Academic Catalog 2024-2025

Political Science (POLS)

POLS 240  State and Local Government  (3 Credits) 
A study of national, state, and local governments including, but not limited to, principles of American government, constitutions, federalism, political socialization, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, elections, the executive, legislative and judicial branches, and public policy. Three hours of lecture per week.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 250  Intro To Political Science  (3 Credits)  

Introduction to Political Science (3) Introduction to the history, scope, methods, and approaches to the study of political science and politics. Prerequisites: POLS 231 and POLS 232. Required of majors. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 301  Research Methods In Polsc  (3 Credits)  

Introduction to applied research methods in political science with emphasis on research design and descriptive statistical methods as a tool for assisting political scientists to conduct research. Computer applications included.Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: POLS 235, 236, and 250.

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 302  Quantitative Methods in Polsc  (3 Credits)  

Introduction to probability and inferential statistics as analytical tools useful to political scientists. Students are expected to gain knowledge and experience in the use of packaged statistical software in data analysis. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisites: POLS 235, 236, 250, and 301

 
College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 310  Legislative Politics  (3 Credits)  

Legislative Process (3) Structure of the powers and roles of legislatures and legislators, legislative structure, decision making, internal and external pressure upon legislators. Special attention given to the United States Congress. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 311  Judicial Politics (LS)  (3 Credits)  

Judicial Politics (3) Structure, function, and process of the American court systems and related institutions; factors influencing judicial decision-making. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: POLS 235 and POLS 236.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 320  Politics/Environ Justice  (3 Credits)  
Examines the interaction between politics and the environment as it relates to human interactions and the environment. Examines the various actors/stakeholders in formulating policies as they pertain to humans and the environment.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 330  Comparative Politics  (3 Credits)  

Comparative Government (3) Introduction to the methods and scope of comparative government; analysis of the institutions and cultures that impact selected governments. Required of majors. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 340  International Relations  (3 Credits)  

International Relations (3) Survey of the major approaches and principles of international relations that affect the members of the international community. Required of majors. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 341  International Organization  (3 Credits)  

International Organizations (3) Study of international organizations along with their roles, functions, and objectives in the international community. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 360  Pol Systems Of Africa  (3 Credits)  

Political Systems of Africa (3) Study of Modern Africa from World War 1, including the different European policies, growth of nationalism, movements to independence, white supremacist bloc, and Africa today. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 370  US Latino Politics  (3 Credits)  

The study of U.S. Latino efforts to participate in the American political system, government and societal responses, and present status of U.S. Latinos in the political system. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisites: POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 380  Pol Systems Of Latin Am  (3 Credits)  

Political Systems of Latin America (3) Study of the political and economic development of selected Latin American countries with emphasis on the period since World War 11. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 390  Classical and Medieval Theory  (3 Credits)  

Development of Political Thought: Classical and Medieval Theory (3) Political philosophy of early Greek, Roman, and medieval European thinkers. Special concentration on the major political works of Plato and Aristotle. Required of majors. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 391  Modern Political Theory  (3 Credits)  

Modern Political Theory (3) Political philosophy from the Italian city-state to the twentieth century. Special emphasis on Machiavelli, the Social Contract School, and Marx. Required of majors. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 392  American Political Thought  (3 Credits)  

American Political Thought (3) Study of the development of political thought in the United States from the seventeenth century to the present. Emphasis placed on the historical context in which political thought and movements developed. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 393  African Amer Pol Thought  (3 Credits)  

African American Political Thought (3) Analysis of ideas, personalities, relevant ideologies and categories, and the role of theory in African American political thought.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 401  ExecutivePolitics  (3 Credits)  

Executive Process (3) The political dynamics of chief executives and their relationship to the competitive branches and units of government within the American political system. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 403  Public Policy  (3 Credits)  

Policy Formulation and Decision Making (3) An examination of the forces and constraints involved in making and implementing public policy. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 410  African American Politics  (3 Credits)  

Politics in Black America (3) The study of Blacks' efforts to participate in the American political system; government and societal responses; present status of Blacks in the political system. Required of majors. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 411  Amer Political Parties  (3 Credits)  

American Political Parties (3) The study of the American party system, including the functions, activities, development, structure, and organization of political parties. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 412  Civil Rights  (3 Credits)  

Civil Rights and Political Judiciary Processes (3) A study of civil rights and how they have been impacted by the constitutional process of checks and balances; civil rights in party politics; civil rights as seen by American minorities. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 413  Constitutional Law(LS)  (3 Credits)  

Constitutional Law (3) The development and application of American constitutional law as interpreted by Supreme Court decisions on selected topics, cases, and recent trends. Required of majors. Three hours of lecture per week. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 414  American Foreign Policy  (3 Credits)  

American Foreign Policy (3) Factors shaping contemporary American foreign policy; administration and conduct of foreign affairs; the major foreign policy problems; cases in decision making. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 419  Selected Topics in Polit Sci  (3 Credits)  

Selected Topics in Political Science (3) Analysis of selected areas and problems in political science. Subject matter to vary from year to year. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 420  Urban Politics  (3 Credits)  

Urban Politics (3) Investigation of urban political systems; politics in America's large cities and their relationship to minorities; analysis of resources, strategies, and tactics in urban areas. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 440  Women and Politics  (3 Credits)  

Seminar on Women's Political Issues (3) Analysis of selected topics relevant to women and politics. Subject matters vary from year to year. 

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 450  Religion and American Politics  (3 Credits)  

Aims to ensure students understand the intersection of politics and religion. The course will describe and analyze the political impact, real and imagined, of religion on several dimensions of political life. It highlights how religion affects the political system and policymaking process, and how religion influences political attitudes, opinions, and behavior. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306
 

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 460  Public Opinion  (3 Credits)  

This course accounts for the role of public opinion in the democratic politics of the U. S. The course addresses the contemporary literature on public opinion, including the relationship between public opinion and policy. This course provides an understanding of the major ideas and concepts in public opinion, fosters interest in learning more about political issues, and engages students in discussion of the important and controversial issues of the day. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

 

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 470  Voters and Elections  (3 Credits)  

The course explores critical and controversial issues that confront the American electoral system. It examines key aspects of American democracy in theory and practice such as the electoral process, suffrage and turnout, voting behavior, candidates, public policy issues, representation, partisanship, money, and the media. Three hours of lecture per week.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

 

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 490  Internship  (3 Credits)  

Supervised work experience with various public, private, and governmental agencies. Intern will be jointly supervised by the agency head and appropriate academic advisor. Eighteen hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: Senior standing and consent of the appropriate faculty advisor or Faculty Chair.

Prerequisite(s): POLS 231 and POLS 232 or POLS 2305 and POLS 2306

 

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: The Sch of Public Affairs

POLS 498  Capstone Sem in Polsc  (3 Credits)  

Directed reading, research, and discussion of different sub-fields in the discipline of Political Science. Includes a significant writing component. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.

 

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 2305  American Government  (3 Credits)  

Origin and development of the U.S. Constitution, structure and powers of the national government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, federalism, political participation, the national election process, public policy, civil liberties, and civil rights. Three hours of lecture per week. Listed as GOVT 2305 in the Texas Common Course Numbering System.

Prerequisite(s): (TSI READ Assessment with a score of 351 or TSI Exemption TAKS with a score of 2200 or or C-Better Reading Resident Stu with a score of 2.00 or C-Better Reading Transfer Stu with a score of 2.00) or ( and READ 101 (may be taken concurrently) and ENG 101 (may be taken concurrently) or ENG 130) or (TSI READ Assessment with a score of 945 and TSI ESSAY Assessment with a score of 5) or (TSI READ Assessment with a score of 910 and TSI ESSAY Assessment with a score of 5 and TSI ESSAY Assessment with a score of 5)

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af

POLS 2306  Texas Government  (3 Credits)  

Origin and development of the Texas Constitution, structure and powers of state and local government, federalism and intergovernmental relations, political participation, the election process, public policy, and the political culture of Texas. Three hours of lecture per week. Listed as GOVT 2306 in the Texas Common Course Numbering System.

 

College/School: The School of Public Affairs

Department: Dept of Political Sci & Pub Af