Global Political Thought
Global perspective on the history of political ideas and contemporary political philosophy; confrontation and conversion of East Asia and Middle Eastern concepts of political problems and Western perspectives; impact of culture on the shaping of political ideas. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-365: Asian Governments and Politics
Contemporary political systems of Asia, political institutions, actors and processes. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-369: Theories of Democracy
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-375: Campaigns and Elections
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-400: Public Leadership Development
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 or senior classification and approval of instructor.
Credits: 3
POLS-413: American Foreign Policy
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-415: Contemporary Issues in American Foreign Policy
Detailed analysis of a selected aspect of American foreign policy. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-421: Social Conflict and Political Change
Comparative study of state-society relations, paying particular attention to political demands, conflict and accommodation. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-423: U.S.- Latin American Relations
Political, economic and social relations between the United States and Latin American nations from independence to the present. Prerequisites: Pols 206, 207 and 323 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-424: Comparative Government Institutions
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. The role of institutions across different types of political systems and how they are affected by global economic factors. Pols 206, 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-429: Issues in World Politics
Selected issues of importance in contemporary world politics. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-432: The Politics of European Union
Examination of the institutional, economic and political forces that led to the development of the European Union. Impact to the European union on world affairs. Prerequisites: Pols 206, 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-435: Voting Behavior
Voting decisions, electoral behavior and consequences for the political system. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-440: Public Policies and Policymaking
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-441: State and Local Financial Administration
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-442: Social Welfare Policy
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-447: National Security Policy
Need for national security policy, the factors involved in determining defense policy and the resulting problems. Special attention is paid to the United States. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-454: Contemporary Political Ideas
Contemporary political ideologies such as liberalism, socialism, communism and fascism. Role of ideologies in political change. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-455: Traditions of Political Theory
Survey of particular schools of historical periods of normative political theory. May repeated for credit as topics vary. Prerequisites: Pols 206 and 207 and junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-456: Environmental Political Theory
Examination of classical and contemporary theories of politics and the environment, overview of main lines of thought on how human beings should interact with and manage the physical environment; with attention to the particular problems raised by these issues for political theory. Prerequisites: POLS 206; junior or senior classification.
Credits: 3
POLS-461: Jurisprudence
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: POLS206 or approval of department head.
Credits: 3
POLS-462: Women and the Law
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-475: Government and the Economy
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.
Credits: 3
POLS-481: Senior Research Seminar
In-depth study of topics associated with particular sub-field of political science; experience designing and implementing major, original research project. Prerequisite: POLS 206, 207, 209, 12 credits in POLS at or above 300-level; senior political science majors or approval of instructor.
Credits: 3
POLS-484: Internship
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. Credit 1-6 each semester. For more information
Credits: 0
POLS-485: Directed Studies
Individual instruction in selected aspects of political science not adequately covered by other courses. Prerequisite: Approval of department head. Credit 1-6 each semester.
Credits: 0
POLS-489: Special Topics in ...
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. Credit 1 to 4.
Credits: 0
POLS-497: Independent Honors Studies
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 and letter of approval from head of student's major department.
Credits: 1
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