Political Science

Course Code	POL 105  Credits 3
Title	Making Sense of Politics
Lasc Area	Goal 5
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	This course is designed to help the citizens of modern society understand the recurring principles, practices, and patterns of politics. Having learned how politics affects our lives every day, students can become informed participants at the local, national, and global levels. MnTC Goal 5.

Course Code	POL 120  Credits 3
Title	American National Government and Politics
Lasc Area	Goal 5 Goal 9
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	This course examines the United States national government; how and why it works. This course will analyze the role of institutions on decision-making and the consequences for public policy. It will address what political science and other social sciences tell us about factors that influence politics, government and the policies that result from the process. MnTC Goal 5 and 9.

Course Code	POL 140  Credits 3
Title	Political Statecraft
Lasc Area	Goal 2
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	Statecraft is the art of crafting governmental affairs. This class will explore the use of problem solving simulations to expose students to how democracies, constitutional monarchies, dictatorships, and governments in a state of revolution work to approach and solve public problems such as funding social programs, confronting natural disasters, and addressing military crises. MnTC Goal 2.

Course Code	POL 160  Credits 3
Title	International Relations
Lasc Area	Goal 5 Goal 8
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	Nation-state system: the network of economic, political, cultural and technological interdependence; power, diplomacy, intelligence, war and the arms race. MnTC Goal 5 and 8.

Course Code	POL 210  Credits 3
Title	Introduction to Political Science
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	An introduction to the major questions of political science and the scientific study of politics. Conceptual development is examined as represented in the major fields of political science.

Course Code	POL 221  Credits 3
Title	Minnesota State and Local Government
Lasc Area	Goal 5 Goal 9
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	A study of the basic functions, structure, procedures and problems of American state and local government, with an emphasis upon intergovernmental relations. MnTC Goal 5 and 9.

Course Code	POL 230  Credits 3
Title	Introduction to the Law
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	The philosophy of law; its social context; justice and its implications; evolution of legal concepts and systems.

Course Code	POL 251  Credits 3
Title	Legal Research and Writing
Course Outline	Course Outline
Writing Intensive	Yes
Description	Introduction to legal research and analysis. Students will develop skills in legal issue identification, analysis and research through progressively more complex exercises, including preparation of a case brief, legal memorandum and a correspondence project.

Course Code	POL 265  Credits 3
Title	International Protection of Human Rights
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	This course focuses on the contemporary concern with human rights in its political, social, cultural, and legal contexts. It examines the history, philosophy, and legal foundations of the human rights movement, and how the ideas and context of human rights are realized in different societies.

Course Code	POL 290  Credits 3
Title	Topics in Political Science
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	Examination of an issue at an introductory level. May be repeated as topic varies.

Course Code	POL 310  Credits 3
Title	Political Science Research Methods
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	Introduction to empirical research in political science; the nature and role of theory, research design, measurement, and the selection and interpretation of inferential statistics.

Course Code	POL 315  Credits 3
Title	Political Thought
Lasc Area	Goal 9
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	Selected reading and analysis of the major ideas and concepts that have influenced the evolution of modern political ideas. MnTC Goal 9.

Course Code	POL 316  Credits 3
Title	War and the Environment
Lasc Area	Goal 10
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	Study of the relationship between human armed conflict and the physical environment, including climate change and resource demand as drivers for conflict, the international security issues arising from environmental disasters, contested borders, contamination resulting from wars and prospects for environmental humanitarianism and peacemaking. MnTC Goal 10.

Course Code	POL 320  Credits 3
Title	Family Law
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	The law of domestic relations, including marriage, separation, divorce, annulment, adoption, custody, and other topics.

Course Code	POL 322  Credits 3
Title	Executive and Legislative Process
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	Legislative and executive decision-making and organization. Relationships between the two branches and with other parts of government, political parties, and the political process.

Course Code	POL 324  Credits 3
Title	Political Parties and Interest Groups
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	This course will examine the role of parties in American politics and the relationship between parties and interest groups which is relatively new to American politics. The course will examine how parties compete with and complement one another. The behavior of parties and interest groups in elections and governance will be examined.

Course Code	POL 327  Credits 3
Title	Campaigns & Elections
Lasc Area	Goal 9
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	This course examines the politics of campaigns and elections in the United States. Topics include campaigns in democratic theory, candidate selection, campaign finance, campaign strategy and organization, the role of parties and interest groups, public opinion polling, and campaign communication. MnTC Goal 9.

Course Code	POL 328  Credits 3
Title	The Media and Politics
Prerequisite	POL 120
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	The media's role in politics, including relations between the media and government.

Course Code	POL 332  Credits 3
Title	Constitutional Law I: Institutional Powers and Constraints
Prerequisite	POL 120
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	This course focuses on the topics of judicial review, separation of powers, federalism, and economic regulation, including commerce and taxation, substantive due process, and eminent domain.

Course Code	POL 333  Credits 3
Title	Constitutional Law II: Civil Rights and Liberties
Lasc Area	Goal 7
Course Outline	Course Outline
Description	This course focuses on the First Amendment freedoms -- speech, press, expression, assembly and religion and questions of race, gender and ethnicity, due process, equal protection, voting rights and the right to privacy under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. MnTC Goal 7.