PHYS 4980T - HTC Thesis Research

• To learn how to communicate the results of research.
• To learn how to conduct a scientific research project by mentored research with a faculty supervisor.

POCO 2010 - Introduction to Political Communication

• Develop strategies for archival research.
• Gain an appreciation for diverse political environments.
• Gain an understanding of how interpersonal communication influences political socialization.
• Gain an understanding of how technology influence political communication and information dissemination.

POCO 2900 - Special Topics in Political Communication

• Students will increase their knowledge in Political Communication.

POCO 4010 - Seminar in Political Communication

• Complete original research worthy of conference presentation.
• Enhance skills with respect to professional public speaking.
• Gain an understanding of diverse research methods.
• Gain an understanding of the IRB process.

POCO 4900 - Special Topics in Political Communication

• Students will increase their knowledge in Political Communication.

OAT 1010 - Fundamentals of Information Technologies

• Define and recall the concepts, jargon, and terminology of computers and use those computer literacy skills to write papers, join discussions, take online courses/exams and scope out various careers in computer technology.
• Develop online research skills; identifying credible sites and citing them properly.
• Discover the World Wide Web and Web 2.0 and apply that information to academic and personal life (social networking).
• Learn the origin of computers through historical accounts of people, hardware, and software.
• Master skills learned using MS Internet Explorer and operating systems such as Windows XP and Vista in preparation for a portion of the Microsoft Certified Applications Specialist exam.
• Respect the importance of safety and security using technology.
• Understand and become comfortable using various computer components (input and output) enabling students to purchase a computer for various uses within a budget.
• Utilize search engines and other software applications tools and features.

OAT 1210 - Keyboarding I

• Add graphics and other visual elements to enhance written communication.
• Apply appropriate formatting elements and styles to both academic and business documents.
• Create and edit memos, letters, and reports of varying complexity.
• Develop basic motor skills and muscle memory necessary to master keyboarding using a QWERTY keyboard.
• Develop keyboarding techniques (finger positioning, hand and wrist movements, head and neck positioning, sitting position, and overall flow of hand, finger, and eye coordination.
• Establish keyboarding speeds up to 40 words per minute.
• Utilize basic ergonomic workspace positioning to enhance productivity and reduce strain and injury.

OAT 1220 - Keyboarding II

• Add graphics and other visual elements to enhance written communication.
• Apply appropriate formatting elements and styles to both academic and business documents.
• Create and edit memos, letters, and reports of varying complexity.
• Employ dictation and transcription technique in the creation of correspondence building speed and accuracy.
• Enhance and improve current keyboarding technique.
• Enhance and improve motor skills and muscle memory necessary to master keyboarding using a QWERTY keyboard.
• Establish keyboarding speeds of 65+ wpm with emphasis on accuracy using straight copy and various other document types.
• Utilize basic ergonomic workspace positioning to enhance productivity and reduce strain and injury.

OAT 1420 - Medical Terminology for Administrative Professionals

• Acquire a basic foundation in medical terminology that will lead to recognizing thousands of medical terms in the realm of billing and coding.
• Be familiar with the principal fields of medicine and allied health.
• Categorize medical terms as diagnostic, anatomical, surgical, radiological, or therapeutic.
• Demonstrate an understanding of basic human anatomy and physiology, and correlate this understanding with medical terminology.
• Recognize that the meaning of complex medical terms can be derived by analysis of simpler components.
• State the meaning of common medical abbreviations and acronyms.
• Understand basic principal terms used in pharmacology.
• Understand many terms related to anatomy, pathology, surgical operations, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures.
• Understand the need for exactness (spelling and handwriting) in medical vocabulary and correspondence via dictation and transcription.
• Use a word-building system to write medical terms in singular and plural form.

OAT 1430 - Legal Terminology

• Acquire a basic foundation in legal terminology that will lead to recognizing multiple legal terms.
• Be familiar with the principal fields of law and the judiciary system.
• Categorize legal terms as they are used by lawyers, judges, legislators and others in law to express legal analysis and legal rights and duties.
• Demonstrate an understanding of basic areas of law and legal professions, and correlate this understanding with legal terminology.
• Recognize that the meaning of complex legal terms can be derived by analysis of simpler components.
• State the meaning of common legal abbreviations and acronyms.
• Understand many terms related to legal and judicial procedures.
• Understand principal terms used in law.
• Understand the need for exactness (spelling and handwriting) in legal vocabulary and correspondence via dictation and transcription.
• Use a word-building system to write legal terms in singular and plural form.

OAT 1710 - Administrative Procedures

• Determine and practice the qualities and behaviors necessary in self-management.
• Develop and use proper telephone techniques and etiquette.
• Develop interpersonal and professional qualities and skills for success in a dynamic office environment.
• Follow proper document management and storage techniques.
• Identify and use effective verbal and non-verbal communication techniques for a diverse environment.
• Proofread and correct documents.
• Recognize the importance of ethical behavior in an office setting.
• Understand the role and responsibilities of office professionals.

OAT 1720 - Medical Procedures

• Acknowledge the importance and rules of medical records management.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and realize importance of proper communication techniques and skills (i.e. telephone etiquette, scheduling and messaging) in a medical setting.
• Develop understanding of the importance of technology and applications in the medical office.
• Recognize the role of medical insurance and coding as it relates to patients, doctors, third parties, and others in a medical office environment.
• Research the duties, advancement possibilities, benefits and job satisfaction of working as an administrative assistant in a medical office.
• Understand the importance of confidentiality, medical ethics and etiquette in a medical office.

OAT 1730 - Legal Procedures

• Develop understanding of the importance of technology and applications in the legal office including billing and accounting procedures.
• Understand the duties, advancement possibilities, benefits and job satisfaction of working as an administrative assistant in a law office.
• Understand the importance and rules of legal records management.
• Understand the importance of confidentiality, legal ethics and etiquette in a law office.
• Understand the importance of proper communication techniques and other legal office skills (i.e. telephone etiquette, critical thinking, human relations, time management, forms, scheduling and messaging).

OAT 1890 - Independent Study

• Emphasis on new technologies not covered in other program course work.
• Further practice in areas specific to student needs.

OAT 2000 - Desktop Publishing

• Add graphics and other visual elements to enhance designs.
• Apply appropriate formatting elements and styles to a range of documents.
• Create, edit, and publish design documents of professional quality such as web pages, newsletters, blogs, brochures, photos, and catalogs.
• Define and recall desktop publishing application tools and features.
• Plan, research, create, revise, and produce graphic documents to meet specific needs.

OAT 2210 - Dictation and Transcription

• Acquire the skills necessary to transcribe and/or edit from recorded media or voice recognition software using word processing software at a course completion rate of 65 wpm.
• Apply appropriate language arts rules to formatted documents and dictation materials.
• Develop and use good listening skills.
• Develop awareness of various career opportunities available for transcriptionists.
• Improve English usage, document formatting, and proofreading competency.
• Produce mailable copies of documents.
• Use appropriate formatting in the production of documents.

OAT 2250 - Applications in Word Processing

• Add graphics and other visual elements to enhance documents.
• Apply appropriate formatting elements and styles to a range of documents.
• Create and edit documents such as forms, reports, letters, and memos with text, tables, charts, and labels of varying complexity.
• Define and recall application tools and features.
• Plan, research, create, revise, and produce documents to meet specific needs.
• Prepare for word processing application certification.

OAT 2260 - Applications in Spreadsheets

• Analyze numerical data and project outcomes to make knowledgeable decisions; formula development; pivot tables.
• Create and edit spreadsheets of different formats and complexities.
• Define and recall application tools and features.
• Format cells, columns, and rows as well as entire workbooks in a uniform, attractive style.
• Plan, research, create, revise, and publish worksheets and workbooks to meet specific needs.
• Prepare for spreadsheet application certification.

OAT 2270 - Applications in Presentations

• Add graphics and other visual elements to enhance presentations.
• Apply appropriate formatting elements and styles to a range of presentations.
• Create and edit presentations containing text, tables, charts, and slides of varying complexity.
• Define and recall the application tools and features.
• Plan, research, create, revise, and produce presentations integrated with other products to meet specific needs.
• Prepare for certification in use of presentation applications.

OAT 2280 - Applications in Databases

• Apply appropriate formatting and graphic elements with varying styles to a range of database documents (reports, forms, and letters).
• Create and edit databases with tables, queries, forms, reports, and labels of varying complexity.
• Define and recall the application tools and techniques.
• Plan, research, create, revise, and produce databases to meet specific needs.
• Prepare for certification in use of database applications.

OAT 2300 - Business Communications

• Analyze the task and audience for business messages.
• Apply recommended practices, checklists, and rubrics to evaluate your own writing and that of others.
• Apply the rules of Standard English including mechanics, usage, grammar, and spelling consistently.
• Choose appropriate organizational strategies (including direct vs. indirect approach).
• Compose business messages that are purposeful, informative and/or persuasive, economical, and audience (reader) oriented.
• Create messages that spotlight audience benefits.
• Demonstrate professionalism and cooperation in collaborative work projects and reports.
• Identify and implement strategies for three phases of the writing process: prewriting, writing, and revising.
• Identify specific techniques that improve communication among diverse workplace audiences.
• Locate and evaluate information resources.
• Recognize ethical and legal considerations in business communications.
• Utilize and document secondary data sources accurately.

OAT 2310 - Business Calculations

• Articulate banking and payroll applications; calculate simple interest.
• Conceptualize taxes and insurance.
• Define and apply fundamentals of business mathematics.
• Develop understanding of introductory accounting concepts.
• Explain and strategize basic business topics such as applications in finance; time value of money, and advanced business applications.
• Understand and compute fractions, decimals, and percentages.

OAT 2400 - Medical Coding I

• Ascertain and apply the basic processes of codes as they relate to patient treatment, services, and procedures that are provided to patients; understand the medical necessity of the care.
• Assign correct ICD-9 codes.
• Demonstrate understanding of HIPAA as it relates to patients rights and privacy; understand purpose of health insurance portability and accountability act; identify skills, attributes and ethical behaviors that medical coders exemplify.
• Describe the background and history of ICD-9 codes.
• Describe the role of medical insurance coder and various career opportunities.
• Evoke the importance of the documentation in medical records in the medical coding process.
• Locate the periodic updates to ICD-9 codes on the World Wide Web.
• Understand the importance of the ICD-9 official guidelines for coding and reporting.

OAT 2401 - Medical Coding II

• Adjudicate claims proficiently for accurate medical coding for diagnoses, procedures, and services in physician based settings.
• Analyze issues such as medical necessity, claims denials, bundling issues, and charge capture.
• Assign correct ICD codes.
• Develop sound knowledge of medical coding rules and regulations including compliance and reimbursement.
• Display proficiency across a wide range of services including evaluation and management of coding for anesthesia, radiology, pathology, medicine, and surgical services.
• Emphasize the importance of the documentation in medical records in the medical coding process.
• Exemplify knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology necessary to correctly code provider diagnosis and services.
• Locate the periodic updates to ICD codes on the web.
• Reinforce understanding of HIPAA as it relates to patients’ rights and privacy.

OAT 2403 - Medical Applications

• Articulate knowledge of medical billing and coding processes as they relate to EHR.
• Development of technological skills as they relate to EHR applications and database management.
• Portray consideration for HIPAA regulations and confidentiality as they apply to EHR.
• Understanding of patient health records and standards for electronic health records.

OAT 2404 - Health and Safety in the Medical Office

• Complete medical assessment forms and reports of varying complexity.
• Define asepsis and aseptic technique; demonstrate appropriate use of standard precautions.
• Demonstrate appropriate measurement and documentation of basic vital signs; patient interview process.
• Demonstrate proper technique for asepsis for basic office procedures.
• Develop thorough understanding of ethical considerations in a medical office setting.
• Prepare and sit for NCS (National Safety Council) examination/certification for airborne and bloodborne pathogens.

OAT 2580 - Time Management

• Develop and apply common and personal time management techniques.
• Develop skills necessary for planning, prioritizing, and organizing continuously.
• Discover and test skills for managing multiple projects, objectives, and deadlines.
• Identify your strengths and weaknesses as related to time management.
• Understand stress and how it applies to productivity in the office.

OAT 2630 - Introduction to Paralegal Studies

• Coordinate and perform legal records research.
• Develop the ability to interview witnesses and document what is learned.
• Prepare, analyze, and summarize legal documents, reports, correspondence, complaints, and declaration.
• Understand basic computer application skills needed in a legal environment.

OAT 2670 - Office Supervision

• Develop understanding of the role of supervision and management as related to administrative assistant roles and responsibilities.

OAT 2680 - Information Systems Design

• Communicate effectively in the three areas of listening, writing and speaking as it relates to documenting processes.
• Conduct feasibility study of various office settings with emphasis on ergonomically designed work spaces lending themselves to productivity and optimal task execution.
• Create workflow charts and work with graphics in various software applications; process documentation and technical writing.
• Develop basic understanding of writing requirements.
• Explain and apply the necessary processes, tools and skills used in the analysis and design phases of a project to create a new design.

OAT 2681 - Introduction to Business Analysis

• Define and detail project requirements; learn basic data requirement components (entities and attributes).
• Define the project environment; collect and manage project information.
• Define the role of the business analyst.
• Derive essential processes from physical or technological procedural descriptions; understand the importance of defining and properly naming each process.
• Discuss how the business analyst interacts with project participants.
• Document complex business rules.
• Prepare and understand basic requirements for professional business analyst certification.
• Review the major tasks performed by the business analyst.

OAT 2682 - Technical Business Writing

• Develop effective information gathering, interviewing, and college research skills.
• Develop skills necessary to clearly express concepts and ideas in a business format.
• Develop structured writing that is clear, concise, concrete, direct, logical, mechanically and grammatically correct and suited to purpose and audience.
• Exemplify knowledge of plagiarism and the importance of proper citations in various formats for business forms.
• Portray the habit of close and careful reading and editing of written business texts.
• Practice effective communication skills through individual and small group presentations.
• Understand the writing process as it relates to the development of technical documents.
• Utilize computer applications in the creation process of writing, research, and document design.

OAT 2683 - Applications in Project Management

• Develop and present project status reports for sharing project information with stakeholders.
• Resolve project conflicts, issues, and concerns with the appropriate tools and information necessary for quick and accurate resolutions.
• Understand the elements necessary to manage small and large projects; people, budgets, tasks, and other resources.
• Utilize application software for project management.

OAT 2800 - Seminar

• Conceptualize strategies and coping mechanisms for issues and concerns in the world of work.
• Continue preparation and mastery of software applications toward certification.
• Develop and hone in critical thinking and problem solving skills as they relate to workplace situations; roundtable discussions; special topics.
• Perfect interviewing skills and communication tools; personal/professional portfolio development.
• Perfect learned mechanical techniques via hands-on experiences with various office machines.
• Practice skills in additional software applications demanded in the workplace and not previously exposed in prior coursework.

OAT 2900 - Special Topics

• Understand basic principles of project or topic chosen for course.

OAT 2910 - Internship

• Analyze organizational and group processes.
• Apply what has been learned in the classroom to career related experiences that complement learned skills.
• Develop an ongoing relationship between themselves and a practitioner either internally or from the community.
• Enhance awareness of public service obligations.
• Experience in-service orientation to a career area students may wish to pursue; allowing the opportunity to work in area of intended specialization.
• Experience personal and professional development through challenging work assignments that contribute to the student’s skills.
• Receive supervision that is mentoring and educational.
• Reflect and evaluate the intern process alongside university representative and site supervisor at the conclusion of the internship.
• Represent the department/university with employers as evidenced by professionalism and performance and communication between the site supervisor, student, and university.
• Utilize the internship as an opportunity to relate theory to practice.

OAT 2920 - Practicum

• Apply knowledge from program to actual environment with a prescribed setting and outcome.
• Develop new technological skills as needed.
• Develop workplace relationships; networking.
• Hone learned skills (applications, communications, procedures).

POLS 1010 - Politics in the United States

• Students will be able to describe core theories and concepts in United States politics within the context of foundational origins of American political system and constitutional development.
• Students will apply scholarly analyses and data to evaluate political trends and patterns in the United States.
• Students will be able to explain the nature of participatory democracy and civic engagement and its importance to an informed citizenry in American society.
• Students will be able to analyze political research and the influence of identity politics.

POLS 1010A - Honors Experience: Politics in the US

POLS 1500 - Themes in Global Politics

• Define and explain key concepts and debates in the analysis of global politics.
• Describe and explain the major features of select themes in global politics.
• Identify and assess competing arguments used in the analysis of global politics.

POLS 1600 - Engaging Politics

• Students will be able to classify at least two additional, alternative conceptualizations of politics and how they have influenced our attitudes, values and outlook.
• Students will employ at least three examples of issues related to alternate notions of politics in order to better understand and explain the political issues that confront humankind.
• Students will evaluate at least three examples of issues related to alternate notions of politics in order to analyze behavioral and cultural phenomena.
• Students will use political scientists understanding of politics in order to develop the capacity to analyze politics.

POLS 2000 - American Politics, Policy, and Administration

• Students will be able to summarize and explain major concepts, theories, and practices in American politics, policy, and administration.
• Students will be able to compare and evaluate the major theories and practices in American politics, policy, and administration based on quantitative or qualitative evidence-based analysis.
• Students will be able to identify the key principles in American Democracy, make an informed assessment of political and policy processes, note political discourses about different types of policies, and actively participate in the political discourses.
• Students will be able to identify how diverse political culture affects not only policy formulation and implementation but also its evaluation.
• Students will be able to produce academically written papers that convey their independent judgment of the major concepts, theories, and practices in American politics, policy, and administration.
• Students will be able to select specific political or policy agendas, analyze their pros and cons based on scientific evidence, and propose new suggestions to address identified weaknesses associated with the agendas.

POLS 2200 - The Politics of Law

• Explain and critically discuss the history of legal philosophy and the key elements of natural law, legal positivism, legal realism, as well as contemporary trends.
• Explain the basic structures of local, state and federal court systems, the roles of the different levels of courts, and the institutional and political practices the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Understand and critically assess advanced social science works on socio-legal phenomena.
• Understand and critically assess the American legal system in comparison to select legal models in other countries.
• Verbally explain, discuss, and critically analyze a variety of legal and socio-legal issues.

POLS 2300 - Democracies and Dictatorships Around the World

• Compare and contrast political systems and outcomes between and among select countries.
• Define and explain basic concepts and key terms of comparative politics.
• Identify and explain the major political, economic, and social features of select countries.
• Use theories of comparative politics to analyze political outcomes in select countries..

POLS 2500 - International Relations

• Assess the principal forces affecting the behavior of state- and non-state actors in contemporary international politics.
• Define and explain key terms and concepts in international relations.
• Explain, from different levels of analysis, major cases of international conflict and cooperation.
• Understand and apply key theoretical approaches to the study of international relations.
• Use specific theories to analyze political outcomes in cases of international conflict and cooperation.

POLS 2700 - Introduction to Political Theory

• Students will be able to comparatively analyze the meanings and roles of key concepts in these works. Such concepts might include but are not limited to power, legitimacy, property, freedom, responsibility, obligation and critique.
• Students will be familiar with some of the critical and alternative traditions that respond to and move beyond work in the canon classically understood. Alternative perspectives may include work from gender studies & critical race theory.
• Students will be familiar with the work of some key canonical thinkers in the western traditions of political thought.

POLS 2800 - Analyzing Politics: Applied Statistics for Government, Public, and International Affairs

• Students will be able to collect and organize data for statistical analysis using appropriate technology
• Students will be able to conduct basic statistical analyses using appropriate technology
• Students will be able to describe the scientific method and its application in political science
• Students will be able to evaluate theories and hypotheses related to the study of politics using quantitative data from print and electronic media, including newspapers, magazines, television, and the internet
• Students will be able to interpret the results of statistical analyses to analyze and evaluate government, public and intenational affairs

POLS 2900 - Special Topics in Political Science

• Students will increase their knowledge in Political Science.

POLS 2970T - Political Science Non-Thesis Tutorial First Year

• Students will be able to communicate effectively in political science as a discipline and to a wider audience.
• Students will be able to work effectively with difficult, multi-dimensional subjects within political science.
• Students will be equipped to pursue independent research within political science.
• Students will have a sophisticated understanding of selected topics in political science.

POLS 2971T - Political Science Non-Thesis Tutorial

• Students will be able to communicate effectively in political science as a discipline and to a wider audience.
• Students will be able to work effectively with difficult, multi-dimensional subjects within political science.
• Students will be equipped to pursue independent research within political science.
• Students will have a sophisticated understanding of selected topics in political science.

POLS 2980T - Political Science Non-Thesis Tutorial

• Students will be able to communicate effectively in political science as a discipline and to a wider audience.
• Students will be able to work effectively with difficult, multi-dimensional subjects within political science.
• Students will be equipped to pursue independent research within political science.
• Students will have a sophisticated understanding of selected topics in political science.

POLS 2981T - Political Science Non-Thesis Tutorial

• Students will be able to communicate effectively in political science as a discipline and to a wider audience.
• Students will be able to work effectively with difficult, multi-dimensional subjects within political science.
• Students will be equipped to pursue independent research within political science.
• Students will have a sophisticated understanding of selected topics in political science.

POLS 3040 - State Politics

• Collect and analyze empirical data on states and their policies.
• Discuss how differences in states political context and governmental institutions produce differences in their politics and policies.
• Read and summarize key elements of political science research that addresses the causes and consequences of state variation in politics and policy.
• Test theories of state variation discussed over the course using empirical observations of states and their policies.

POLS 3050J - Writing on Political Science Topics

• Critically assess and comment on the writings of others.
• Design, organize, and execute a 12-15 page research project in Political Science.
• Design, organize, and execute a verbal and visual presentation on a research project in Political Science.
• Locate and utilize Political Science resources in on-line and library settings.
• Write clear and grammatical prose.

POLS 3060 - Politics of Appalachia

• Assess the impact of economic, political & social forces on the development of physical & social capital.
• Evaluate the major theories of development and underdevelopment as they apply to Appalachia.
• Evaluate the weaknesses and assets of distressed areas, with special attention to physical and social infrastructure, & human resources.
• Identify the major public programs that have been designed to address local development.

POLS 3200 - Urban Politics

• Compare and contrast urban government structure and how urban policies are made.
• Describe the role that urban government plays in the intergovernmental arena.
• Identify and describe the unique problems and challenges that face urban governments in an era of diminishing resources.
• Identify urban budget and fiscal issues.

POLS 3230 - African American Politics in Theory and Practice

• Students will be able to describe the historical origins and foundations of African American politics.
• Students will be able to analyze the important historical experiences, events and occurrences which shaped the dynamics of African Americans within the political system.
• Students will be able to demonstrate substantive knowledge about the ongoing status and effects of African Americans within the American political world.

POLS 3520 - International Peace

• Analyze and assess competing arguments about the dispute settlement approaches appropriate to different kinds of conflicts.
• Conduct independent research into a specific case, and apply theories of conflict management and peace to it.
• Define key terms and concepts relating to conflict management and international peace.
• Describe and explain select cases involving attempts to promote peace and manage international conflict.
• Develop the ability to write clearly about your analysis of that case and the theoretical approaches best suited to it.

POLS 3540 - Different Approaches to American Foreign Policy

• Be able to articulate the premise of the reasons behind different foreign policies and their impact on the U.S. and the international system.
• Critically assess what is the impact of differing belief systems on the adoption of particular foreign policies instead of available others.
• Recognize how historical experiences, belief systems, military power, and culture allow certain foreign policies to be chosen over alternative others.
• Understand how different theories of International Relations and different causal mechanisms justify different foreign policy changes.

POLS 3700 - The Enlightenment and its Critics

• Some theorists contend that all practices of critique require enlightenment commitments to at least a minimal extent. Students will be able to knowledgeably engage this contention.
• Students will be able to analyze the relationship between these themes and political interests favoring order and stability.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of relationships between key themes recurring in enlightenment work. These might include but are not limited to: freedom, consent, knowledge, and progress.
• Students will be able to make the connections between as well as critiques of enlightenment commitments from perspectives which may include but aren’t limited to conservative thought, Marxist, psychoanalytic, existential, feminist & post-colonial.

POLS 3750 - Politics and Film

• Students will comprehend the various approaches to understanding stereotyping, and how such stereotyping works within film, and the potential influences of such images upon politics.
• Students will develop critical approaches for reading and interpreting the interaction of film and politics.
• Students will understand the importance of social constructivism as a framework for thinking about the relationship between politics and film.

POLS 3970T - Political Science Non-Thesis Tutorial

• Students will be able to communicate effectively in political science as a discipline and to a wider audience.
• Students will be able to work effectively with difficult, multi-dimensional subjects within political science.
• Students will be equipped to pursue independent research within political science.
• Students will have a sophisticated understanding of selected topics in political science.

POLS 3980T - Political Science Non-Thesis Tutorial

• Students will be able to communicate effectively in political science as a discipline and to a wider audience.
• Students will be able to work effectively with difficult, multi-dimensional subjects within political science.
• Students will be equipped to pursue independent research within political science.
• Students will have a sophisticated understanding of selected topics in political science.

POLS 4010 - American Constitutional Law

• Identify the role of race, sex, and economics in constitutional decision-making.
• Locate Supreme Court case law in its broader historical context.
• Read Supreme Court opinions, identifying the relevant facts, reasoning and holding.
• Trace the development of Supreme Court doctrine.

POLS 4015 - Constitutional Politics

• Identify the role of separation of powers theory in the U.S. Constitution.
• Identify the sources of power for the three branches of government.
• Read government documents, including Supreme Court cases, congressional hearings and executive papers.
• Recognize the role of politics in constitutional arguments.

POLS 4040 - Civil Liberties

• Identify central concepts in civil liberties theory.
• Place landmark civil liberties decisions in their historical context.
• Read Supreme Court cases.

POLS 4050 - American Political Parties

• Discuss the rise of, and challenges to, the two-party system in American politics.
• Identify the role of political parties in the development of American political institutions.
• Show how parties operate in government and in the electorate, as well as among the varied constituencies of American politics.
• State the main themes of scholarly research on political parties and voter partisanship in the United States.

POLS 4060 - Elections and Campaigns

• Identify the role of electioneering, for better or worse, in defining the nature of American democratic life.
• Outline the basic structure of American campaign organizations.
• Relate campaign operations and outcomes in a way that emphasis the strategic imperatives driving campaign organizations.
• State the main themes of scholarly research on voting and elections in the United States.

POLS 4062 - American Voting Behavior

• Students should be able to discuss the major strands of voting behavior theory.
• Students should be able to distinguish between the social science evidence on democratic practice and the operation of that practice in terms of voting behavior.
• Students should develop an understanding of the relationship between voting behavior theory and the political environments from which they were derived.
• Students should gain a sense of institutional obstacles to voter participation and the opportunities for widening the electorate.

POLS 4065 - Public Opinion, Political Participation, and Protest

• Discuss the processes of opinion formation and change as well as the causes and consequences of political participation and political protests.
• Evaluate the quality of public opinion polls, focusing in particular on questionnaire design and sampling procedures.
• Summarize key elements of empirical research on political behavior including public opinion, participation and protest.
• Test theories of individual political opinion, individual political participation, and protest activity by analyzing recent data on political behavior.

POLS 4067 - Women and Politics

• Apply theories of the effect of gender on campaigns, elections, or the behavior of elected officials using case studies of current men and women elected officials or recent candidates for political office.
• Discuss key theories that explain the influence of gender on mass and elite political activity.
• Explain the role of empirical research in the study of gender and politics.
• Read and summarize key elements of political science research that explores the influence of gender on political life, with a focus on voting, campaigns and elections, and government institutions.

POLS 4070 - Strategic Decision-Making

• Students will be able to analyze the relationship between individual actions and social outcomes, including analysis of their own participation in the society and culture in which they live.
• Students will be able to apply strategic principles to cases in politics, policy, and public administration.
• Students will be able to compute optimality under conditions of uncertainty in politics, policy, and public administration.
• Students will be able to demonstrate the intellectual skills list above along a mastery-based path over conceptual problems of increasing complexity.
• Students will be able to distinguish expected value and expected utility, as applied in political science.
• Students will be able to solve both simultaneous and sequential games with an emphasis on public goods and resources.
• Students will be able to synthesize knowledge of strategic interaction across subfields of political science.

POLS 4100 - Public Policy Analysis

• Demonstrate the ability to research and write about a substantive policy question.
• Describe, discuss, and evaluate the major models of American public policy making.
• Relate policy making processes to larger debates about democratic values and practices.
• Understand the roles, of various stakeholders in the policy making process.

POLS 4145 - Policy Implementation and Evaluation

• Assessing program impacts (performance measurement: statistical analysis of public program results).
• Designing evaluation methods (performance measurement: developing evaluation plan sheets).
• Outlining program implementation line (performance measurement: creating an outcome line of public programs).
• Understand how public policies are formulated.

POLS 4150 - The American Presidency

• Assess the power of the presidency vis-à-vis the public and the media.
• Differentiate among American political institutions responsibilities.
• Evaluate the American presidency’s evolution and scope of power.
• Identify the presidency’s organizational components.
• Understand the scope and variety of presidential roles.
• Understand the uniqueness of presidential campaigns & elections.

POLS 4151 - Politics of Taxation

• Articulate how sound principles of taxation are often dominated by politics.
• Demonstrate how macroeconomic policies, including debt policies, affect and are affected by the national economy and politics.
• Describe the difference between an economics-oriented cost-benefit analysis and a public-administration-oriented cost-benefit analysis.
• Report rationales and fiscal impacts of intergovernmental (IGR) grants, and how court rulings affect IGR grants.
• Show the difference between politics, economics, and policy.

POLS 4152 - Public Sector Cost Accounting

• Students will be able to implement cost tracing and allocation in public sector organizations and apply an advanced cost allocation method such as Activity-based Costing.
• Students will be able to manage short run cash resources to maximize their efficiency.
• Students will be able to manage long run financial and capital assets based on debt management techniques subject to institutional/legal provisions.
• Students will be able to create and interpret financial reports such as balance sheets, activity statements, and cash flow statements.
• Students will be able to make financial decisions based on financial ratios developed based on the financial reports.
• Students will be able to use spreadsheets and apply mathematical formulas.

POLS 4155 - The White House: Management and Administration

• Students should appreciate the relationship between the White House and other institutional players in American national government.
• Students should be able to discuss why the scholarship on White House operations takes a different approach than research on most administrative agencies.
• Students should recognize the plasticity of White House operations and assess the strengths and weaknesses of bureaucratic flexibility.
• Students should understand the development of the contemporary White House as an institutional structure.

POLS 4160 - Legislative Processes

• Assess the evolution of Congress’s scope of power and responsibilities.
• Differentiate among legislatures’ various functions.
• Evaluate the influence of non-governmental actors on legislatures.
• Evaluate the influence of other branches of government on legislatures.
• Understand legislators: Who they are; how they are recruited.

POLS 4180 - Interest Groups in American Politics

• Familiarity with how social movements represent the interests of those left out of the traditional political arena.
• Knowledge and understanding of how interest groups operate practically and theoretically in American politics.
• The ability to research, plan, and strategize a lobbying campaign on a significant public matter.

POLS 4190 - LGBTQ Politics

• Ability to use different research methods as consistent with constitutional, legal, policy, and/or institutional analysis.
• Ability to integrate LGBTQ issues into an analysis of broader political arenas.
• Identify political issues central to LGBTQ politics.

POLS 4210 - The Politics of Law and Sexuality

• Discuss the variation of the politics of sexuality and law across gender, race, and class.
• Display an understanding of how to brief legal cases that address issues pertaining to sexuality.
• Identify the central political justifications that underlie contemporary legal cases legal dealing with issues of sexuality.
• Identify the major legal issues pertaining to sexuality in contemporary U.S. politics.

POLS 4225 - Law and Colonialism

• Students will be able to describe examples of European and American colonization of the 19th and 20th centuries
• Students will be able to discuss how law provided justifications for colonialism and institutions to help perpetuate it
• Students will be able to analyze the role of race, class, and gender in colonial discourses
• Students will be able to identify exploitation, demonization, and exoticism of colonized peoples in colonial discourse, and discuss how this relates to the legal status of colonized subjects
• Students will be able to discuss enduring political legacies of colonialism in Europe, America, and former colonies;
• Students will be able to discuss how environmental exploitation in former colonies echoes earlier colonial relationships and produces political insecurity.
• Students will be able to locate primary sources and contextualize them within their contemporary political context.

POLS 4230 - Political Leadership

• Consider the moral dimensions of public decision-making.
• Contemplate the possibility of unintended consequences that may arise from leadership decisions.
• Discuss the relationship between courage and compromise in thoughtful leadership.
• Reflect on the role of followers in determining the sort of leadership that will (or will not) work in a given society.

POLS 4240 - American Federalism and Public Policy

• Identify and explain the critical historical junctures that have shaped federalism as an institution.
• Knowledge and understanding of the financial and administrative tools used by policy actors in the intergovernmental arena.
• Recognize and define the key concepts and terms that define federalism and intergovernmental relations.
• The ability to research, and write about a public policy from an intergovernmental perspective.

POLS 4250 - Environmental and Climate Change Politics and Policy

• Students will be able to categorize the actors involved in environmental politics and be able to explain the significance of ‘astroturf’ groups.
• Students will be able to critically analyze public opinion data, and be able to explain the difference between salience and support for environmental protection.
• Students will be able to discuss the concept of paradigms, and be able to explain how an understanding of competing paradigms provides an important lens for understanding environmental politics.
• Students will be able to discuss the role of science in the policy process including identifying Brownlash tactics and their effect on public support and policy-making.
• Students will be able to identify and discuss the key action channels in environmental politics, and be able to explain the critical role of the administrative action channel in environmental politics.

POLS 4260 - Politics of the Contemporary Environmental Movement

• Discuss the tactics and philosophies of radical environmentalism; differentiate between civil disobedience and ecotage; explain how radical environmentalists justify ecotage; critically analyze.
• Discuss the evolution of grassroots environmental activism; explain the contributions made by women, and analyze the forms of gender discrimination faced by women activists.
• Discuss the characteristics and contributions of the environmental mainstream, and explain their significance.
• Discuss the catalysts for environmental activism by people of color; define key terms including disproportionate impact, and environmental justice; and critically analyze environmental racism.

POLS 4270 - Theories of American Foreign Policy

• Gain a rich understanding of major theoretical explanations of American foreign policies.
• Provide their own theoretical accounts for explaining American foreign policies.
• Students should be able to distinguish between different theoretical propositions.
• Students should be able to evaluate the logic of different theories and test them with empirical facts.
• Students should be able to move comfortably from abstract theoretical concepts to concrete foreign policy events.

POLS 4280 - Politics and Science in the United States

• Develop an understanding of the complexity of social and political problems and the need for varied and diverse solutions
• Integrate knowledge of political science and science as well as other academic disciplines including communications, economics, sociology, and pyschology
• Synthesize material across the discipline of political science
• Use a variety of statistical methods to analyze data

POLS 4300 - Politics in Western Europe

• Able to analyze the key theoretical debates in West European politics.
• Able to demonstrate critical analysis of West European politics in written assignments and essay exams.
• Able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in West European politics.
• Able to examine key issues in West European politics.

POLS 4310 - Politics in Eastern Europe

• Compare and contrast the experiences of different countries in Eastern Europe.
• Describe and explain the basic histories and current challenges faced by states in Eastern Europe.
• Identify the causes and consequences of key moments of social, economic, and political change that have taken place in Eastern Europe.
• Use theories of comparative politics to analyze and explain political outcomes in Eastern Europe.

POLS 4340 - Government and Politics of Latin America

• Students will be able to analyze the key theoretical debates in Latin American politics.
• Students will be able to critically analyze Latin American politics.
• Students will be able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in Latin American politics.
• Students will be able to define core concepts of Latin American politics.
• Students will be able to apply core concepts to actual political institutions.

POLS 4360 - Government and Politics of Brazil

• Able to analyze the key theoretical debates in Brazilian politics.
• Able to demonstrate critical analysis of Brazilian politics in written assignments and essay exams.
• Able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in Brazilian politics.
• Able to examine key issues in Brazilian politics.

POLS 4370 - Government and Politics in Britain

• Able to analyze the key theoretical debates in British politics.
• Able to demonstrate critical analysis of British politics in written assignments and essay exams.
• Able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in British politics.
• Able to examine key issues in British politics.

POLS 4380 - Government and Politics in Germany

• Able to analyze the key theoretical debates in German politics.
• Able to demonstrate critical analysis of German politics in written assignments and essay exams.
• Able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in German politics.
• Able to examine key issues in German politics.

POLS 4390 - Government and Politics in France

• Able to analyze the key theoretical debates in French politics.
• Able to demonstrate critical analysis of French politics in written assignments and essay exams.
• Able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in French politics.
• Able to examine key issues in French politics.

POLS 4400 - The Politics of Developing Areas

• Able to analyze the key theoretical debates concerning the politics of developing countries.
• Able to demonstrate critical analysis of politics in developing countries in written assignments and essay exams.
• Able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in the politics of developing countries.
• Able to examine key issues in the politics of developing countries.

POLS 4410 - African Politics

• Able to analyze the key theoretical debates in African politics.
• Able to demonstrate critical analysis of African politics in written assignments and essay exams.
• Able to evaluate competing approaches to explaining outcomes in African politics.
• Able to examine key issues in African politics.

POLS 4415 - Religion and Global Politics

• Students will be able to analyze religions embeddedness in political life, and interpret the complex ways religious ideas and institutions both shape and are inflected by political realities.
• Students will be able to articulate why some religious faiths and movements have more political influence than others.
• Students will be able to compare and contrast the impacts of different faith traditions across global political systems.
• Students will be able to conduct independent research on the relationship between religion and politics in global perspective.
• Students will be able to describe and critique multiple theories of religion’s impact on politics in the domestic and international spheres.

POLS 4420 - Middle East Politics

• Students will be able to articulate insights about their own cultural rules and biases when discussing Middle Eastern cultures and politics.
• Students will be able to describe the complexity of elements important to members of Middle Eastern cultures in relation to its history, values, politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs and practices.
• Students will be able to interpret intercultural experience from their own and others¿ worldview and to act in a supportive manner that recognizes the considerations of different Middle Eastern religious and political communities and cultures.
• Students will be able to explain cultural differences in verbal and non-verbal communication in the Middle Eastern context and negotiate a shared understanding based on those differences.
• Students will be able to ask complex questions of Middle Eastern culture and politics, and to articulate answers to these questions that reflect multiple cultural perspectives.
• Students will be able to design, plan, and deliver a written project that is organized coherently and logically, and that employs relevant evidence and examples from the world of politics and government.