300

AFPS 301 African-American Political Autobiography

Prerequisite: 3 hours in African-American history, literary criticism or politics, or permission of the instructor. This course examines the connections between autobiography, political philosophy, utopian thought and politics in African-American autobiographies analyzing to determine the criticisms authors launched against their societies, the social and political alternatives suggested and the agencies they suggested be mobilized to institute change.

Credits

3.0

Core

Historical Analysis

Offered

As Needed

PSCI 302 9/11 in Global Perspective

Prerequisites: PSCI 200 or PSCI 215 or permission of instructor. This course explores the philosophical motives of Al Qaeda, the U.S. government’s institutional responses and failures, creation of a 9/11 commission, the compromise to constitutional rights and law, the effect on political attitudes and popular culture, the ensuing Afghan and Iraq wars, and the international community’s response to the tragedies of that day.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

PSCI 303 Public Policy Analysis

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of instructor. Students will explore the public policy-making process and engage in public policy analysis, focusing on the theories of public policy formation and the institutions involved in the policy making process. The course will focus on several case studies of substantive policy areas.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

PSCI 304 Philanthropy and Civic Life

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the Social and Behavioral Analysis or Historical Analysis areas of the Core or permission of the instructor. The course examines the political and practical aspects of philanthropy. Attention is given to the responsibilities of democratic citizenship, the merits of strategies for change and the relationship between scholarly inquiry and direct action. Students will study a community-based organization.

Credits

3.0

Core

Philosophical Inquiry

Offered

Spring Semester

PSCI 305 U.S. Foreign Policy

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or PSCI 215. Review of the contemporary U.S. foreign policy-making process. Emphasis on the history of the U.S. foreign policy, the conflict between the executive and the legislative branches, the role of interest groups and recent foreign policy crises.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester (Even Years)

PSCI 307 American Constitutional Law

Prerequisite: CJ 230, LW 230 or PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. The powers of the state and national governments as interpreted by leading decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. The development of modern constitutional doctrines.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester

PSCI 309 Grants Writing and Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations

Prerequisite: PSCI 304 or permission of the instructor. Introduction to the basic concepts of grant writing and fund-raising in the corporate and public sectors for nonprofits.

Credits

1.0

Offered

Spring Semester

PSCI 313 Great Political Trials

Prerequisite: LW 230 or permission of the instructor. This course analyzes great political trials that have reflected the political controversies of their time. Western tradition of law and legal analysis through trials held in the United States, France and England will be examined and contrasted and compared with trials held under socialist, Islamic and indigenous political systems.

Credits

3.0

Cross Listed Courses

Also offered as HON 313

Offered

(As Needed)

PSCI 317 Urban Politics

Prerequisite: PSCI 203. The course examines the politics of urban areas theoretically and considers some of the classical explanations used to explain how they are governed. The course also examines cities historically, with consideration paid to the growing divide between the haves and the have-nots in U.S. cities and the growing inequalities that are based on race, gender and class.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester (Odd Years)

PSCI 320 The American Presidency

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. This course analyzes the development of the modern presidency in the United States, the structure of the institution, and presidential elections. It assesses how presidents make decisions and shape policy and their relationships with Congress, the courts, and the public.

Credits

3.0

Offered

As needed

PSCI 323 Politics of the Developing World

Prerequisite: PSCI 210 or PSCI 215. Political regimes in the developing nations of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Credits

3.0

Core

Global Perspectives

Offered

Spring Semester (Odd Years)

PSCI 324 U.S. Campaigns and Elections

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. An analysis of U.S. campaigns and elections. Emphasis on the role that parties, interest groups and media play in our electoral system.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester (Even Years)

PSCI 325 Field Work in Politics

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Designed to acquaint the student with political activity. Supervised work with political campaign of student’s choice.

Credits

2.0 - 3.0

Offered

As needed

PSCI 327 Frederick, MD: From Colony to Suburb

Prerequisites: Completion of the Social and Behavioral Analysis area of the Core. Open to political science majors or with permission of the instructor. Frederick City will be studied from the perspectives of art, demography, economics, history, literature, race, politics and sociology. The evolution of Frederick City from a frontier colony to a suburb of Washington, DC will be examined in the light of regional, national and global forces,

Credits

3.0

Offered

As Needed

PSCI 331 US Democracy in Crisis-How We Got Here

Prerequisite: Fulfillment of Social/Behavioral Analysis Core or Permission of Instructor

The overall aim is for students to reflect on various theories of democracy, through the lens of primary historical writings on the topic, in order to cultivate their own deeply theoretically informed definition. Students read about definitions of democracy as a word, a political theory, and in terms of political values, practices, and institutions. Students reflect on and evaluate classical theories of liberal democracy and democratic republicanism as well as contemporary theories, such as participatory democracy, before considering related critiques from postmodernism, postcolonialism, and theories of identity.

Credits

3.0

Core

Philosophical Inquiry

Offered

Offered Fall or Spring Semester

PSCI 332 Ancient Medieval Political Thought

Prerequisite: Fulfillment of the Historical Analysis section of the Core or permission of the instructor. A critical examination of the political writings of classical and medieval philosophers. Emphasis will be on the development and evolution of concepts such as democracy, justice, citizenship, community and the relationship between church and state.

Credits

3.0

Offered

As Needed

PSCI 333 Modern Political Thought

Prerequisite: PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors. Development of political ideas from Machiavelli to the present day. Analysis of the great political traditions in the context of contemporary problems. Democratic liberalism, socialism, fascism and communism.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

PSCI 335 Teaching Assistantship in Political Science

Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, PSCI 203 and permission of the department. The assistant attends classes, tutor students, show films and participates in periodic conferences with the instructor and other teaching assistants, and may. include assisting in other class-related projects, such as organizing field trips, speakers and discussion sessions. May be taken only once. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Credits

1.0

Offered

Either Semester

PSCI 336 Gender and the Law

Prerequisite: PSCI 203, PSCI 307 or permission of the instructor. A study of the various areas of sex-based legal discrimination and an examination of the relevant cases and statutes.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Spring Semester

AFPS 353 Contemporary African Political Thought

Prerequisite: HIST 246 or AFPS 350 or completion of the Philosophical Inquiry section of the Core. An introduction to African political thought from the pre-colonial period to the present. Emphasis will be given to the impact of Islam, cultural nationalism, nationalism, revolutionary theories, democracy, African socialism and Marxism of major African political theorists.

Credits

3.0

Core

Global Perspectives

Offered

As Needed

PSCI 354 African Political Autobiography

Prerequisite: HIST 246, AFPS 353, or completion of the Philosophical Inquiry section of the Core. This course explores the connections between autobiography, political philosophy and politics in African autobiographies. Selections from the 17th to the 21st centuries will be analyzed by authors from East, North, Central and Southern Africa to determine how they criticized their societies, suggested social and political alternatives and promoted social change

Credits

3.0

Core

Global Perspectives

Offered

As Needed

PSCI 356 Jamestown: Commemoration and Interpretation

Prerequisites: Completion of the Social and Behavioral Analysis category of the Core. Open to political science majors. This course will explore the ways in which national historical events are commemorated with specific reference to the 2007 Jamestown celebrations. The issues of race, politics, and gender will be examined as well as the ways in which the founding of Jamestown is represented in film and literature.

Credits

3.0

Offered

Fall Semester (As Needed)

PSCI 375 Independ Study in Political Science

Prerequisite: Permission of the department. A readings course to supplement the regular offerings of the department. Conferences and written reports.

Credits

1.0 - 3.0

Offered

Both Semesters and Summer

PSCI 397 Special Topics

An upper-level special topics course offered at the discretion of the department. The content and methods vary with the interest of students and faculty members

Credits

3.0

Offered

As needed

PSCI 399 Internship in Political Science

Prerequisites: 18 credits in political science and permission of the instructor. Note: only 3 credits from PSCI 399 count toward the 30 credits of political science required for majors. An introduction to political behavior in a legal or policy-making setting through supervised full- or part-time work for a complete semester or an equivalent summer term (14 weeks). Students may be placed in a variety of settings: governmental or legislative offices, the court system, interest groups or research organizations. Grading is S/U.

Credits

3.0 - 15.0

Offered

Both Semesters and Summer

PSCI 399C Internship Colloquium in Political Science

Co-Requisite: PSCI 399. The class will meet on a regular basis, read the assigned materials, process the internship experience with reference to the courses they have completed in the discipline, and present their experiences at the end of the semester. This course is mandatory for all students taking an internship for the first time. For a second internship, it is optional. Grading is S/U.

Credits

1.0

Offered

Both Semesters