13 courses with the subject GOV, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
GOV 1301U.S. Government1/3
This course is an introduction to the fundamental principles, institutions, and processes of the constitutional democracy of the United States. It examines the formal structure of the Federal system of government, including Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, and the various departments, agencies, and commissions which comprise the executive branch. Emphasis is placed on the relationships among Federal, state and local governments in the formulation and administration of domestic policies, and on the interactions among interest groups, elected officials and the public at large with administrators in the policy process. The various topics covered in the survey are linked by consideration of fiscal and budgetary issues, executive management, legislative oversight, administrative discretion, policy analysis and evaluation and democratic accountability.
American Public Policy focuses on the outcomes or products of political institutions and political controversy. The course first addresses the dynamics of policy formations and stalemate, the identification of policy goals, success and failure in implementation, and techniques of policy analysis. Students are then encouraged to apply these concepts in the study of a specific policy area of their choosing, such as foreign, social, urban, energy or environmental policy. This course is an important first step for students wishing to complete IQPs in public policy research. Students are encouraged to complete GOV 1303 prior to enrolling in upper level policy courses such as GOV 2303, GOV 2304 or GOV 2311. There is no specific preparation for this course, but a basic understanding of American political institutions is assumed. Some sections of this course may be offered as Writing Intensive (WI).
This course is an introduction to law and the role courts play in society. The course examines the structure of judicial systems, the nature of civil and criminal law, police practice in the enforcement of criminal law, and the responsibilities of judges, attorneys and prosecutors. Additional topics for discussion include the interpretation of precedent and statue in a common law system and how judicial discretion enables interest groups to use courts for social change. The student is expected to complete the course with an understanding of how courts exercise and thereby control the power of the state. As such, courts function as political actors in a complex system of governance. It is recommended that students complete this course before enrolling in GOV 2310, Constitutional Law. This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.
GOV 1320 is a survey course designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of international relations: power and influence, nations and states, sovereignty and law. These concepts will be explored through the study of issues such as diplomacy and its uses, theories of collective security and conflict, and international order and development. The study of international organizations such as the UN, the European Union or the Organization of American States will also supplement the students’ understanding of the basic concepts. The course may also include comparative political analysis of states or regions. It is designed to provide the basic background materials for students who wish to complete IQPs on topics that involve international relations or comparative political systems. This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.
This course provides an overview of the key concepts, theories, and issues in International Relations. Students will explore how states, international organizations, and non-state actors interact globally. Topics include the causes of conflict and cooperation, the role of international institutions, the impact of globalization, and the challenges posed by climate change, human rights, and global security. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the dynamics shaping world politics and be able to critically analyze current global issues and trends.
Twenty-first century engineers tackle complex problems influenced by not only technology but also social systems. In order to develop sustainable solutions, there is a need to understand the interface between engineering and societal processes such as public policy. This course examines the interactions between engineering and public policy, and introduces students to the concepts, tools and methods involved in public policy making and policy analysis to understand policy impact on engineering domains. This course is a bridge between engineering and public policy.
GOV 2310Constitutional Law: Foundations of Government1/3
Constitutional Law is the study of Supreme Court decisions interpreting the U.S. Constitution. The Foundations course focuses on the powers of the Congress, the Presidency and the Judicial Branch, especially the Supreme Court’s understanding of its own power. These cases reveal, in particular, the evolution of Federal power with the development of a national economy and the shifting balance of power among the three branches of government. Issues of state power in a federal system are also addressed. Lastly, these materials are examined in the context of the great debates regarding how judges interpret the Constitution. How are the words and intent of the Founders applicable to the legal and political conflicts of the twenty-first century? This course will be offered in academic years ending in odd numbers.
This course deals with environmental law as it relates to people, pollution and land use in our society. A case method approach will be used to illustrate how the courts and legislators have dealt with these social-legal problems. The course is designed to have the student consider: 1) the legal framework within which environmental law operates; 2) the governmental institutions involved in the formulation, interpretation and application of environmental law; 3) the nature of the legal procedures and substantive principles currently being invoked to resolve environmental problems; 4) the types of hazards to the environment presently subject to legal constraints; 3) the impact that the mandates of environmental law have had, and will have, on personal liberties and property rights; 6) the role individuals and groups can play within the context of our legal system to protect and improve man’s terrestrial habitat and the earth’s atmosphere; and 7) some methods and sources for legal research that they may use on their own.
Intellectual property includes ideas, and the works of inventors, authors, composers and other creative people. Patents, copyrights and trademarks establish legal rights in intellectual property. Alternatively, control over the use of an idea might be maintained by treating it as a trade secret. In these ways, the ideas of inventors and creators are protected and others are prohibited from appropriating the ideas and creative works of others. This course addresses the concept of intellectual property and the public policies that support the law of patent, copyright and trademark. Subjects include the process of obtaining patents, trademarks and copyrights; requirements of originality and, for patents, utility; infringement issues; and the problems posed by international trade and efforts to address them through the World Intellectual Property Organization. This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.
GOV 2320Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties1/3
Civil Rights and Liberties examines decisions of the Supreme Court which interpret the Bill of Rights and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. These court decisions elaborate the content and meaning of our rights to speak, publish, practice religion, and be free from state interference in those activities. Privacy rights broadly, the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, and due process rights for criminal suspects are also addressed. Finally, rights to be free from discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation are examined in the context of equal protection law. Students completing this course will receive credit toward the Minor in Law and Technology among the courses satisfying the requirement in “legal fundamentals.” This course will be offered in academic years ending in odd numbers.
Environmental issues present some of the major international problems and opportunities facing the world today. Worst-case scenarios envision irrevocable degradation of the earth’s natural systems, but virtually every analysis sees the need for major change worldwide to cope with problems such as global warming, deforestation, ozone layer depletion, loss of biodiversity, and population growth, not to mention exponential increases in “conventional” pollutants in newly industrialized countries. The global environment issues represent a “second-generation” of environmental policy in which the focus of concern has moved from national regulations to international law and institutions. In addition, the environment has emerged as a major aspect of international trade, conditioning corporate investment and accounting for some $200 billion in sales of pollution control equipment in 1991. Exploration of the genesis and implications of these phenomena is the essence of the course. Topically, the material begins with the nature of global environmental problems, drawing on literature from large-scale global modeling as well as particular analyses of the problems mentioned above. Approximately half the course focuses on international laws and institutions, including multilateral treaties (e.g., the Montreal Protocol limiting CFC use, ocean dumping, biodiversity), international institutions (UNEP, the Rio Convention, the OECD) and private initiatives (international standards organizations, ICOLP (Industry Committee for Ozone Layer Protection), etc.) In addition, US policy toward global environmental issues will be compared with that in Japan, Europe and developing countries, from which it differs significantly. Students will design and undertake term projects that address particular issues in detail in an interdisciplinary manner. This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.
