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Chair: George Jarnis
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Professors: |
John Ambacher, George Jarnis, Elaine Storella |
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Assistant Professor: |
Douglas Telling |
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Pre-Law Advisor: |
John Ambacher |
The General Education
Requirements
All students must satisfy
a general education requirement consisting of eleven (11) courses
outside of the major department (see page 60). The General Education
Goal 10 (Forces in the United States) and Constitution Studies (U.S. and
Massachusetts) requirements are satisfied through the completion of the
Politics major.
Course
Prerequisites
Courses may have specified conditions for enrollment, such as prior
completion of less advanced courses, permission of the instructor, or
appropriate placement test scores. Students should refer to course
descriptions in the department listings for prerequisite requirements.
POLITICS MAJOR (POG)
Departmental Requirements for Politics Major:
The
Politics major consists of twelve (12) courses and one (1)
required/related general education course.
Introductory core courses (required):
62.110
Introduction to American Politics
62.120
Introduction to World Politics
Intermediate courses (select two):
62.211
Political Theory: Justice, Law, and Order
62.216
Film and Politics
62.223
Bureaucratic Politics and Power
62.245
Comparative Politics: Europe
62.250
American Legal Systems
Advanced
core courses (required):
62.316
U.S. Constitutional Law and Politics
62.337
Legislative Politics and Policy
62.341
The Presidency: Politics and Administration
Advanced
courses (select three):
62.313
American Political Thought
62.325
Public Management
62.327
Elections and Campaign Strategy
62.328
Public Budgeting and Management
62.329
Public Policy Analysis
62.342
Formation and Conduct of U.S. Foreign Policy
One
Elective:
Any
course offered by the Government Department
Seminar:
62.425
Seminar in Politics
Required/related course:
All
Politics majors must take 43.117 Introduction to Statistics.
Students majoring in Politics should complete 62.110 Introduction to
American Politics and
62.120
Introduction to World Politics during their freshman year. All above
courses must be completed prior to the end of the sophomore year.
MINOR IN LAW AND POLITICS (5
courses)
The
minor in Law and Politics is designed to provide undergraduate students
with a structured program of study in judicial and governmental
processes. U.S. public policy is constrained by our legal system, and
conversely, our legal system is sometimes modified by political
interests. This program will focus on the interaction of law and
politics.
62.211
Political Theory: Justice, Law, and Order
62.250
American Legal Systems
62.315
Judicial Politics and Policy
62.316
U.S. Constitutional Law and Politics
62.450
Internship in the Judicial System
MINOR IN POLITICS (5 courses)
62.110
Introduction to American Politics Four (4) other courses above the
100-level acceptable for the major
MINOR IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
(5 courses)
The
Public Administration minor addresses the purpose, function and behavior
of public sector agencies and the management of government and
non-profit organizations. It addresses the environment in which public
administration operates and provides students with the tools and
techniques public sector mangers employ to develop, promote, implement,
and assess public policy and programs.
62.223
Bureaucratic Politics and Policy
62.325
Public Management
62.328
Public Budgeting and Management
62.329
Public Policy Analysis
62.335
Public Personnel Management
POLITICS COURSES APPROPRIATE
FOR GENERAL EDUCATION (GEN. ED.)
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Courses |
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Goal(s) |
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62.110 |
Introduction to American Politics |
10
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62.120 |
Introduction to World Politics |
11
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62.212 |
Political Theory: Age of Ideology |
8
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62.216 |
Film and Politics |
12
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62.250 |
American Legal Systems |
10
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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Lower Division
62.110 Introduction to American
Politics (Gen. Ed. Goal 10)
An
introduction to American governmental institutions and the political
process. Among the topics included are the political culture and
socialization, political participation, the media, social movements and
minority politics, and interest groups and political parties.
This course fulfills the requirement to study
the United State and Massachusetts constitutions.
Note:
Credit
will not be given for this course after completing 62.101 Introduction
to American Politics I, 62.102 Introduction to American Politics II, or
62.103 Survey of American Politics.
62.120 Introduction to World Politics
(Gen. Ed. Goal 11)
An introduction to the
theory and substance of world politics. Concentration on the rise and
nature of the modern state system, study of the roles played by
international law, diplomacy, and international organizations, and an
analysis of the impact on the international system of the transition
from a Euro-centered system to a more truly global one.
Intermediate Level
62.211 Political Theory:
Justice, Law, and Order
An
historical approach to the study of the ideas of justice, law, and order
as they evolved in Western tradition from Hammurabi’s code and Plato’s
Republic
in ancient
times to such twentieth- century analyses as John Rawls’
A
Theory of Justice.
This course integrates information from the disciplines of politics,
history, and philosophy. It also fulfills the requirement to study the
federal and Massachusetts constitutions.
62.212 Political Theory: Age of
Ideology (Gen. Ed. Goal 8)
An historical approach to
the study of nineteenth and twentieth-century ideologies including such
“isms” as conservatism, liberalism, socialism, totalitarianism, ethnic
nationalism, and religious fundamentalism. Lectures, discussions, and
written assignments focus on analyzing primary sources in terms of
historical context and political consequences.
62.216 Film and Politics (Gen.
Ed. Goal 12)
An examination of the
relationship between film and American politics. This course examines
how film depicts and influences American political culture, values, and
institutions with emphasis on the relationship between film and the
politics of gender, class, and race. Students are required to review and
analyze film texts in relationship to the scope of the course.
Prerequisite: 21.110 Expository Writing.
62.223 Bureaucratic Politics
and Power
An introduction to
bureaucratic organizations servicing the public sector. The course
analyzes the politics and power of governmental bureaucracies and
discusses their substantive impact upon individuals and societal policy.
Topics include the growth of bureaucratic authority and power,
organizational behavior, administrative leadership, decision making, the
politics of budgeting, and administrative accountability and
responsibility.
62.245 Comparative Politics:
Europe
An integrative study of
the history, political institutions and public policies of Western
Europe in the post-World War II period. Initially, the
country-by-country approach focuses on the “Big Four”: the United
Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy. To a lesser extent, “smaller”
nations like Sweden and the former Yugoslavia are included.
International organizations such as NATO and the European Union are also
considered.
62.250 American Legal Systems
(Gen. Ed. Goal 10)
A study of the origins
and essentials of the common law, statutes, constitutions, and court
decisions in the United States. Emphasis is on legal reasoning and case
analysis to promote legal problem-solving skills. Topics include
criminal law and procedures, property law, contract law, and the law of
torts. This course fulfills the requirements to study the federal and
Massachusetts constitutions.
Advanced Level Courses
62.313 American Political
Thought
A focus on the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries in an attempt to understand American
political thought in terms of “national mythology.” Readings are primary
sources.
62.315 Judicial Politics and
Policy
The roles of judges,
lawyers, law enforcement officials, and litigants in the judicial
system. The process used to make legal decisions and the effect of these
decisions will be examined. Finally, the courts’ relations with other
political institutions are analyzed.
62.316 U.S. Constitutional Law
and Politics
A study of the role of
judicial supremacy, judicial restraint, and judicial activism in the
American political system and the processes by which they have evolved.
62.325 Public Management
A study of organizational
management, administrative behavior, and public policy issues. The
course is structured around the case method approach. Students’
participation in the form of role playing and game simulation is highly
emphasized.
62.326 Political Parties and
Interest Groups
An analysis of the
characteristics, roles, and status of American political parties and
interest groups. Attention is focused on the strengths and weaknesses of
the party system and alternative forms of political organization.
62.327 Elections and Campaign
Strategy
An analysis of the
changing nature of electoral politics resulting from such factors as the
decline of parties, reforms, finance laws, the media, and voting
behavior. The course focuses upon the techniques of campaign management
to include strategy, fund raising, the media, polling, and the new
technology. Students participate in a campaign and conduct an election
survey.
62.328 Public Budgeting and
Management
In the present context of
resource scarcity and cutbacks in government spending, an examination of
reform-oriented budgeting practices and techniques with an emphasis on
effective resource allocation and management control in public and
non-profit organizations. Course topics include contracting, leasing and
procurement practices, analytical techniques, performance measurement,
and evaluation design. Particular emphasis is given to the development
of program/grant proposals and location of funding sources.
62.329 Public Policy Analysis
An analysis of the policy
process emphasizing the response of officials to problems, available
policy alternatives, the way officials choose and implement programs and
the effect of these programs. A substantive topic is used to illustrate
the basic concepts and principles of the public policy process.
62.335 Public Personnel
Management
A focus on organizational
theory, organizational structure, staffing, job classification,
unionism, collective bargaining, and personnel productivity and
performance evaluation with respect to public sector management.
Managerial tools related to recruitment, personnel supervision,
organizational control, and leadership are emphasized. Case studies,
role playing, and simulation are used to engage the student in the
practical application of theories and practices of personnel management.
62.337 Legislative Politics and
Policy
An examination of the
selection, organization and decision-making processes found in Congress
and the state legislatures. The relationship of the legislature to the
President, bureaucracy, interest groups, and judicial branch also are
discussed. Students participate in a simulation of the process by which
bills are enacted into law.
62.341 The Presidency: Politics and
Administration
A description and
analysis of the President as a major actor in the American political
system. It investigates the political stakes, strategies, and resources
of the President with respect to other political actors and
institutions. The course focuses upon the sources and limitations of
Presidential power and the nature of Presidential decision making.
62.342 Formation and Conduct of U.S.
Foreign Policy
An analysis of the
principal decision-making processes that affect, and have affected, the
formulation and implementation of American foreign policy since World
War I. Emphasis is on the major agencies and institutions responsible
for the formulation and execution of American foreign policy decisions.
A case study approach is followed. Prerequisite: Basic course
requirements of Politics majors outlined above.
62.425 Seminar in Politics
An advanced study of
politics under the direction of a member of the faculty. The theme for
the seminar, as well as for research topics, papers, projects, and/or
student presentations, is determined by the course instructor.
Prerequisite: Completion or nine (9) or more Politics courses, 43.117
Introduction to Statistics, and Approval of the Department Chair. Open
to Politics majors only.
62.450 Internship in the
Judicial System
A supervised internship
experience in the judicial system combined with an authorized field
study assignment of a minimum of ten hours per week for the semester.
Does not count toward the Politics major. Prerequisite: 62.250 American
Legal Systems and permission of instructor. For details see Chair of the
Government Department one semester prior to registration.
62.490 Independent Study
A politics major whose
quality point average in the major is no less than 3.0 and who has
completed at least six courses in the Department of Government may apply
to the Department for a course in Independent Study under the
supervision of a member of the Department. This application should be
made no later than the end of the third week of the preceding semester.
The application must include a detailed proposal outlining either an
extensive reading program or a research project. The Department will
respond to the application usually within four weeks.
62.495 Internship in
Politics/Government
A supervised work
experience in politics or government combined with a field study
assignment. Prerequisite: a 3.0 or better quality point average in the
major plus completion of six courses in the Department. See Department
Chair for details of specific requirements one semester prior to
registration.
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