GO 100 - Intro to Political Science

Credit Hours: 3

The course is a survey of the discipline of political science. It is designed to introduce students to important theories, concepts, and issues in the study of political behavior, phenomena, and processes. It will cover the major subfields of political science, including political theory, research methods, American government, comparative politics, public administration, public policy, and international relations.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts and themes of politics and political science and the use of different methodologies for political analysis of the making of public policy;
demonstrate knowledge of the different political philosophies and ideologies that influence politics;
compare and contrast the qualities of representative democracies to other types of regimes and discuss the importance of political parties, interest groups, social movements, and electoral systems;
explain the role of the state as the dominant organizer of politics in the contemporary world; and
describe and compare the structures, functions, and powers of the different legislative, executive, judicial, and bureaucratic institutions in parliamentary and presidential systems.

F/S (C, N, S)