34 courses with the subject POL, 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.
A study of the American political system with emphasis placed on the structure and operation of the national government; the constitution; citizenship and democratic processes.
This course examines the nature, character and dynamics of global politics. Emphasis is given to the study of major paradigms, theories and explanations used by scholars in order to understand the historical development of the current international system and the policy choices confronting today’s leaders. The course examines major historical events and key global issues, such as economic globalization, international terrorism, humanitarian intervention, global warming, and international law.
The course examines different thematic and analytical frameworks to understand the political systems, policy outcomes, and socio-economic divisions in several foreign countries. Key topics may include: classification of political regimes and electoral systems; types of economic systems and outputs; and the explanation of socio-economic divisions and their impacto on political and economic stability. Previously offered as POL 308. Students may not receive credit for both POL 208 and POL 308.
This course is designed to provide students with a working introduction to law in the United States. Broadly speaking, the course will cover the foundations of the legal system, the major substantive areas of the law, the legal process, and the effects of legislative and administrative developments of the law. Students will learn how the many components and varied processes of the legal system work together to form a coherent whole. In addition to gaining a solid understanding of the organization and structure of the legal system, students will also be introduced to methods of evaluating legal controversies, analyzing issues, and making clear and persuasive written arguments. Previously offered as POL 251 . Students may not receive credit for both POL 210 and POL 251 .
This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the fact-finding apparatus of the American legal system and the application of law and legal practices to a wide range of issues. By studying a series of actual trials – from the Salem Witch Trials to contemporary cases – students will gain a knowledge of the mechanics of advocacy; the legal, social, political, and cultural effects of particular trials; and the art of persuasion. Students will also be introduced to methods of evaluating legal controversies, analyzing issues, and making clear and persuasive written and oral arguments. Previously offered as POL 252. Students may not receive credit for both POL 211 and POL 252.
Retaining a profound understanding of what it means to conduct political science research is the primary learning objective in this course. Students should leave this course with the ability to effectively answer the question, “What is political science?” and with the skills to carry out research in political science and other areas. To accomplish this goal, we examine the components of the scientific process and explore research design and data analysis in the social science context. Students will develop theoretically generated hypotheses that answer well formulated research questions with special care taken in the demonstration of cause and effect. Specific data collection and analytical tools will include surveys, experiments, sampling methods, regression, interviewing, and others addressing specific student needs. We will also cover ethical issues related to conducting research with human subjects.
In the 20th century, the United States emerged as the world’s strongest nation. This course offers a survey of U.S. foreign relations during that time. It examines issues, including both World Wars, origins and history of the Cold War, episodes of international revolutionary nationalism, wars in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf, U.S./Latin American relations, years of nuclear deterrence, and the challenges of globalization. Previously offered as HIS 221
This course examines the agencies of the federal government that conduct foreign missions and activities to ensure U.S. national security. Specific focus is on the Office of the President of the United States, CIA, Department of Defense, and State Department. Using case studies of the diplomacy, intelligence and military uses of force, this course analyzes the structure, function, and policy-making processes of the national security system. The course assesses intra-agency and inter-agency strengths and weaknesses in the formulation and implementation of national security policy. Congress’s roles in the operations of the national security system is also discussed. Previously offered as POL 322. Students may not earn credit for both POL 222 and POL 322.
This course provides an overview of the government structure, organizational mission, and policies associated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other key federal agencies and metropolitan areas with homeland security functions. Together these agencies constitute the homeland security system. From the founding of DHS post-September 11th and the expanded missions and resource allocations to other key federal, state, and local agencies, the roles of DHS and other agencies in overseeing aspects of intelligence, emergency management, border security and immigration, transportation, and public health are described, analyzed, and evaluated. This course will provide students of homeland security with an overall understanding of the system’s vast role in the United States.
This course introduces an understanding of U.S. public policy making and public administration including identifiable steps in the policy process such as political policy openings, policy stream convergence, policy implementation and the administration of policy ideas. Students will learn how to identify a policy problem, map the political opportunity, incorporate evidence-based social science research to address the problem, and assess the positives and negatives associated with a particular policy adoption.
Special topics courses in the University’s Core Curriculum focus on a topic not currently offered as a standing course within a department’s contribution to the Core Curriculum. Special topics courses in the Core may be offered in two semesters (which do not have to be consecutive) with multiple offerings in each semester.
This course explores the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, the US Congress, and the President of the United States. Students will learn the roles of each institution in lawmaking, oversight, and policy implementation. The course specifically focuses on institutions, checks and balances, and norms as they shape and are shaped by human behavior.
The primary goal of this course is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the basic concepts related to the American presidency and the general theories regarding executive branch operations. By examining various leadership styles and uses of presidential power, the course will also assess how presidents differ in their abilities to reach their own goals. The president’s relationship with the public, Congress, the bureacracy, the courts, states, and the international community will be topics in the course.
The objective of this course is to understand how legislatures function in the pursuit of resolving political conducts. Toward this end, we will examine why nearly 90% of Americans disapprove of Congress. We will learn how ideas are developed into legislation, how leglslators influence policymaking, the role of elections and representation, how parties and interest groups constrain legislators, and what institutional rules mean for the ability of these actors to acheive their goals. Much of what political scientists know about legislatures has been focused on the U.S. Congress. We will explore these theories and explanations in detail. We will also assess the U.S. state legislatures as a point of comparison. Alternate years
This course facilitates student comprehension of the role states and localities play in American democracy. We will explore cross-state comparisons of mass and elite political behavior, parties and interest groups, political institutions, and the most prominent policy issues facing states and localities today. The U.S. states (and often U.S. cities) serve as laboratories of democracy used by other states and the federal government in making their own policy decisions. Our ultimate goal is to understand what political arrangements and what policies work best given the socioeconomic and political contexts in a given state or locality. Alternate years
This course offers a study of American elections. The overarching question driving the class is how well American elections are translating into good politicians, responsible government, and responsive policy. We will review the political behavior of the American voter and then examine electoral institutions and rules that affect our representation.
This class will explore the idea of truth in American politics and argue that the Age of Conspiracy is a symptom of a deeper societal dysfunction. We will explore where the idea of the truth in society comes from and argue that the traditional means of showing people truth has collapsed. Because there is no longer consensus about what truth is, everything is a conspiracy. Or nothing is. We will also engage a variety of important conspiracy theories directly, explore why people choose to believe in conspiracy theories and what their rise says about the state of American politics today.
This course examines the causes of war and methods to prevent war. Exploring concepts and theoretic arguments from across the social sciences, students will learn about human behavior as it relates to questions of conflict and cooperation. The course employs significant historical and contemporary case studies to investigate the soft and hard power methods to prevent international conflict. Students will be able to apply knowledge from the courses readings and discussions to a semester-long simulation.
Who are the disadvantaged youth (AKA, “at-risk youth”) and what unique challenges do they face? The factors that might limit an at-risk youth’s ability to succeed are identified so that policies, programs, and projects may be better designed to assist. Students are invited to investigate a range of policy solutions to challenges facing at-risk youth including food insecurity, parental support, health care, housing, drugs/crime/violence, foster care, the working poor and child care, primary/secondary education, and higher education/vocational training.
This course provides an overview of the key homeland security issues facing the United States. Topics covered may include terror, risk, border security, public health, natural disaster, intelligence, and other contemporary issues. Solutions emphasized include dismantling agency silos, communicating across boundaries, a commitment to public service, an emphasis on lessons learned, planning and prevention, leadership from public managers, and other potential solutions.
This course presents an overview of the key national security issues facing the United States. Topics covered include threats from international terrorism, global economic changes, environmental issues, and/or other issues that may arise in the global system and threaten the United States. This course will analyze the effectiveness of competing national security strategies to manage or solve national security issues that confront the United States. Previously offered as POL 323. Students may not receive credit for both POL 323 and POL 333.
This course offers a comparative analysis of the politics of the countries of the former Soviet Union. A number of important themes will be explored using the Russian Federation and several of the countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. First, the course briefly examines the history of the Tsarist and Soviet periods to determine to what extent, if any, these legacies have impacted political and economic development of each country. Finally, the course analyzes important issues in the foreign relations of each country, including the effects of lost superpower status, the nationalities question, and relations with the West.
This course focuses on one of the many public policies facing students. Recognizing that this is a topic of deepening interest to students, this student loans course will examine the way student loan policy and their associated federal government programs have transpired. Furthermore, this course has a practical application in allowing students to personally review their student loan portfolio and then analyze how various federal programs and policies directly affect their lieves. Various federal policies will be evaluated to determine which ones have credibility for reducing student debt load and decreasing default. Alternate years
This political science course provides information and analysis on U.S. health care policy. Major topics to be covered include federal and/or state government funded health programs including Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP (the State Children’s Health Care Program), health policy reform initiatives (The Affordable Care Act, as well as, other major initiatives), and health policy implementation stumbling blocks, such as the debate over quality versus cost. Contemporary topics such as the role of the pharmaceutical industry in health care, the opioid epidemic, the changing dynamics of private insurance, and access to health care will also be covered. In addition, a global health policy unit will allow students to understand the U.S. Health Care System within a global context.
This course is designed to strengthen a student’s theoretical and practical understanding of public management and leadership so that they might be better positioned to create public value for their community. Designed to introduce the student to public management from a political science and public administration perspective, they will learn leadership principles via a public manager’s interaction with various institutions, the public manager’s ability to course various constituencies, and the public manager’s entrepreneurial inclinations to solve problems.
This political science course emphasizes the interrelatedness of politics and business in theUnited States. The course focuses on how business needs government, how government needs business and how publicly funded businesses operate differently than privately funded businesses. Utilizing historical and modern case studies, students will have the opportunity to study business leaders and will ultimately develop their own understanding of a leaders’ role in society.
This two course sequence (POL 410 and POL 411 ) examines the federal system of government and the civil rights and liberties established by the U.S. Constitution, and presents a case method survey of the organic role of the United States Supreme Court in the total process of the American constitutional system. POL 410 will examine governmental structures, federalism, and separation of powers as established by Articles 1-7. POL 411 will focus on civil rights and civil liberties primarily as established by the Bill of Rights. Previously offered as POL 405. Students may not receive credit for both POL 405 and POL 410.
This two course sequence ( POL 410 and 411) examines the federal system of government and the civil rights and liberties established by the U.S. Constitution, and presents a case method survey of the organic role of the United States Supreme Court in the total process of the American constitutional system. POL 410 will examine governmental structures, federalism, and separation of powers as established by Articles 1-7. POL 411 will focus on civil rights and civil liberties primarily as established by the Bill of Rights. Previously offered as POL 406. Students may not receive credit for both POL 406 and 411.
Academic study combined with work experience in the community.
This service-oriented course uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the core principles that are utilized to produce more effective outcomes for nonprofits. The course connects the fields of political science, public administration, media, and nonprofit in both the non-profit service students perform and the teaching sessions that correspond with the service. Students will be trained before performing non-profit service alongside the Professor. In addition to receiving credits for their transcripts, students will learn hands-on how a non-profit operates in a U.S. city. The department offers the course during the summer, and may vary the city and nonprofit each summer. Due to restrictions on media credentials, the course is limited to four students. Summer
Directed field experiences in government agencies, non-profit agencies, political campaigns and private firms with the approval of the GLNS program. Students in pre-law specializations associated with English, History, Medical Health and Humanities, and Philosophy must perform internships in law offices or law related agencies approved by the pre-law director.
Directed field experiences in government agencies, non-profit agencies, political campaigns and private firms with the approval of the GLNS program. Students in pre-law specializations associated with English, History, Medical Health and Humanities, and Philosophy must perform internships in law offices or law related agencies approved by the pre-law director.
In-depth investigation of a selected topic. This course may be taken twice for credit.
Topic may vary from semester to semester and will be announced with preregistration information and course hours.
Source: Misericordia University's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 59
