Graduate Courses in Political Science

500. Foundations and Scope of Political Science (3)

Prerequisite: Graduate status or consent of instructor. Approaches applied to the conceptual analysis of political phenomena. Substantive models of social and political order and change as well as methodological arguments about the nature of explanation in political science.

550. Research Methods in Political Science (3)

Prerequisite: POSC 500. Methods of empirical research in political science including the formulation of hypotheses, problems and standards of measurement and observation, methods of data collection, research design and logic of data analysis. No prior knowledge of statistics is assumed. Only basic mathematical skills are needed for success in this course.

590. Advanced Study (3)

Prerequisite: Consent of Graduate Coordinator and Instructor. Study under the supervision of a faculty member. Student must fulfill requirements of a selected upper division course plus additional work appropriate to graduate study as determined by the Instructor of the course. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 units with different topics.

599. Graduate Studies (3)

Prerequisites: Consent of Graduate Coordinator and instructor. Individual graduate level study and research of special topics under the supervision of a faculty member. Traditional grading only.

600. Seminar in International Politics (3)

Prerequisite: POSC 371 or equivalent. Seminar is designed to examine in depth various aspects of International Politics, such as the role of power, multiple dimensions of national interest, collective security, world peace, nationalism, and imperialism. Different themes selected for a given seminar become the subject of discussion and exchange of ideas in every session. May be repeated for a maximum of six units.

610. Seminar in Comparative Government (3)

Prerequisite: Three upper division units in comparative government. Comparative study of government and politics in selected foreign countries. Intensive study of the political institutions and policies of selected foreign governments. Emphasis on political parties and contemporary governmental policy. May be repeated for a maximum of six units.

620. Seminar in Political Theory (3)

Prerequisite: POSC 301 or 303 or equivalent. Analytical and critical examination of the major concepts of political theory. May be repeated for a maximum of six units.

640. Seminar in American Government and Public Law (3)Prerequisite: Three upper division units in American Politics or Public Law. Intensive study of topics and problemsin American government including issues in constitutional law and the judicial process. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 units.

645. Seminar in Public Policy

Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of Instructor. Analysis of the policy making process and the political environment that shapes its activities, content, implementation, and impacts. Domestic and international policies will be integrated in the course to illustrate the structures, forces, and dynamics influencing the process. Letter grade only (A-F).

670. Seminar on Special Topics in Political Science (3)

Prerequisites: Graduate standing and consent of instructor. Research, discussion, and critical evaluation of selected topics and problems of current interest in political science. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 units with different topics. Traditional grading only.

695. College Teaching Practicum (3)

Prerequisite: Consent of Graduate Director. Internship provides teaching experience in community college. No more than three units of this practicum may be applied to the Masters requirements in Political Science. Credit/No Credit grading only.

697. Directed Research (1-6)

Prerequisite: Consent of Department Chair. Individual research or intensive study under the guidance of a faculty member. Three units required of non-thesis students who have been advanced to candidacy for the master's degree in political science. A maximum of three units may be earned by students with credit in POSC 698. May be repeated to a maximum of six units.

698. Thesis (1-4)

Planning, preparation and completion of thesis for the master's degree.