Political Science (B.A.)

Faculty

Dr. James Stocker, Associate Professor of International Affairs; Executive Director of the Trinity Global Leadership Initiative (program chair)
Dr. Erin Carriere-Kretschmer, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science
Dr. Joshua Wright, Associate Professor of Global Affairs
Dr. Allen Pietrobon, Assistant Professor of Global Affairs
Dr. Kimberly Monroe, Assistant Professor of Global Affairs

Description

The political science program emphasizes both the study of political science as a discipline and the active, practical participation of students in the political process. In addition to course work, students participate in a wide variety of internships and fieldwork classes in Washington, D.C., to learn politics through direct observation and involvement.

The major in political science is designed to help students effectively fulfill their expanding roles in public life. Knowledge of governmental affairs in combination with communication and research skills can open a wide vista of challenging opportunities. Trinity looks to its political science majors to provide the much-needed dedication and leadership qualities aimed at achieving an enriched and more just society.

Political science provides students with grounding in several fields including American government, comparative political systems, international relations, political theory, and field experience afforded by Trinity’s location in the nation’s capital. This resource serves students in two ways: first, through utilization of the city’s political and governmental institutions as learning laboratories and second, by providing students with professional contacts and networking opportunities well before they graduate. In addition, political science majors can combine a thorough grounding in political science theory and methodology with a self-directed focus on selected public policy topics and/or with multidisciplinary course selections through the general education curriculum and complementary courses in other disciplines.

An analysis of the many aspects of leadership as well as the concept itself is woven into every political science course. The political science program is also sensitive to the needs of women not only through gender-specific courses but also through many other courses that address issues and processes of special significance to women. The comparative politics sequence and international relations courses in particular provide an essential resource for the development of multicultural awareness.

The political science program supports a major and minor in the College of Arts and Sciences. Courses in the political science program fall into the following categories: American government and law; international relations and comparative politics; political values; applied skills; elective; and advanced seminar. Each course taken may be counted to fulfill only one distribution requirement for the major, even if the course falls into two categories.

Major Requirements

The major requires 32-33 credits of coursework.

ONE introductory course chosen from:

• POLS 101 Politics, Power, and You: Democracy at the CrossroadsIntroduces students to U.S. political and public policy issues and processes to advance their ability to analyze and understand current topics in the news. Newspaper analysis, videos and journalistic accounts of current events will be featured. Formerly PSC 120 Politics, Power, and You: Democracy at the Crossroads.
  3 credits
  General Education Curriculum: Applications Area
• POLS 103 The American Political ProcessOffers an introduction to the American political and governmental system, with emphasis on the processes, institutions, and actors involved in the system. Case studies are used to focus on contemporary issues and their backgrounds. Formerly PSC 123 American Political Process
  3 credits
  Core Area II: Understanding the Self and Society
• POLS 199H HON:Politics and Power in the Nation's CapitalThis course is equivalent to ( POLS 101) but is designated for honors students and students specially admitted by the instructor. It will examine both national and local governmental and political institutions, orgnanizations, and participants through a case study approach.
  Guest speakers, field trips, and topical readings will be featured. Students will track the treatment of issues such as heath care reform, gun control, minimum wage increases, and campaign finance reform in legislative, executive, and judiical branches of government as well
  as in poltical campaigns and through public discourse.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
  • POLS 199H is for Honors students and other students who receive permission to enroll from the instructor

TWO courses in American government & law chosen from:

• POLS 211 Women and the LawExamines Supreme Court rulings, as well as federal and state statutes and court decisions affecting women. Topics include women and employment, sexual harassment, and legal issues involving pregnancy and privacy rights. Formerly PSC 328 Women and the Law.
  3 credits
  General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
  FLC Area V
• POLS 213 Women and PoliticsSurveys the role of women in US government and politics, including in all three branches of government. Students will reflect on the challenges faced by women in paths to power, as well as on the implications of these challenges for women. The course features case studies of important women in politics
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
  General Education Area IV: Leadership
• POLS 272 The Politics of Generational ConflictThis course explores the tension that results from maintaining adequate social programs to support an increasingly aging population in the face of constrained federal budgets. Students will examine the history and effectiveness of Social Security and Medicare to better understand how effectively the programs support economic and health security for all Americans, especially socially marginalized populations.
  
  The course will cover the methods and arguments advanced by supporters and opponents of the programs over the years so that students will be prepared to engage in political advocacy around Social Security and Medicare.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
  General Education: Civic Knowledge
• POLS 277 Personality and Political LeadershipExamines "political leadership" through a consideration of psychological studies and biographies of political leaders and by investigating theoretical frameworks that guide the study of political leadership. Formerly PSC 209 Personality and Political Leadership.
  3 credits
  General Education Requirements: Applications (Leadership)
• POLS 301 Congress and Policy MakingExamines the internal politics of the legislative branch, its relationship to other branches, historical development, and modern theories of decision making. Students may take a related internship. Formerly PSC 325 Congress and Policy Making.
  3 credits
• POLS 305 Public PolicyFocuses on the overall policy-making process including its various stages and actors. Integrates material on the presidency, Congress, political parties, interest groups, courts, and public administration courses into an understanding of the whole policy process. Formerly PSC 352 Public Policy.
  3 credits
• POLS 311 Constitutional LawStudies the United States Supreme Court, including its composition, decisions, and role in the American political process. Students read and brief court opinions involving issues such as racial discrimination, First Amendment rights, and separation of powers among the three branches of national government. Formerly PSC 326 Constitutional Law.
  3 credits
  Prerequisite: POLS 201 or POLS 299

TWO courses in international relations and comparative politics chosen from:

• POLS 231 Introduction to Comparative PoliticsOffers an introduction to the major concepts and analytical frameworks of the sub-field. While it is designed as the appropriate first course in comparative politics, its theoretical focus makes it appropriate for more advanced students as well. Formerly PSC 200 Introduction to Comparative Politics.
  3 credits
  General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
  FLC Area V
• POLS 241 Introduction to International RelationsOffers an introduction to the theories, actors, arenas, and techniques of international politics. The course examines case studies on issues of current international importance. Formerly PSC 312 Introduction to International Relations.
  3 credits
  General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
  FLC Area V
• POLS 341 International Law and OrganizationsExamines the development and current status of international law as the legal framework for international conflict and cooperation, as an academic discipline, and as a practical procedure. Looks at international organizations as conflict managers and functional mechanisms. Formerly PSC 318 International Law and Organization.
  3 credits
• POLS 343 United States Foreign Policy IExamines the processes and content of US foreign policy. Topics include roles of the three branches of government in US foreign policy; the historical background of US foreign policy; major events in US foreign policy; and contemporary US foreign policy towards major regions and global issues.
  *3 credits
• POLS 363 US Intelligence and World AffairsExplores the structure and function of diverse intelligence agencies of the United States government, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Security Agency (NSA), in respect to current world affairs.
  Credits: 3

ONE course in political values chosen from:

• POLS 201 Civil Rights and LibertiesProvides an introduction to legal opinions that focus on the 1st and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The cases and the societal issues surrounding them are presented in their historical context. Some specific topics examined in the course are Supreme Court decisions that affect the civil rights movement, free speech, and privacy issues involving Internet communications. Formerly PSC 216 Civil Rights and Liberties.
  3 credits
  FLC Area V
  General Education Requirements: Knowledge and Inquiry
• POLS 275 Politics and FictionIntroduces students to political themes and concepts in fiction, including the portrayal of political actors, institutions, political values and attitudes, and specific political issues. Formerly PSC 220 Politics and Fiction.
  3 credits
  FLC Area V
• POLS 299 Honors Seminar: The Political Lives of WomenExplores the interaction of women and the political system through a variety of life story forms, including biographical and autobiographical writing and film. Particular focus is placed on the cultural, ethical, and gender contexts of women's political lives. Formerly PSC 310 The Political Lives of Women.
  3 credits
  FLC Area V
  Prerequisites: Admission to the Honors Program and POLS 120 or higher level political science course
• POLS 313 Religion, Law and Politics in the United StatesExamines the relationship among religion, law, and politics in the United States constitutional and political systems. The free exercise and establishment clauses of the First Amendment to the Constitution and key Supreme Court opinions involving separation of church and state are studied as well as democratic theory pertaining to this topic. Other topics to be discussed in the class include policy issues involving government aid to faith-based social welfare efforts and empirical studies of public attitudes concerning the interplay among religion, public policy, and political leadership. Formerly PSC 226 Religion, Law, and Politics, in the United States.
  3 credits
  General Education: Capstone Seminar
• POLS 471 Politics and The MediaExamines coverage of politics, elections, and related topics. Current events are treated within a theoretical and historical perspective of major communications issues facing the ongoing American democratic experiment. Formerly PSC 420 Politics and the Media.
  4 credits

TWO applied skills courses chosen from:

• POLS 365 Field Work: Political Parties, Campaigns, and ElectionsProvides an introduction to electoral processes and political party politics in the United States. Students learn specific skills and techniques used in political campaigns such as fundraising and targeting. Students work in a political campaign organization to fulfill part of their course requirements. Formerly PSC 330 Field Work: Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections.
  3 credits
• POLS 367 Field Work: Public Opinion PollingExamines the dynamics of public opinion formation and political socialization as they apply to politically salient attitudes and voting behavior. Students conduct a class poll on a current topic designed to provide them with "hands-on" experience in all stages of the survey research process. Formerly PSC 331 Field Work: Public Opinion Polling.
  3 credits
  General Education Curriculum: Applications Area
• POLS 369 Field Work: Political AdvocacyFocuses on the development of skills necessary for effective political advocacy at federal, state and local levels of government. Particular emphasis is placed on political communication, organization and research. Related internships available. Formerly PSC 335 Field Work: Political Advocacy.
  3 credits
• GLBL 491

TWO electives chosen from any political science courses not already satisfying another major requirement

ONE advanced seminar chosen from:

• POLS 403 Political Power: Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Public PolicyUses case studies to test ideas about the nature of political power and the behavior and impact of organized groups on the American political process. A historical perspective on lobbying and lobby reform highlights the moral and political dilemmas. Formerly PSC 422 Political Power: Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Public Policy.
  3 credits
• POLS 405 Seminar in Public Policy: Selected TopicsThis course examines the U.S. domestic policy-making process on the federal or local levels through a research seminar format. Legislation, executive branch implementation, regulation, the role of issue networks, and judicial intervention will be covered. The specific topical area examined will vary on a semester by semester basis. Formerly PSC 452 Seminar in Public Policy: children.
  3 credits
  General Education: Applications Area
• POLS 431 Seminar in Comparative Politics and International RelationsIdentifies methods and arenas of comparative and international politics of current concern. A case study approach is used extensively. Formerly PSC 412 Seminar in Comparative Politics and International Relations.
  3 credits
• POLS 443 Seminar on Conflict Theory and ManagementProvides a multidisciplinary examination of theories about conflict, including the causes and arenas of conflict and proposed methods for regulating it. Includes seminar discussions, guest lecturers, and experimental learning situations. Formerly PSC 461 Seminar on Conflict Theory and Management.
  4 credits

Majors must also pass a senior comprehensive exam.

Minor Requirements

Students pursuing the minor must complete 18 credits of political science courses. Internships cannot be counted toward the minor.

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:
Advanced Placement credit will be accepted by the political science program in American government and comparative politics at the 4 or 5 level.

CLEP Policy:
Students wishing to receive credit for CLEP examinations should consult the program chair.

Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of “C-” (1.7) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.

Pass/No Pass:
Courses fulfilling the major requirement may not be taken pass/no pass, except for GLBL 491 Internship.

Senior Assessment:
Students must achieve a passing grade on the senior comprehensive examination in order to graduate with a major in political science.

TELL Policy:
Students may receive no more than 12 political science elective credits through the TELL Program.

Transfer Credits:
No more than 15 credits in courses equivalent to those required for the major may be accepted toward the major in political science. No more than nine credits may be accepted toward the minor in political science.

Course Descriptions