171 courses with the subject POLS, 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.
POLS 0825Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences4
Our understanding of much of reality relies on statistics. Many claims about our world, our society and other societies, specific organizations (such as Temple University), and even our minds and bodies rest on statistical data. Using examples from anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, and economics, students will examine how social science methods and statistics help us understand the social world. The goal is to become critical consumers of quantitative material that appears in scholarship, the media, and everyday life. NOTE: This course fulfills the Quantitative Literacy (GQ) requirement for students under GenEd. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed SOC 0825, SOC 0925, POLS 0925, PSY 0825, or ANTH 0825.
POLS 0829The History & Significance of Race in America3
Why were relations between Native Americans and whites violent almost from the beginning of European settlement? How could slavery thrive in a society founded on the principle that "all men are created equal"? How comparable were the experiences of Irish, Jewish, and Italian immigrants, and why did people in the early 20th century think of them as separate "races"? What were the causes and consequences of Japanese Americans' internment in military camps during World War II? Are today's Mexican immigrants unique, or do they have something in common with earlier immigrants? Using a variety of written sources and outstanding documentaries, this course examines the racial diversity of America and its enduring consequences. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: African American Studies 0829, Africology and African American Studies 0829, Anthropology 0829, Geography and Urban Studies 0829, History 0829, Political Science 0829/0929, Sociology 0829, 0929, 1376, 1396, R059, or X059.
Gay or straight. Black or white. Male or female. What do these different group identities mean to Americans? How do they influence our politics? Should we celebrate or downplay our diversity? This course explores how we think about others and ourselves as members of different groups and what consequences it has for how we treat one another. Our fundamental social identities can be a source of power or of powerlessness, a justification for inequality or for bold social reform. Students learn about the importance of race, class, gender and sexual orientation across a variety of important contexts, such as the family, workplace, schools, and popular culture and the implications these identities have on our daily lives. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies 0832/0932, History 0832, Political Science 0932, Sociology 0832 or Women's Studies 0832/0932.
POLS 0859The Making of American Society: Melting Pot or Culture Wars?3
Terrorism, illegal immigration, gay marriage, religious conflict, political in-fighting, corporate corruption, racial animosities, civil liberties assaults, media conglomeration, Wal-Mart goes to China and the rich get richer. America in the 21st century is a contentious society. How did we get to this place in time? Examine what makes American society distinctive from other advanced industrial democracies as we study the philosophical origins of America, the development of social and economic relationships over time, and the political disputes dominating contemporary American life. The course relies heavily on perspectives from History, Sociology and Political Science to explain the challenges facing contemporary American society. NOTE: This course fulfills the U.S. Society (GU) requirement for students under GenEd and American Culture (AC) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: AMST 0859, History 0859, PHIL 0859, or SOC 0859.
Use historical and case study methods to study the differences between rich and poor nations and the varied strategies available for development in a globalizing world. Examine the challenges facing developing countries in historical and contemporary context and analyze the main social, cultural, and political factors that interact with the dynamic forces of the world economy. These include imperialism/colonialism, state formation, labor migration, demographic trends, gender issues in development, religious movements and nationalism, the challenges to national sovereignty, waves of democratization, culture and mass media, struggles for human rights, environmental sustainability, the advantages and disadvantages of globalization, and movements of resistance. NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: History 0862, GUS 0862, POLS 0962, or SOC 0862/0962.
Total war, weapons of mass destruction, genocide. These were not solely inventions of the 20th century nor are they the natural consequences of a violent human nature. Leaders, armies, and the strategies they pursue are rooted in their social and political context. Weapons are the products of not merely technological but also historical and cultural development. Battles occur on a political and historical terrain. Learn how ancient ideology, medieval technology, modern propaganda, and more have changed how humans wage war and make peace. NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed History 0864/0964.
We live in a global age when events beyond our borders significantly affect our lives. Sharpen your understanding of international developments, including wars, economic globalization, wealth and poverty, the spread of democracy, environmental degradation, and global pandemics. This course offers an introduction to the study of world affairs that gives you the conceptual tools to deepen your understanding of how major historical and current trends in the world affect your life and that of others around the globe. Readings include historical documents, classic texts in the study of international relations, and current perspectives on the state of the world from multiple disciplinary perspectives. NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: History 0866, GUS 0866 or POLS 0966.
Learn about a particular national culture - Russian, Indian, French, Japanese, Italian, for example, each focused upon in separate sections of this course - by taking a guided tour of its literature and film. You don't need to speak Russian, Hindi, French or Japanese to take one of these exciting courses, and you will gain the fresh, subtle understanding that comes from integrating across different forms of human expression. Some of the issues that will be illuminated by looking at culture through the lens of literature and film: Family structures and how they are changing, national self-perceptions, pivotal moments in history, economic issues, social change and diversity. NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: Arabic 0868/0968, Asian Studies 0868, Chinese 0868/0968, English 0868/0968, French 0868/0968, German 0868/0968, Hebrew 0868, Italian 0868/0968, Japanese 0868/0968, Jewish Studies 0868, Korean 0868, LAS 0868/0968, Political Science 0968, Russian 0868/0968, or Spanish 0868/0968.
POLS 0878Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders in the United States: Race, Diversity, and Identity3
Who are Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the American context? How have AAPIs shaped the making of state and society in the United States in terms of culture, law, economics, and politics? What major crises and historical events have generated racism and racialized stereotyping against AAPI communities? How have AAPI minorities mobilized against exclusion, racism, and marginalization to advance new interests and goals, especially when juxtaposed with other minority groups and social forces? What is the future of AAPIs in America? This course introduces students to the tapestry of AAPI experiences in America. It recovers their importance through lectures and discussions, based upon careful analysis of written texts and creative materials. (This course is equivalent to PHIL 0878 and POLS 0978.)
POLS 0925Honors Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences4
Our understanding of much of reality relies on statistics. Many claims about our world, our society and other societies, specific organizations (such as Temple University), and even our minds and bodies rest on statistical data. Using examples from anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, and economics, students will examine how social science methods and statistics help us understand the social world. The goal is to become critical consumers of quantitative material that appears in scholarship, the media, and everyday life. NOTE: This course fulfills the Quantitative Literacy (GQ) requirement for students under GenEd. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed SOC 0825, SOC 0925, POLS 0825, PSY 0825, or ANTH 0825.
POLS 0929Honors: The History & Significance of Race in America3
Why were relations between Native Americans and whites violent almost from the beginning of European settlement? How could slavery thrive in a society founded on the principle that "all men are created equal"? How comparable were the experiences of Irish, Jewish, and Italian immigrants, and why did people in the early 20th century think of them as separate "races"? What were the causes and consequences of Japanese Americans' internment in military camps during World War II? Are today's Mexican immigrants unique, or do they have something in common with earlier immigrants? Using a variety of written sources and outstanding documentaries, this course examines the racial diversity of America and its enduring consequences. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Duplicate Credit Warning: Students may take only one of the following courses for credit; all other instances will be deducted from their credit totals: African American Studies 0829, Africology and African American Studies 0829, Anthropology 0829, Geography and Urban Studies 0829, History 0829, Political Science 0829, Sociology 0829, 0929, 1376, 1396, R059, or X059.
Gay or straight. Black or white. Male or female. What do these different group identities mean to Americans? How do they influence our politics? Should we celebrate or downplay our diversity? This course explores how we think about others and ourselves as members of different groups and what consequences it has for how we treat one another. Our fundamental social identities can be a source of power or powerlessness, a justification for inequality or for bold social reform. Students learn about the importance of race, class, gender and sexual orientation across a variety of important contexts, such as the family, workplace, schools, and popular culture and the implications these identities have on our daily lives. NOTE: This course fulfills the Race & Diversity (GD) requirement for students under GenEd and Studies in Race (RS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies 0832/0932, History 0832, Political Science 0832, Sociology 0832, or Women's Studies 0832/0932.
POLS 0962Honors Fate, Hope, and Action: Globalization Today3
Use historical and case study methods to study the differences between rich and poor nations and the varied strategies available for development in a globalizing world. Examine the challenges facing developing countries in historical and contemporary context and analyze the main social, cultural, and political factors that interact with the dynamic forces of the world economy. These include imperialism/colonialism, state formation, labor migration, demographic trends, gender issues in development, religious movements and nationalism, the challenges to national sovereignty, waves of democratization, culture and mass media, struggles for human rights, environmental sustainability, the advantages and disadvantages of globalization, and movements of resistance. (This is an Honors course.) NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: SOC 0862/0962, History 0862, POLS 0862, or GUS 0862.
We live in a global age when events beyond our borders significantly affect our lives. Sharpen your understanding of international developments, including wars, economic globalization, wealth and poverty, the spread of democracy, environmental degradation, and global pandemics. This course offers an introduction to the study of world affairs that gives you the conceptual tools to deepen your understanding of how major historical and current trends in the world affect your life and that of others around the globe. Readings include historical documents, classic texts in the study of international relations, and current perspectives on the state of the world from multiple disciplinary perspectives. (This is an Honors course.) NOTE: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: GUS 0866, History 0866 or POLS 0866.
POLS 0978Honors Asians, Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders in the United States: Race, Diversity & Identity3
Who are Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the American context? How have AAPIs shaped the making of state and society in the United States in terms of culture, law, economics, and politics? What major crises and historical events have generated racism and racialized stereotyping against AAPI communities? How have AAPI minorities mobilized against exclusion, racism, and marginalization to advance new interests and goals, especially when juxtaposed with other minority groups and social forces? What is the future of AAPIs in America? This course introduces students to the tapestry of AAPI experiences in America. It recovers their importance through lectures and discussions, based upon careful analysis of written texts and creative materials. (This course is equivalent to PHIL 0878 and POLS 0878.)
This course is designed to introduce Political Science students to the wide range of career options available to them, as well as to provide them the information, tools, and resources needed to help them succeed after graduation. Students will be introduced to both the skillsets every student needs to succeed (resumes, interviewing, networking and the job hunt), as well as introduction to the various post-graduation paths available to the political science major. Because there is significant overlap in course content, students will receive credit for only one of these courses: CLA 1002, CJ 1002, ENG 1801, HIST 1012, NSCI 1002, POLS 1002, PSY 1002, SOC 1002.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
An introduction to American politics. Focuses on the values, institutions, and processes of politics and government in the United States. Introduces the concepts and techniques of political science. NOTE: (1) This course is required of all Political Science majors. (2) This course can be used to satisfy the university Core American Culture (AC) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
This course considers the values, institutions and processes of politics and government in selected developing and developed countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. NOTE: (1) For both non-majors and majors. (2) This course can be used to satisfy the university Core International Studies (IS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
This course is an introduction to the nature of the international system, the determinants and instruments of foreign policy, and the problems of international conflict and cooperation. NOTE: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core International Studies (IS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
Reading of selected works by several classical and modern political philosophers, such as Aristotle, Hobbes, and Marx; study of their relevance to contemporary political issues. Note: The course content is similar to POLS 2496, which is no longer taught. Students who earned credit for POLS 2496 will not receive additional credit for POLS 1401.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
POLS 1911Honors Introduction to American Politics3
An introduction to American politics. Focuses on the values, institutions, and processes of politics and government in the United States. Introduces the concepts and techniques of political science. NOTE: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core American Culture (AC) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
This course considers the values, institutions and processes of politics and government in selected developing and developed countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. NOTE: (1) For both non-majors and majors. (2) This course can be used to satisfy the university Core International Studies (IS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
This course is an introduction to the nature of the international system, the determinants and instruments of foreign policy, and the problems of international conflict and cooperation. NOTE: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core International Studies (IS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.
Federalism in its modern form is perhaps the single most important theoretical contribution the American system of government has made to the history of political thought. This course will examine this concept, its manifestation, and the effect this federal practice has had on the American political system.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course considers government and politics of subnational units including states, counties, cities, towns, and townships in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Further topics include the relationship of state and local policy to citizens, other governmental units, and the American political system.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course examines selected policy areas in a variety of national settings and the relationship of political cultures and policymaking structures to policy outputs. NOTE: Students will receive credit only once for either POLS 2103 or PLCY 2103. This course was previously titled "U.S. Public Policy Making"; students who received credit under the former title will not earn additional credit.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This is a required course for students accepted into the Pennsylvania Capital Semester program. Class lectures and readings will focus on the larger private and governmental context for organizations where interns are placed, specifically the interaction between the state executive branch; legislature and the legislative process; news media, nonprofits, advocacy organizations, lobbying or trade associations; and local economic development organizations. Guest lecturers, who are experts in their fields, will be invited to speak on course topics.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in POLS 1101.
Philadelphia is utilized as a case study to understand the nature of government and community advocacy and conflict. The class opens with an introduction to the different issues of local government, transitions to a discussion of the organization of Philadelphia local government and its politics, and ends with an analysis of the legislative and budget processes. At the conclusion of the semester, students will engage in an active learning project that illustrates Philadelphia’s public policy process.
Specific topics rotate from semester to semester. See Political Science faculty advisor (and notation on the Course Schedule) for specific information.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
POLS 2201Comparative Politics: Developing Nations3
This course describes and analyzes political patterns in the Third World. It provides a descriptive overview, analyzes domestic political trends within the context of the global system, and reviews current trends.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course examines political institutions and democratic governance in contemporary Europe, focusing on the interplay between social stability, economic performance, and democratic accountability. The course addresses welfare state transformation, populism and party system change, migration and citizenship, inequality, and challenges to liberal democracy. Comparative case studies from France, Germany, Italy, and Sweden provide context, alongside analysis of European integration activities; including its enlargement, internal tensions, and the implications of Brexit all of which highlight the complexity and interconnectedness of Contemporary Politics in the European Union.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
POLS 2231Comparative Political Systems in Latin America3
A comparative consideration of selected Latin American political systems. Note: Students will receive credit only once for either POLS 2231 or LAS 2231.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
New information and communication technologies allow for unlimited and unprecedented access to people and information all over the world. In this course we will study whether or not these new technologies (Internet, mobile social media, etc.) are also a tool for: 1) the revitalization or weakening of democracy in the developed world; 2) regime change, namely, transitions to or from democracy; 3) economic development; and 4) waging wars. We will be studying Internet and mobile technology usage in the U.S., Mexico, Egypt, Russia, the EU and Kenya, among others. Formerly known as "The Politics of New Information Technologies"; students who took this course under that title will not earn additional credit for "Cyberpolitics."
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
The seminar will focus on the factors that explain political outcomes and their consequences in comparative perspective. Three basic issues we explore are: 1) How do policies differ?; 2) Why do policies differ?; and 3) What impact do the different policies have? Scholars have divergent views regarding which factors account for different policies and analyses of their impact is regularly colored by ideological position that may or may not have anything to do with the real policy goals. The topics that we will study include: What is the role of political leaders during transitions to democracy or during the passage of difficult legislation in democratic polities? Under what circumstances can a corrupt polity be prosperous and an honest one poor? Is there a relationship between religion and a country's economic success? Are diamonds and oil a blessing or a curse for a country's economy? Why did some mature economies respond differently to the global financial crisis of 2007-2009? Some of the countries we will be studying include: Chile, England, France, Spain, Singapore, United States, and Venezuela.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course explores the problem of war and peace from both empirical and theoretical perspectives. Sources of war and peace studied include: the balance of power, deterrence, arms races, misperception, hegemony, nationalism, international institutions, democracy, law, and economic interdependence.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course examines the debate over the changing meaning of security and the contemporary international security environment. Topics include: the nature of security, the international environment, postmodern terrorism, information warfare, global economic instability, the persistence of American hegemony, quasi-states, and the possible demise of the nation-state.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Formerly known as POLS 3396, International Legal Order. Students who have received credit for POLS 3396 will not earn additional credits for this course.The historical development of international law in its relation to the evolution of the world political system, with analysis of issues of the contemporary world order such as warfare, political and economic development, human rights, and the environment.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course studies competing explanations for the evolution and operations of the international political economy from the origins of the industrial era in the late 18th century through the "information economy" of the 21st. It focuses on four functional areas: international trade in goods and services, the management of currency exchange and international monetary policy, the pattern and flow of investment capital, and the pattern and structure of global production.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course considers the development and current roles of regional and universal international organizations with an emphasis on the United Nations. The major international conflicts of recent decades in the organizational context will also be examined.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Analysis of American foreign policy from across three themes: 1) the history and traditions of American foreign policy; 2) the formal and informal domestic institutions that shape American foreign policy and the decision-making process; 3) contemporary and potential future issues in U.S. foreign policy. Note: It is recommended (but not required) that students complete POLS 1301 before taking POLS 2341.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: POLS 1301|Minimum Grade of C-|May not be taken concurrentlyOR POLS 1931|Minimum Grade of C-|May not be taken concurrently.
This course looks at Japanese politics from a variety of perspectives within the comparative framework of other nations and their political development within a changing global order. Note: This course is cross-listed with Asian Studies 2351. Students may only receive credit once for these courses: ASST 2351 or POLS 2351.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course examines significant political ideas from the American colonial period to the present and the influences of these ideas on contemporary American political institutions.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
An examination of some of the major political ideologies dominant in the 20th century and of the tensions and points of convergence between and among them.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
POLS 2503Research Methods: Thinking Like a Political Scientist3
This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts that underlie the evaluation of empirical evidence. The focus will be on the design of research, rather than the analysis of data. Major themes covered in the course include: measurement, causality, uncertainty, the scientific method, and the methodological debates that animate political science research. Note: Prior to Fall 2025, this course was titled "Evidence and Knowledge". Students who earned credit under the former title will not earn additional credits.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (POLS 1101, POLS 1911, POLS 1201, POLS 1921, POLS 1301, POLS 1931, or POLS 1102)
The writing prep course is a writing-intensive course whose objective is to aid political science majors in developing their academic writing and information literacy skills. The course is organized around the development of three core political science writing skills: describing the world using a theoretical lens, describing prior scholarship on a topic, and making an argument. Specific topics vary according to the instructor's area of expertise.
The writing prep course is a writing-intensive course whose objective is to aid political science majors in developing their academic writing and information literacy skills. The course is organized around the development of three core political science writing skills: describing the world using a theoretical lens, describing prior scholarship on a topic, and making an argument. Specific topics vary according to the instructor's area of expertise.
Specific topics rotate from semester to semester. See Political Science faculty advisor (and notation on the Course Schedule) for specific information.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Students must make arrangements to work with a political science faculty member, and seek the approval of the undergraduate chair before enrolling under this course number.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
This course examines the extraordinary expansion of the role of the presidency in American government, beginning early in the twentieth century and snowballing in the twenty-first. The focus will be on the sources of presidential power and of constraints on presidential power.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Covers the legislative process of both the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Includes the lawmaking process, legislative organization, leadership and policymaking, lobbying and elections, and the careers and characteristics of legislators.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
The evolution and organization of political parties in the United States, including nominating systems, campaigns, election laws, types of ballots, and electoral reform techniques.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course examines the American states from a comparative and historical perspective. The role of the states in relation to the federal government will also be an important theme. The class will consider the central institutions of the states, including governors, legislatures and courts, as well as political parties, interest groups and the media. The course will also focus on several areas of public policy in which the states play a pivotal role.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in POLS 1101.
This course considers the relationship between the mass media and American politics, government regulation of the mass media, media coverage of public affairs, political effects of entertainment programming, and the uses and influence of the media in the election process. Both print and broadcast media will be considered.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Topics for study include: development of public opinion and political ideology in the U.S.; the social psychology of political attitudes; the role of the mass media and the news in the formation of political opinion; and the influence of public opinion upon government policy.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Role of elections in contemporary American society. Special attention to parties and mass media as participants in campaigns and to factors affecting voting behavior of the mass public and the linkages voting provides between the public and policy formation.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Constitutional bases of American system of government as interpreted primarily by reading and analyzing Supreme Court opinions and understanding them in their political, economic, and historic context. Course focuses largely on how constitutional meaning is determined, and judicial development of national powers of judicial review, the power to regulate commerce, separation of powers, federalism, taxation, powers of the President, and foreign affairs and war powers.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in POLS 1101.
POLS 3124Politics of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity3
This course examines the emergence and development of the movement to secure rights for gays, lesbians and bisexuals; how gays, lesbians and bisexuals are socially constructed and the influence this has on political discourse; how political issues that are relevant to the lives of gays and lesbians reach the political agenda; and the patterns of conflict and cooperation that exist among actors in and outside of government over issues such as employment discrimination, marriage, child adoption, and military service. Note: Prior to Summer 2019, this course was offered as "Politics, Rights, and Sexual Orientation." Students who earned credit for this course number under that title will not earn additional credits under the new title "Politics of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity."
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Over the past 30 years, the system of interest group representation in Washington has witnessed a rapid expansion. Conventional wisdom views these groups as obstructions to American democracy, but limiting their freedoms threatens "government by the people." Cases to be studied may include: senior citizen groups, the farm lobby, the Christian Coalition, the unemployment workers movement, and the power of business in America.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course presents an overview of the politics of urban areas: electoral politics, government structure, race, finance, education, housing, neighborhoods, and economic and historical forces on politics in urban areas.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course will examine how the city is depicted in films and literature, exploring such prominent political topics as anti-urbanism; political machines, corruption, and reform; industrialization and immigrant life; post-industrialism and urban decline. Attention will also be given to the physical city and spatial use as expressions of dominant political and cultural values.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Who are the poor? Should they be helped? Who should help them? These questions are complicated because people are more aware of the individual costs of taxation than they are of the collective benefits of an educated work force. This course will evaluate how the U.S. government has traditionally divided the poor between the deserving and the undeserving poor and which groups have been left out and why.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course considers selected contemporary public policy issues. The course begins with an examination of the national political-economic context within which major policy issues arise and then turns to the analysis of the roots and policy alternatives on several major issues. Issues may concern health, energy, education, employment, welfare, and the regulation of business. NOTE: Students will receive credit only once for either POLS 3151 or PLCY 3151.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
An analytical examination of the development and execution of governmental policies in such areas as air and water pollution control, control of atomic energy, and planning of space exploration program.
This course examines the nature and causes of poverty, the impact of public opinion and racial attitudes on poverty and welfare, the role of government officials in shaping anti-poverty and welfare reform policies, and welfare claiming as a form of political participation. The course evaluates the effectiveness of existing policies to combat poverty and whether proposed policies might be effective.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Surveys major public health problems and policy interventions in the United States with an emphasis on their normative, political and economic dimensions. Examines the interplay of governmental institutions, business, and organized interests in formulating and implementing health policy.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Reviews history of U.S. government and business, and the major governmental institutions dealing with business, with special attention paid to monetary policy and the Federal Reserve, fiscal policy, the federal budget, and particular issues connected with it such as deficits, Social Security, the tax structure, overall inequality, and other current issues. Also looks at the World Trade Organization and NAFTA, their structure and overall advantages and disadvantages to the U.S.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Novels provide entertainment and move us emotionally, yet they also have much to teach us about politics. This reading-intensive course assigns students several novels with strong political themes. The selection of readings changes each time the course is taught, but the novels assigned span classics of 19th and 20th century literature as well as more recent page turners. The political themes explored include the nature of mankind, the corrupting effects of power, the impact of technology on personal freedom, and the future of political communities. Note: This course was previously known as POLS 3197, which was a writing intensive (WI) course. The current course is not designated WI and will not fulfill a writing intensive requirement. Students who received credits for POLS 3197 will not earn additional credits for this course.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
When the U.S. was founded as the first modern nation-state, it set in motion a global transformation of the state system that has still to run its course. The class will study, with the aid of film, the causes, theories, and projections of this development.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
What sorts of relationships exist between the world of politics and that of religious beliefs and practices that co-exist and often compete for dominance in various political systems?
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Democracy is among the oldest concepts in politics, yet it is also one of the most elusive. This course surveys some of the classic debates over the meanings of democracy, and explores the contemporary processes of democratization that have swept the globe since the 1970s. While particular geographical emphasis will be placed on Europe, Latin America, and Africa, no prior familiarity with these regions is necessary to successfully complete this course.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (POLS 1201 or POLS 1921)
Since the early 1970s, all advanced industrial democracies have faced challenges in adjusting to a changing international economy. We will examine how different countries, including the United States, Japan, Britain, France, and Germany, have tried to meet these challenges. The main question guiding the course is: why do countries respond to roughly similar problems in different ways, and what do these responses reveal about politics in these countries? Topics covered will include macroeconomic policy, trade and industrial policies, industrial relations, business-government relations, and the welfare state. This course was formerly taught as POLS 3296. Students who have earned credit for POLS 3296 may not register for this class.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course combines historical and thematic approaches to British politics. We begin with an overview of the post-imperial, capitalist state before discussing key institutions: constitution, Parliament, executive, parties, and European Union. To help understand change in popular politics we compare the 1983 and 2005 general election campaigns. Finally, we consider key issues: economic inequality, ethnic conflict, social order, and democratic accountability.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course examines core themes in the study of post-Communist politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. The course begins by exploring the nature of socialism, why it fell, and the various legacies of this system. The rest of the course covers issues of democratic transformation, economic reform, state and nation building, and the role of international influences.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course introduces the politics of India, a country that is large, complex, and full of contradictions. Nearly one out of every six people in the world resides in India. The country is one of the oldest democracies in the developing world, yet corruption is rife and the number of accused criminals elected to office is staggering. Despite India's growing economic and political clout, riots, insurgencies, and terrorism persist. The country is also one of the world's most ethnically diverse, divided along linguistic, regional, caste, tribal, and religious lines. The course begins by briefly discussing India's contemporary political institutions. Next, the course provides a historical overview of India's modern history, before turning to a variety of issues of contemporary relevance: ethnicity, violence, corruption, elections, and democracy.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course will introduce students to the various political systems in the region we now call the Middle East. Of particular concern will be historical roots of the political tensions that exist in our contemporary world.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course surveys contemporary Chinese politics and political economy, recognizing the roots in China's long history. The emphasis is on the process of converting the Maoist socialist system into a modern market system, integrated into the global system, and the political implications of these changes. Note: Prior to fall 2010, the course title was "China: Politics and Revolution." This course is typically cross-listed with ASST 3251. Students may only earn credit for one course from ASST 3251 and POLS 3251.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course introduces Japan and its distinctive model of political economy. The course then reviews how this model has been copied by many other countries in Asia. The course also includes an analysis of Asia's international economic and political relations, especially with the United States. This course is typically cross-listed with ASST 3252. Students may only earn credit for one course from ASST 3252 and POLS 3252.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
International negotiations and agreements on environmental problems, and comparisons of domestic environmental policymaking among selected countries. Special attention to negotiations on atmospheric and oceanic policies, international regulation of nuclear materials, and environmental aspects of international trade agreements. NOTE: Students will receive credit only once for either POLS 3265 or ENST 3265.
The European Union is perhaps the most remarkable experiment in international governance of the past century. This course examines the EU in its dual aspects: as a process of international or regional integration, tying existing nation-states into an "ever-closer Union of peoples"; and as a polity or political system with its own institutions, policies, and policy processes.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (POLS 1201 or POLS 1921) and (POLS 1301 or POLS 1931)
POLS 3332Globalization: Politics and Political Economy3
The course examines the origins and consequences of the modern period (1990-present) of globalization, including its political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. Central issues to be examined will be the status of the sovereign state, global governance, and patterns of global mobility in production, people, and information.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (POLS 1301 or POLS 1931)
This course focuses on the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, from the Russian Revolution of 1917 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It deals with major factors and events, including Communism, two world wars, and the Cold War, that shaped Soviet history. The course explores Soviet impact on European and world developments, and Soviet motives in confrontation with the United States. Reading and lectures are complimented with multi-media and Internet sources, discussions and individual presentations. Cross-Listed with HIST 3363. Students will receive credit for one course from: HIST 3363 or POLS 3363.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course examines both analytical and historical perspectives of some of the major theories of justice that have been propounded throughout the course of Western history.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
A theoretical and historical examination of the role of Marxism in the development of 20th and 21st century political regimes, including West European social democracy, former and present Communist states, and post-colonial societies. Particular focus will be placed on debates within the Marxist tradition and between Marxism and its critics in regard to issues of equality, liberty, and democracy. An attempt will be made to see what aspects (if any) of Marxism remain relevant to the prospect of radical democratic change and to an analysis of the crisis of contemporary global capitalism.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course is an intensive introduction to African American Political Theory. Our goal will be to explicate and evaluate the theoretical claims that have shaped, and continue to shape, black political practice in the United States. The structure of the course is both historical and thematic.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in (POLS 1401, POLS 2496, or POLS 2996)
POLS 3510Special Topics: Research Preparation Seminar3
Research preparation courses develop research skills and prepare students for the capstone seminar. The course topics vary depending on the instructor's expertise.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
POLS 3520Special Topics: Research Preparation Seminar3
Research preparation courses develop research skills and prepare students for the capstone seminar. The course topics vary depending on the instructor's expertise.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
POLS 3530Special Topics: Research Preparation Seminar3
Research preparation courses develop research skills and prepare students for the capstone seminar. The course topics vary depending on the instructor's expertise.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
POLS 3540Special Topics: Research Preparation Seminar3
Research preparation courses develop research skills and prepare students for the capstone seminar. The course topics vary depending on the instructor's expertise.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
POLS 3550Special Topics: Research Preparation Seminar3
Research preparation courses develop research skills and prepare students for the capstone seminar. The course topics vary depending on the instructor's expertise.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
This course examines diverse topics in world politics using three forms of political commentary - film, literature, and academic writings - on each topic. Topics covered may include war, terrorism, development, globalization and workers, political corruption, immigration, racial politics, revolution, and ethnic violence.
POLS 3950Honors Special Topics: Research Preparation Seminar3
Research preparation courses develop research skills and prepare students for the capstone seminar. The course topics vary depending on the instructor's expertise.
Only students enrolled in the Honors Certificate or Honors Scholars Programs may register for this seminar. Please check the Political Science Department web site for information about how to apply for the Honors Scholar Program in Political Science (https://www.cla.temple.edu/political-science/undergraduate/). This seminar (taught as a combined semester with Political Science 4996) will rotate among selected advanced topics in one of the major fields of Political Science (international relations, American government, political theory, comparative politics, and public policy). The seminar will focus on a close analysis and discussion of assigned readings and a final research paper (as well as other short written assignments). NOTE: Check with the course schedule for the topic and instructor for a specific semester. Please be advised that students who took this course under the old name, "Junior Honors Capstone Seminar" will receive credit only one time for POLS 3996.
Only students enrolled in the Honors Certificate or Honors Scholars Programs may register for this seminar. Please check the Political Science Department web site for information about how to apply for the Honors Scholar Program in Political Science (www.temple.edu/polsci/undergraduate/honors/index.htm). This seminar (taught as a combined semester with Political Science 4997) will rotate among selected advanced topics in one of the major fields of Political Science (international relations, American government, political theory, comparative politics, and public policy). The seminar will focus on a close analysis and discussion of assigned readings and a final research paper (as well as other short written assignments). NOTE: Check with the course schedule for the topic and instructor for a specific semester.
The goal of this course is to broaden with a comparative perspective our understanding of women's political experiences. We examine a variety of issues concerning the lives of women worldwide, including their economic, political and social contributions, familial roles and status in society. Initially, the course focuses on the evolution of the political, economic, and social status of American women paying particular attention to issues of race, ethnicity, and class that inform but also complicate women's political behavior. We then search for similarities and differences in women's lives that are usually obscured by the status of their countries as either industrialized or non-industrialized, either democratic or non-democratic.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This special seminar is the academic component for experiential learning and is usually offered in the fall of an election year. Students learn about the structure and organization of campaigns, the motivations of candidates, and the consequences of campaign activities by other political actors such as interest groups and political parties. Students will use their internships to identify a thematic subject for research projects.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of C- in POLS 1101.
This internship course offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in an area of interest. The course is designed to combine general academic experience with practical experience in fields such as public policy, local, state and federal government agencies, interest advocacy, campaigns and elections, law firms, government affairs, and NGOs, among others. The course does not have formal meeting times, but will meet several times during the semester of registration in a classroom/small setting. Students are responsible for working on their own to complete the required assignments.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
12
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This internship course offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in an area of interest. The course is designed to combine general academic experience with practical experience in fields such as public policy, local, state and federal government agencies, interest advocacy, campaigns and elections, law firms, government affairs, and NGOs, among others. The course does not have formal meeting times, but will meet several times during the semester of registration in a classroom/small setting. Students are responsible for working on their own to complete the required assignments.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
12
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This internship course offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in an area of interest. The course is designed to combine general academic experience with practical experience in fields such as public policy, local, state and federal government agencies, interest advocacy, campaigns and elections, law firms, government affairs, and NGOs, among others. The course does not have formal meeting times, but will meet several times during the semester of registration in a classroom/small setting. Students are responsible for working on their own to complete the required assignments.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
12
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This internship course offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in political campaigns. Campaign placements may be for any type of campaign at any level of government. The course does not have formal meeting times, but students will meet with the instructor several times during the semester of registration in a classroom setting for discussions. Students are responsible for working on their own to complete the required written and work assignments.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
12
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Supervised individual readings, research projects, and field work. NOTE: Students may not enroll for more than one Directed Research & Field Study course in a single semester. Students are to arrange study with a faculty member in the department of Political Science.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Supervised individual readings, research projects, and field work. NOTE: Students may not enroll for more than one Directed Research & Field Study course in a single semester. Students are to arrange study with a faculty member in the department of Political Science.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
2
Credits (max)
2
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
This topical seminar focuses on a broad theme of theoretical, substantive, or practical interest within a subfield of political science. The specific content will vary with individual instructors. This is a writing-intensive course designed to integrate all the skills learned in the major. Each seminar will focus upon close oral and written analysis of major readings in a particular area of political science. Such analyses will take students beyond basic exegesis of analytic arguments towards critical evaluation of contrasting forms of social science investigation and argument. A research project is required. Required of all majors. To be taken during the senior year.
Only students enrolled in the Honors Certificate or Honors Scholars Programs may register for this seminar. Please check the Political Science Department web site for information about how to apply for the Honors Scholar Program in Political Science (www.temple.edu/polsci/undergraduate/honors/index.htm). This seminar (taught as a combined semester with Political Science 3996) will rotate among selected advanced topics in one of the major fields of Political Science (international relations, American government, political theory, comparative politics, and public policy). The seminar will focus on a close analysis and discussion of assigned readings and a final research paper (as well as other short written assignments). This course satisfies the capstone requirement for the major. NOTE: Check with the course schedule for the topic and instructor for a specific semester.
Only students enrolled in the Honors Certificate or Honors Scholars Programs may register for this seminar. Please check the Political Science Department web site for information about how to apply for the Honors Scholar Program in Political Science (www.temple.edu/polsci/undergraduate/honors/index.htm). This seminar (taught as a combined semester with Political Science 3997) will rotate among selected advanced topics in one of the major fields of Political Science (international relations, American government, political theory, comparative politics, and public policy). The seminar will focus on a close analysis and discussion of assigned readings and a final research paper (as well as other short written assignments). NOTE: Check with the course schedule for the topic and instructor for a specific semester.
Students learn how to formulate and justify research questions, situate their research within the scholarly literature, select cases, and address problems related to making causal inferences. An important focus of the course is on the similarities and differences between quantitative and qualitative research designs and their respective strengths and weaknesses.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Required of all M.A. and Ph.D. students. Introductory applied social statistics. Topics covered include descriptive measures, elementary probability theory, hypothesis testing, and correlation and regression analysis. This course explores inductive statistics including: probability and sampling, multivariate contingency tables, analysis of variance, correlation and regression analysis.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Required of all Ph.D. students. An examination of some of the major qualitative research approaches in political science -- case studies, comparative historical, institutional, community power studies, etc. The course aims to teach students the basic methods and reasoning procedures for doing advanced research in political science.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: Minimum grade of B in POLS 8001.
The course offers a thorough coverage of the basic linear regression model. Two-thirds of the class is devoted to the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method with a focus on estimation, hypothesis testing, and diagnosing threats to statistical inference. Cross-sectional, time-series, and panel data applications are covered. The remainder of the class introduces students to Maximum Likelihood estimators that address limitations to the OLS model.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.Pre-requisites: POLS 8001.
Analysis and research on legislatures, legislators and the legislative process at national, state, and local levels. Focus on legislative decision-making.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
A critical overview and exploration of the evolution, and various aspects of U.S. anti-discrimination laws and policies using court decisions as well as political and legal theories.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Examines political parties and party systems at the federal and state level, in both historical and contemporary contexts. What are political parties? Who forms them? This course focuses mostly on officeholders and activists to understand political parties in government and political parties as organizations.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
The role of elections in contemporary American society. Special attention to parties and mass media as managers of campaigns. Factors affecting the voting behavior of the mass public and the link voting provides between the public and policy formation. The role of elections in contemporary American society. Factors affecting the voting behavior of the mass public and the link voting provides between the public and policy formation. Special attention also will be paid to the roles of political parties and mass media.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course introduces graduate students to the research investigating politics and governance in the American states. Seminar discussions will focus on identifying the questions motivating state politics research, comparing different methodological approaches, and discovering what questions remain unanswered. We also will consider how findings from state politics research might extend to other institutional settings. The goal of the seminar is to stimulate students to conduct their own state politics research.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Examines the intersection of race and class in American cities from theoretical and practical perspectives. Readings cover some of the major theories of race and urban poverty going from the "declining significance of race" proponents on the one hand to the "increasing significance of race" theorists on the other end of the spectrum. The course also examines how considerations of race and class have shaped key policy areas such as housing, education, and community development. Finally, the course examines the "new immigration" and its impact on class and race relations within urban areas.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Engages students in community based research projects that are identified and developed by community-based organizations to address a particular program or policy need that they have encountered. Students work closely with these organizations as they carry out the research. Field-based research is supported by weekly seminar meetings that combine instruction in research methods with substantive examination of community development issues. Students share their experiences from the field during the seminar meetings.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Explores key areas of urban public policy, such as housing, economic and community development, and education. Examines the political, social, institutional and cultural factors that shape the policy making context and ultimately the policies themselves. Interdisciplinary approach using readings from political science, sociology, economics, planning and social history. Covers major research conducted on policy areas and central debates surrounding them.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Survey of the broad field of public opinion research. Topics include: political sophistication, citizen competence, democratic responsiveness, political socialization, attitude formation, and the effects of mass media and political rhetoric.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Considers various models of the policy process and policymaking, including those within group, systemic, rational, and institutional approaches. Empirical and normative perspectives are both addressed.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
A survey of core theories, methodological approaches and central issues in the comparative study of political systems throughout the world. Issues include state, class, party systems and interest groups, dependency, democracy and autocracy, reform and revolution, ethnic/nationalist conflict, and policymaking in industrial welfare states.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
POLS 8202Comparative Politics: Advanced Industrial Nations3
Comparative analysis of political systems in Western Europe. Topics covered include the development of political parties and interest group politics, political economy, the welfare state, democratization/market liberalization in Eastern Europe, and European integration (EU). NOTE: This course was previously titled "Comparative Politics: Western Europe." Be advised that students can receive credit only once for POLS 8202.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
POLS 8203Comparative Politics: Developing Nations3
What are the ideological, economic, and political processes that have created "First" and "Third" worlds? Is "underdevelopment" a consequence of the international system or are its sources home-grown? What are the connections between economic processes and political change? This course compares rational, structural, and cultural approaches to the study of development.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Free and fair elections are democracy's defining feature. This course examines the politics surrounding democratic politics, focusing on organizations, institutions, and behavior. In terms of organizations, the course pays close attention to the principle protagonists in democratic elections: political parties. We will explore the origins of political parties in general as well as the conditions giving rise to certain types of political parties. In terms of institutions, the course considers the institutions that shape the selection of political leaders in a democracy and the allocation of power across those elected officials. In particular, we will attend to electoral rules, legislative-executive relations, and the vertical allocation of authority, identifying how democracies decide on these institutions as well as exploring the varied and often far-reaching impact that these institutions have on a wide range of political and economic outcomes. Finally, in terms of behavior, we will explore how mass publics engage with democracy, largely through their participation in elections. Throughout, we will consider the experiences of both longstanding and new democracies, evaluating to what extent theories and ideas travel across contexts.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This graduate course exposes students to the major debates in the political economy of development on the origins and transformations of three key institutional fields: the state, market institutions, and the international economy. We read classic works in political economy on the philosophical underpinnings of the role of the state in development; and more recent works on the relationship between the state and market creation, evolution, and reform in the context of global integration. We also survey selected works on the political and economic development of the newly industrialized countries of East and Southeast Asia and Latin America; developing countries in South Asia and Africa; and post-Communism in China and Russia.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
POLS 8214Political Economy of Identity in the Global Era3
This graduate course explores the conceptual and theoretical tools that have been brought to bear to investigate the role of identity and relationship between economics and identity in the context of globalization, particularly post-cold war developments. It exposes students to some of the major debates on conceptualizing and operationalizing the multidimensionality of identity; the context-specific issues that make identity an important factor to explore as both a cause and an effect in a globalizing economy; and existing research on what shapes identity and the impact of identity. We ask the following questions: Why study identity? How to study identity? What causes identity? How does identity matter? We encounter these questions via existing literature across subfields of political science, sociology, and history; different methodological lens; and substantive knowledge of empirical reality.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course offers an in-depth assessment of the state. It begins with the definitional question, and explores different approaches to the state. We will then proceed to historical analysis of the rise of states in Europe and other world regions. The third component of the course explores the relationship between states and societies, focusing on cases from both Europe and other world regions. Finally, the course explores the extent of state weakness around the world, and explanations for variation in the strength and stability of states, closing with two recent broad attempts to rethink the state and our relationship to it. Readings range from theoretical social science to empirical work on a variety of specific cases, and from classics in the field to new work and non-academic accounts of particular countries and regions. The course will build toward the production of a significant research paper. Students are encouraged to use this paper to explore a set of issues relevant to their research interests. Prior completion of POLS 8201 (Comparative Politics) is strongly recommended.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
POLS 8217Democracy, Dictatorship, and Political Regimes3
This course is a reading-intensive graduate seminar on the comparative politics of democratization and authoritarianism. It focuses upon political regimes in historical and comparative perspective, and immerses students in empirical scholarship and theoretical analysis to engage four core concerns: first, the origins of democracy, dictatorship, and hybrid regime types around the world; second, the trajectory and stability of different regimes in the modern era; third, the domestic and international causes of regime transitions, including institutional, economic, and systemic forces; and fourth, the key concepts and methodological strategies used in this field. The course draws upon countries and cases from across the world, including both West and non-Western regions, and incorporates comparative political work utilizing a variety of methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, and formal approaches. Assignments involve regular analytical writing and original scholarship, encompassing a series of response papers throughout the term culminating in a final research paper.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
A graduate-level introduction to theories of international politics, ranging from classical realism and liberalism through contemporary neorealist, institutionalist, constructivist and other approaches. Core course in the area.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Graduate-level introduction to the study of international security, addressing a range of approaches to topics such as the causes of war, the balance of power, alliances, economic statecraft and sanctions, humanitarian intervention and peacekeeping, and terrorism.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
A graduate-level introduction to the history and theory of international political economy. Topics include: states and markets; power and wealth; economic statecraft; international economic organizations; economic development; and the nature of interstate conflict and cooperation in the global economic system.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Advanced graduate seminar, which surveys the scholarly literature dealing with the role of international institutions and international organizations in world politics, and the prospects for global governance in various issue-areas.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Introduction to the major conceptual issues in politics-- power, authority, equality, liberty, democracy, justice- through the reading of both classics in political thought and contemporary political theory. The course will also consider methodological issues in the social sciences and key topics in the philosophy of science and the philosophy of social science.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
This course will be devoted to in-depth analyses of some of the formative works of modern political theory and practice that have helped to shape not only modern politics but modern cultural and psychological sensibility as well. The primary theorists that we will be analyzing are Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, as well as some contemporary political philosophers. Texts and authors covered in this seminar will go beyond the materials covered in the Core Seminar in Political Theory.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Examines the rise of modern social theory (Hegel, Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Freud) as a response to the emergence of increasingly rationalized, class-stratified and bureaucratized industrial societies. Issues addressed include the relationship of the individual to society; the relationship between socio-economic and political power; the difficulty of establishing moral meaning in increasingly bureaucratic and routinized societies. The course will also examine post-modern theorists (e.g. Foucault, Derrida, Lyotard) who contend that modern social theory's anachronistic hypothesis of rational, industrial societies cannot adequately explain post-modern, commodified societies increasingly "decentered" by differences of culture, race, and gender. NOTE: This course was previously titled "19th and 20th Century Political and Social Thought." Students can receive credit only one time for POLS 8404.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Considers the defenses, criticisms, and varieties of democracy in both the American and worldwide settings. Examines the relationship between liberalism and democracy, as well as communitarian, conservative and radical critiques of liberal pluralism. Questions explored include: Can minority rights be guaranteed in a majoritarian democratic system? What are the cultural and socioeconomic prerequisites for a democratic society? Does the distribution of power in America today conform to the norms of a democratic society? NOTE: This course was previously titled "Contemporary Theories of Democracy." Please be advised that students will receive credit only once for POLS 8405.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
An examination of some central themes and issues in political philosophy conducted through the study of one or more major works of political philosophy.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
3
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hours
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Required of all M.A. and Ph.D. students wishing to be considered for financial aid. This course is to be offered once each year. No student will be awarded financial assistance for a second year without having successfully completed this course. This course is conducted on a Pass-Fail basis.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
1
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.
Fall credit for special study/research with a professor outside of a regularly scheduled course. A letter grade of A, B, C, or F is awarded. A student may register for this course only with the advance approval of the pertinent faculty member and the Graduate Chair.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Spring credit for special study/research with a professor outside of a regularly scheduled course. A letter grade of A, B, C, or F is awarded. A student may register for this course only with the advance approval of the pertinent faculty member and the Graduate Chair.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
First summer session credit for special study/research with a professor outside of a regularly scheduled course. A letter grade of A, B, C, or F is awarded. A student may register for this course only with the advance approval of the pertinent faculty member and the Graduate Chair.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
3
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
The purpose of such credit is to assure continuous enrollment as required by the University while one is preparing for M.A. or Ph.D. comprehensive or Preliminary examinations. A grade of "R" is awarded the student by the Graduate Chair or other faculty designated by the Chair of the Department. The semester in which the Preliminary exams are passed, a grade other than "R" is awarded.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
6
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Three credits are required in the initial semester following the Preliminary Examinations while the Ph.D. student prepares the dissertation prospectus through a reading course with their primary dissertation supervisor. During subsequent semesters, if not yet advanced to candidacy, students continue to enroll in the 1-credit option in order to assure continuous enrollment as required by the university. Students must participate in the seminar until they execute a completed dissertation proposal. A grade of "R" is awarded until the student passes the prospectus defense. At the semester of passing the prospectus, the grade of "Pass" will be awarded to only that semester's 9998.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
6
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
Dissertation Research credit maintains the continuous enrollment as required by the University after a student has passed the PhD comprehensive exam and prospectus defense. This is the minimum credit required each semester after the proposal defense and while the student is researching and writing the dissertation. A minimum of 2 s.h. of POLS 9999 must be completed before defending the PhD dissertation.
Subject
POLS
Credits (min)
1
Credits (max)
6
Credit unit
Credit Hour
Type
course
Repeatable
Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.
