Section
Political Science

Course Descriptions

StudentsPOS 103  American Government 3
Surveys the founding principles of the American political system, the American political culture, and the decision-making processes and institutions of American government. Examines contending theories of American democracy.

POS 104  State and Local Government 3
American state and local government in a federal system of government. Structure, function, problems and federal-state relations are considered. Offered every spring.

POS 200  Comparative Government  3
Comparative analysis of leading governments of other nations contrasted with each other and the government of the United States. Political institutions, political parties, and electoral processes will be examined. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in POS 103.

POS 205  Model United Nations  1
This course provides a hands-on introduction to the structure and function of the United Nations. The focus of the course is participation as a delegate for an assigned country in the National Model United Nations sponsored by Harvard University in Boston, attended by university students from North American and other countries of the world. The course is offered each spring and may be repeated for credit if students serve on different committees.

POS 212  International Relations 3
Course covers geographic, economic, demographic, strategic and ideological factors of world politics. Also considers problems attending the development of a new international political system.

POS 214  Political Theory  3
An examination of the main political thinkers in the Western tradition with special emphasis on philosophical foundations.

POS 316  Women and Politics  3
Explores the history of the suffrage movement. Examines how feminism has affected women’s entry into politics and how women have participated in legislative, executive and judicial branches. Topics in public policy issues related to women also included.

POS 318  Introduction to Law and the Legal System  3
Introduction to the role of law in our society. Looks at the nature of legal decision making, then at various actors in the system: lawyers, judges, police and jurors. The adversary process is analyzed.

POS 321  War and Terrorism  3
Political violence is intensely dramatic, poignantly tragic, and quite complex, a phenomenon that has prompted soldiers, poets, historians, strategists, theorists, theologians and ethicists to spill much ink for millennia.  In this course, we will explore the experience, meaning, causes, and morality of war with an eye toward how Christians might properly respond to it.

POS 324  Politics of the Middle East  3
This course is designed to help deepen and broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of the politics of the contemporary Middle East. Topics include the legacy of colonialism, varieties of Islamic politics, the politics of nationalism and state building, the political effects of oil wealth, and the prospects for civil society and democracy in the region.  We will also survey the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East, assessing Christian perspectives on these critical issues.

POS 331  Politics, Parties and Interest Groups  3
Examines the role of political parties in contemporary American government and the implications of weakened parties for governing. Surveys the place of interest groups and political action committees in politics, both in policymaking and in campaigns and elections.

AmericanaPOS 332   The American Presidency  3
Examines historical ideas of the office, its historical development and its present setting in American politics. Topics include the presidency and the Constitution, the President and Congress, the President as chief executive and campaigning for the modern presidency.

POS 342  American Constitutional Law  3
A study of the U.S. Supreme Court and its special role in American government and society. Leading court opinions in separations of powers, federalism and civil liberties and civil rights are analyzed. Recommended for students interested in law school. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in POS 103.

POS 380  American Political Thought  3
Explores historical and contemporary perspectives on such key American ideas and ideals as constitutionalism, equality, freedom, individualism, relationship between state and economy and relationship between state and religion.

POS 382  Modern Political Thought      3
Examines major texts of European political thought from Machiavelli to Marx.

POS 402  Political Ideologies  3
Examines major ideologies that shape debates about politics, such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, anarchism, and feminism

POS 495  Internship 2-6
A supervised field experience in an organization, association, corporation or office that relates to the student’s career objective and is relevant to the field of political science. Supervised readings may be required, and 35 hours work per semester is required in the field for each hour’s credit. The student is responsible for travel; the instructor for supervision and evaluation. Maximum of six credits may be used in the major.