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Department of Political Science

COURSES

• Political Science (PL SI)
• Political Theory (PL SI)
• International Relations (PL SI)
• Comparative Government (PL SI)
• American Government (PL SI)
• Local Government (PL SI)
• Public Law (PL SI)
• Public Administration (PL SI)
• Core Program for Master of Arts Degree in International Relations (PL SI) --- Graduate Courses
• Graduate Public Administration (GPA)

Political Science (PL SI)

1. Modern Politics (3)
Introduction to the study of democratic and authoritarian political systems; evaluation of the historical, cultural, and economic contexts of modern politics around the world; institutional structures and functions; political ideologies; individual and group participation in the political process; current issues. G.E. Breadth D3.

2. American Government and Institutions (3)
Meets the United States Constitution requirement and the federal, California state, and local government requirement. Not open to students with credit in PL SI 101. The development and operation of government in the United States; study of how ideas, institutions, laws, and people have constructed and maintained a political order in America. Not available for CR/NC grading. G.E. Breadth D2. (CAN GOVT 2)

10T. Contemporary Issues in Politics
(1-3; max total 9 if no topic repeated)
Significant contemporary uses in political theory, world politics, comparative government, American government, local government, public administration, or public opinion.

90. Methods of Analysis of Quantitative Political Data (3)
An introduction to hypothesis testing in political science, with applications to the analysis of quantitative political data; the formulation of research problems and hypotheses; accuracy and precision in measurements; problems of evidence and inference; basic techniques of statistical analysis. (2 lecture, 2 lab hours)

101. American Constitution, Institutions, and Ideals (3)
Meets the United States Constitution requirement and the federal, California state, and local government requirement. Not open to students below second semester sophomore or with credit in PL SI 2. Executive, legislative, and judicial functions of our government under the constitution; federal, California state, and local governmental relationships. Not available for CR/NC grading.

102. California Government and Institutions (1)
Not open to students with credit in PL SI 2, 101. Open only to students who have satisfied United States Constitution requirement but have not satisfied California state and local government requirement. Examination of legislative, executive, judicial, and local government problems in California. Not available for CR/NC grading.

103. California Politics (3)
Satisfies California state and local government requirement, if not used for political science major. Emphasis on the historical development of politics in California and the factors and institutions important to contemporary politics: characteristics of the electorate, voter registration, primaries and general elections, candidates and campaigning, party organizations and leaders, interest groups, and current issues.



Political Theory (PL SI)

110. Seminar in History of Political Thought to Machiavelli (3)
Development of political thought from Plato to Machiavelli: law, justice, the state, authority, forms of government, and church-state relations in light of the philosophy of history.

111. Seminar in History of Political Thought Since Machiavelli (3)
Freedom and individual rights, democracy, majority rule, equality, law and authority, power, constitutionalism, property, social class and structure, and revolution traced through the writings of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hume, Burke, Bentham, Hegel, Tocqueville, and Mill.

112. Politics and Christianity (3)
(Same as A ETH 104.) Inquiry into major facets of Christianity as an integral part of the Western humanistic tradition of politics. Emphasis on Christian theories of man, the state, freedom, and democracy. Politics to be interpreted in the broadest sense of all human association in pursuit of power, order, art, science, and culture.

114. Seminar in American Political Thought (3)
Analysis of democracy, majority rule and minority rights, constitutionalism, federalism, representation, pluralism, property, separation of powers, and judicial review based on the perspectives of representative early and contemporary American thinkers.

119T. Topics in Political Theory (1-4; max total 8)
Possible topics include theories of democracy; the Marxian tradition; political thought of specific authors, historical periods and countries; peace and war; church-state relations; the nature of politics and of political science.



International Relations (PL SI)

120. International Politics (3)
Dynamics of political interactions of nations; nationalism, imperialism and interdependence; national power and diplomacy; types of conflict, including war; peaceful settlement of disputes; current issues involving competing foreign policies, national development, energy, and national liberation movements. G.E. Multicultural/International MI.

121. American Foreign Affairs (3)
Prerequisite: PL SI 2. Formulation and execution of American foreign policy; constitutional frame work; role of the president and the executive branch, Congress, pressure groups and public opinion; contemporary problems and policies.

125. Russian Foreign Policy (3)
Historical and ideological sources of foreign policy of Russia and other former Soviet republics; continuity and change in methods, strategy, and tactics; policy formulation and application in specific geographic and subject matter areas.

126. International Law and Organization (3)
The sources and subjects of international law; state jurisdiction and responsibility; international agreements; the regulation of force and the peaceful settlement of disputes through international law and organization, including the League of Nations, the United Nations, and regional organizations.

128T. Topics in International Relations
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Politics of military power; arms limitation and control; peace theory; ecopolitics; regionalism and cooperation; shifts in balance of power; nationalism; imperialism; neutralism and nonalignment; foreign policies of specific nations.



Comparative Government (PL SI)

140. Approaches to Comparative Politics (3)
Prerequisite: PL SI 1. Exploration of theories, models, and conceptual frameworks for the comparative study of political systems and subsystems; methodological rather than an area emphasis.

141. Russian Politics (3)
A study of the political systems of Russia and other former Soviet republics. Changes in relations between state and society; change and continuity in political culture; trends in policy making; issues of relations between nationality groups.

142T. Area Studies in Western Europe
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Government and politics of Western Europe (Britain, France, Germany, and Italy), Northern European Countries (Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden); or government and politics, of selected countries.

143T. Area Studies in Eastern Europe
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Government and politics of Eastern Europe; or government, politics, and institutions of selected countries.

144T. Area Studies in Africa and Middle East
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic is repeated)
Government and politics of Sub-Sahara Africa, Middle East; or government, politics, and institutions of selected countries.

145T. Area Studies in Asia
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Government and politics of selected countries in East and Southeast Asia.

146T. Area Studies in Latin America
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Possible topics include politics of South America; politics of Central America and Caribbean countries; roles of selected groups in Latin American politics.

147. East Asian Politics (3)
Examines the governments, institutions, politics, and policy of China, Japan, North and South Korea, and selected Southeast Asian Nations. (Formerly PL SI 145T)

148. Latin American Politics (3)
Discusses the role of the military and violence in Latin American politics, the role of civilian groups with emphasis on democratization, and the influence of other nations - especially the United States - on Latin American politics. (Formerly PL SI 146T)

149T. Seminar in Comparative Government
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Parliamentary systems, problems and goals of developing nations, federal systems, comparative local government, parties and pressure groups, and multi-party systems.



American Government (PL SI)

71. Introduction to Environmental Politics (3)
Introduction to study of environmental politics and policy making in the United States; a brief history of environmentalism; basic principles in environmental policy making, including policy making for interest groups, legislatures, and levels of government; and selection of current topics in environmental issues. G.E. Breadth D3.

150. Public Policy Making (3)
Examines the institutional and political processes by which public policy is formulated, adopted, and implemented. Individual instruction on student papers (students with fundamental writing deficiencies will be required to enroll in ENGL 1L, 1 unit, concurrently).

151. Political Participation and Political Parties (3)
Political parties; nature and extent of citizen political activity; election of public officials; political organization of government.

152. Public Opinion and Political Behavior (3)
Examines the origins and expression of political attitudes and beliefs, including voting and other political participation, and how public opinion influences public policy. Special attention is given to partisanship, elections, and voting. (Formerly PL SI 156T)

153. Presidential Politics (3)
Examines the history, development, and operation of the U.S. Presidency. Special attention is given to the rise of the modern presidency, presidential power (constitutional and extra-constitutional), presidential speech, presidential elections, and the importance of public opinion for presidential power. (Formerly PL SI 159T)

154. Congressional Politics (3)
Examines the history, development, and operation of the U.S. Congress. Special attention is given to congressional elections, congressional-presidential relations, and the policy-making process. (Formerly PL SI 159T)

156T. Topics in Political Behavior
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Voting behavior, political alienation, leadership, political perceptions and knowledge, environmental effects on political participation, group processes, and political socialization.

157. Environmental Politics (3)
Examines theory, concepts, and practices in U.S. environmental politics and policy. Topics include ecological principles, the history and philosophy of environmentalism, the contemporary political conflict over environmental policy, and environmental policy analysis. (Formerly PL SI 189T)

158. Internship in Political Science (2-6; max total 6)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Maximum credit toward the political science major, 3 units. Supervised work experience in legislative offices and/or political campaigns to provide student with an opportunity to fuse theory and practice. CR/NC grading only.

159T. Seminar in American Government and Politics
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Congressional committee operations, policy making by the courts, political implications of civil service, executive initiation of legislation, minority groups and politics, political implications of news reporting; jurisprudence and legal philosophy; legal institutions; conflict resolution.



Local Government (PL SI)

160. State and Local Governments (3)
The organization, structure, powers, and functions of state and local governments.

163. Municipal Government (3)
Organization, powers, and functions of city government; types of city charters, relationship between city and state government; police and fire protection, education, water supply, health and sanitation, city planning, debts and taxation, public utilities.

169T. Seminar in Metropolitan Government and Politics
(1-4; max total 8 if no topic repeated)
Regional and area intergovernmental relations, urban renewal, human relations agencies, and taxation methodologies.



Public Law (PL SI)

170. Constitutional Law, the Federal Structure (3)
Judicial Review, powers of the president, powers of Congress, federalism, and the contract clause and due process -- economic rights through case studies of leading Supreme Court decisions.

171. Constitutional Law, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights (3)
Free speech and association, freedom of press, commercial free speech, obscenity, religion guarantees, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth amendment issues, and social and political equality through case studies of leading Supreme Court decisions.

174. Politics and the Court (3)
An introduction to the judicial process: jurisprudence, courts and social policy, instruments and limitations of judicial power, fact finding, precedents and legal reasoning, statutory and constitutional interpretation, and the search for standards.

179T. Seminar in Public Law (1-4; max total 8)
Administrative law, international law, judicial administration, jurisprudence, legal institutions.



Public Administration (PL SI)

181. Public Administration (3)
General analysis of the field of public administration; administrative theories; policy and administration; behavioralism; budgeting, planning, and legal framework.

182. Administrative Analysis:
Management and Organization (3)
Administrative organization; methods; systems and procedures; problem solving; systems analysis; reports and records; resources management.

183. Comparative Administration (3)
Theories of comparative public administration; cross-national comparisons of administrative processes; institutions, policy formation, and behavior with consideration of cultural, social, and economic environments.

184. Public Budgeting and Economy Policy (3)
Examines the administrative and political considerations of revenue generation and expenditure; budget types; the budgetary process and analysis; capital budgeting and debt administration; intergovernmental fiscal relations; monetary and fiscal policy.

185. Public Personnel Management (3)
Examines the evolution of public personnel administration including the development of merit principles, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action; recruitment, selection, and career development; classification techniques; theories of motivation; public sector labor relations.

187. Internship in Public Administration (2-6; max total 6)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Maximum credit toward public administration major, 3 units. Supervised work experience in public agencies to provide the student with an opportunity to fuse theory and practice. CR/NC grading only.

188T. Topics in Public Administration
(1-4; max total 9 if no topic repeated)
Treatment of current topics and problems in fiscal administration, public personnel administration, and planning.

189T. Seminar in Public Administration
(3; max total 6 if no topic repeated)
The values and philosophy of administration; management and dynamics of change; public relations and communication problems in public administration; planning problems and techniques; systems approach to resource management.

190. Independent Study (1-3; max total 6)
See Academic Placement -- Independent Study. Approved for SP grading.

191. Directed Readings (1)
Directed readings and supplemental and original source material for enrichment of regular offerings in the subdiscipline.

Core Program for Master of Arts Degree
in International Relations (PL SI)

200. Seminar in Methods and Political Systems (3)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Systematic analysis of major political cultures and economic systems. Emphasis upon the leading theoretical models of the contemporary international system, issues of political economy, and methods of cross-cultural research.

210. International Relations and Political Theory (3)
(Same as A ETH 201.) Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Inquiry into philosophies of international relations with particular emphasis on moral foundations of international law in light of Western political theory. Some contemporary problems selected for in-depth analysis and student research.

220. Seminar in Politics and Conflict (3)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Analysis of sources of political conflict and methods of conflict resolution with application to selected topics, such as the foreign policy of major powers, the dynamics of political transformation, interaction in regional subsystems, or national defense and arms control.

240. Seminar in Politics of Resources and Modernization (3)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Analysis of global interdependence and national examples in selected resource areas. Emphasis on approaches to modernization in developing nations and relations between rich nations and poor nations.

250. Seminar in Politics and Policy (3)
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation from a comparative perspective. Examines substantive policy issues common to modern industrial and developing nations from the perspectives of policy analysis and decision-making; considers the role of bureaucracy, the welfare state, political economy, and competing ideologies.

290. Independent Study (1-3; max total 6)
See Academic Placement -- Independent Study. Approved for SP grading.

298. Project Equivalent to Thesis (6)
See Criteria for Thesis and Project. Significant undertaking of a pursuit appropriate to international politics. Must demonstrate originality and independent thinking and be accompanied by written scholarly apparatus. Project examples: documentary film; extensive curricular design; computer design of military strategies. Approved for SP grading.

299. Thesis (6)
See Criteria for Thesis and Project. Approved for SP grading.



Graduate Public Administration (GPA)

120G. Quantitative Applications for Public Administration (3)
The gathering, evaluation, and use of quantified information in the design and evaluation of programs and administrative activities. Data collection; measurement; sampling; data analysis, including regression, structural equation models, and linear programming; computer applications. (2 lecture, 2 lab hours)

200. Administration and Society (3)
How administration acts and is acted upon by institutional forces and values; role of history, cultural, ethical, political, social, and economic values and institutions; an emphasis on: bureaucracy, economy and democracy, centralization vs. decentralization, professionalism and society; alternatives to bureaucracy.

210. Public Organization Behavior and Dynamics (3)
A study of how human behavior, motivations, personality, interpersonal and group dynamics operate in complex organizations; an emphasis on management styles, planned change, organization development, conflict management, leadership and communication skills.

225. Accounting for Public Management (3)
Students contemplating additional courses in accounting should enroll in MBA 201. Concepts, principles, and practices of accounting applicable to the administration of public programs and agencies. Current practices in recording and valuation. Analysis and interpretation of financial statements. Budgeting, internal reporting, and management controls.

230. Public Revenue and Expenditure Analysis (3)
Prerequisites: ECON 40 and 50 or permission of instructor. The use of economic analysis in the resolution of major problems in revenue collection and expenditure choices. Critical examination of: burdens and effectiveness of taxation measures conflicts between efficiency and equity; users charges; cost calculations; and cost-benefit analysis.

240. Public Management Methods and Processes (3)
A survey of public management concepts, tools, and processes; policy planning and management; strategic thinking; interpersonal and problem solving skills; work design; performance monitoring; management control; information systems; program evaluation; and integrative as well as critical perspectives on management.

241. Resource Management (3)
Prerequisite: GPA 240. Administration of fiscal and human resources. Emphasis on resource acquisition, allocation, and development strategies; budgeting skills, debt, and financial management. Human asset management, labor relations, position classification and analysis, quality of work life and employment equity issues.

250. Ethics and Public Administration (3)
(Same as A ETH 202.) Prerequisite: GPA 210. The moral dimensions of public administrative decision-making. The nature of public and private morality; psychological and ethical egoism; relativism; utilitarianism and deontological theories; rights and goods in the public service context; sensitive applications of rules in public agencies.

260. Public Policy Administration (3)
Prerequisites: GPA 120G, 200, 210, 240. A study of policy initiation, formulation, and implementation and a public manager's role in them; management processes and functions in the policy process; policy justification and advocacy, policy analysis, and implementation evaluation.

280T. Topics in Public Administration
(3; max total 6 if no topic repeated)
Selected topics meeting student needs and interests that are not met in other university courses.

287. Internship in Public Administration (3)
Concurrent enrollment in either GPA 200 or 210. Supervised work experience for a realistic exposure to an organizational-bureaucratic environment for students in the M.P.A. Program who lack significant work experience in a public or not-for-profit organization. CR/NC grading only; not applicable for unit credit toward M.P.A. degree.

289T. Practitioner's Seminar
(1; max total 6 if no topic repeated)
Prerequisite: Some seminars may have course prerequisites. Selected topics in the administration of public programs and agencies examined from the prospective and experience of practitioners.

290. Independent Study (1-4; max total 6)
See Academic Placement -- Independent Study. Approved for SP grading.

299. Thesis (3)
Prerequisite: See Criteria for Thesis and Project. Preparation, completion, and submission of an acceptable thesis for the Master's degree. Approved for SP grading.

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