Political Science

This course is an introduction to political theory and philosophies, from the classical and medieval periods to modern times. Students will examine the development of the philosophies through history, with an emphasis on how those philosophies impact and shape the way people behave and interpret their societies. Students will also explore how the ideas act as responses to the predecessors and introduce new variations and interpretations. This will provide context for discussions of modern political philosophies and institutions during the latter part of the course.

This course is an introduction to the Political Science subfield: US Foreign Relations. Students will examine objectives and outcomes of major American foreign policy actions throughout its history. This will provide context for modern US foreign policy decisions, which will be the focus in the latter part of the semester.

This course provides a functional approach to the study of American government on the national, state, and local level. The structure, functions, operations, and problems of the American system will be explored in lectures, discussions, readings, and papers.

This course discusses the growth of the public sector and the methods by which this sector can be managed. Topics include public management techniques, effective decision making, civil service, budgeting, public organizations, and the politics of public-sector administration.