Academic Catalog 2018-2019 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Listing
|
|
|
Courses listed below are grouped together alphabetically by subject prefix. To search for a specific course, please follow the instructions in the course filter box below and click on “Filter.”
Departments and interdisciplinary programs are described in detail on the Majors, Minors, and Other Programs page within this catalog. Please refer to the detailed sections on each area of study for more information. Requirements to fulfill a major or minor appear within each program or area of study.
All students must also complete the courses in the Common Curriculum (General Education), including Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) requirements and other requirements that pertain to the undergraduate degree. Courses are numbered as follows.
000-049 - Non-credit courses.
050-099 - Common Curriculum (General Education) courses and others that do NOT count toward the major.
100-199 - Introductory-level courses which count for the major.
200-299 - Sophomore/junior-level courses that can be taken by non-majors. (Some departments may use 200-249 and 250-259 to delineate between sophomore and junior level offerings.)
300-399 - Upper-level courses intended primarily for majors - these are courses representing the depth component of the major.
400-499 - All advanced courses for seniors, including those used to fulfill WS (Senior Writing Experience requirement), small seminars, research, thesis, and independent studies.
Wherever possible, the departments have indicated the instructor and the term during which a course is given. Some courses are offered only occasionally and are so indicated. The College retains the right not to offer a course, especially if enrollment is insufficient.
A few courses are not valued at full course credit, and some carry double credit.
A full course unit may be equated to five quarter-credit hours, or three and one-third semester credit hours.
|
| |
Political Science - Comparative Politics Unless otherwise indicated, prerequisites for the following courses are PSC 111 or PSC 112 or sophomore standing.
200-level courses in comparative politics generally cover political issues that are regionally concentrated (such as Latin America, Europe, China, and the Middle East), or they focus on themes (such as democracy, nationalism, social movements) that are framed at a conceptual level accessible to students from across the college.
300-level courses in comparative politics have a special topics theme (women and politics, the Marxist political tradition, democratization, genocide, and film) and/or a strong methodological component. The course materials are more conceptually and theoretically complex, and involve a more sophisticated set of intellectual problems.
|
| |
-
PSC 248 - The Politics of the New Europe Course Units: 1
(Fall, Hislope) A survey of contemporary European politics including topics such as the emerging European Union, the rise of right-wing movements, growing regional and sectional conflict, patterns of immigration, and debate about the very meaning of “Europe.”
|
| |
-
PSC 249 - Middle East Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course is designed to introduce students to the essential political history and dynamics of the Middle East in the 20th century. Students will study the processes through which the states of the contemporary Middle East emerged; the types of political regimes that have evolved in these states; the origins and evolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict; the relationships between Islam and politics; and debates regarding U.S. foreign policy toward the region.
|
| |
-
PSC 340 - Politics and Film Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course explores political themes through the rigorous viewing of feature films and documentaries from the United States and abroad. Films present differing perspectives on the subject. Themes include war, revolution, counter-revolution, role of the individual in social conflict, and US intervention in foreign lands. Class requires critical analysis of the films, supplementary readings, and six conceptual-analytical papers.
|
| |
-
PSC 341 - Genocide Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Genocide is humanity’s greatest and most enduring scourge. After the horrific Holocaust, the world’s leaders cried out, “Never Again.” Sadly, genocide has occurred, again and again, wherein mass murders, ethnic cleansing, mass rape and pillaging, has taken place in countless places and times since World War II. This course examines examples, causes and motives, position of the perpetrators, victims and bystanders. We shall also look at proposals for avoiding or preventing genocide, perhaps through some form of international humanitarian intervention, or “responsibility to protect.”
|
| |
-
PSC 342 - Challenges to Democratization in Latin America Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Democracies in Latin America confront a number of challenges, obstacles, and dilemmas that frequently put their continuity at risk. With the format of a research seminar, this course will explore five thematic clusters. Social indicators on rights and inequality, political identities and citizenship, political and legal institutions, life and economic growth after Neoliberalism, and public safety, crime, and state violence. A preoccupation with some of the most urgent challenges faced by democratization in the region will also lead us to assess actual and potential alternatives. CC: LCC
|
| |
-
PSC 343 - Women and Politics in the Muslim World Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) In this course we will study how politics and women intersect across the Muslim world, including the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia. Empirically, we will investigate the varied paths women’s rights have taken in different national settings while examining similarities and differences in the degree to which women wield social, economic, and political power in their respective countries. We will seek theoretical explanation for women’s status in the region, which varies significantly from country to country. Sample topics for discussion include the Koran and women, debates about the veil, honor killings, the impacts of oil, war, and foreign intervention on women’s status, and Muslim female prime ministers and presidents.
|
| |
-
PSC 347 - Comparative Left Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) A critical exploration of Marxian ideas and a comparative examination of how those ideas were, and are, translated into political practice.
|
| |
-
PSC 349 - Seminar: Comparative Politics Course Units: 1
(Winter; Hislope) Selected topics in comparative politics. Content will vary from year to year. Preference to junior and sophomore political science majors. CC: LCC
|
Political Science - International Politics Unless otherwise indicated, prerequisites for the following courses are PSC 111 or PSC 112 or PSC 113 , or sophomore standing.
200-level courses in international relations cover foreign policy-oriented courses (China and the USA), regional interstate topics (Asia and the Middle East), and practicum-based courses (Model UN). These courses are framed at a conceptual level accessible to students from across the college.
300-level courses in international relations cover advanced issues in international political economy, institutions of global governance, US security, and transnational actors and trends. The course materials are more conceptually and theoretically complex, and involve a more sophisticated set of intellectual problems.
|
| |
-
PSC 251 - American Foreign Policy Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will provide an overview of the history of US Foreign Policy from the Cold War to the post-Cold War era. The course focuses on major policy options, issues in the Middle East, reset to Asia, and the choices between multilateralism and hegemonic dominance. The course emphasizes policy-making, especially the role of the President and Executive, in struggles with Congress, and the role of various NGO’s, think tanks, and other lobbyists in the formation of foreign policy outcomes.
|
| |
-
PSC 252 - Global Value Chains Course Units: 1
(Winter, Dallas) This course examines the intertwining of power, politics and markets that undergird the production and consumption of everyday consumer goods, from coffee to cars to iPhones. It examines the primary countries where these goods are produced, their differing labor regimes, the international agreements regulating them, the transnational corporations which coordinate the chain of production and consumption, how goods are globally traded and the relative winners and losers these linkages create, usually between developing and developed countries. Each product also corresponds with an underlying theoretical topic, such as natural resources and the global commons or heavy industrialization and industrial policy. The course will introduce some basic conceptual building blocks which will help us organize the extraordinary variety of places, production processes, policies and populations engaged in global value chains. But, we will spend most of the course examining one commodity or product at a time, using what we learn along the way to build an increasingly sophisticated understanding of global production and exchange. Finally, for a final project, students will conduct research on their own product of choice and explore a theoretically important concept associated with it.
|
| |
-
PSC 253 - International Relations of East Asia Course Units: 1
(Fall, Dallas) This course surveys the main currents of international politics in East Asia since World War Two, with an emphasis on events since the end of the cold war. It considers the sequential rise of the economies of Japan, the four East Asian tigers, and finally Southeast Asia and China, and how regional integration across East Asian countries differs from other regions in the world. Furthermore, it examines the foreign policies of the main players in this area, including the important role of the United States, and it explores the evolution of international institutions and norms pertinent to East Asia. CC: LCC
|
| |
-
PSC 254 - Politics of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Course Units: 1
(Spring, Lobe) In this class students will develop an understanding of the origins, development, and essence of the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as the challenges involved in resolving the conflict. The conflict will be examined in its historical, political, and human dimensions.
|
| |
-
PSC 256 - Model United Nations Course Units: 1
(Winter; Seri) This course prepares students to participate in the National Model United Nations (NMUN), the largest UN simulation in the world. The NMUN program provides students a better understanding of the inner working of the United Nations. Course goals are to develop research, writing, public speaking, and diplomatic skills amongst students as they confront at myriad of global public policy challenges. At the simulation, students and faculty from five continents work to propose resolutions addressing regional conflicts, peacekeeping, human rights, women and children, economic and social development, and the environment. Students are permitted to take PSC 256 multiple times for credit, but this course can only count once toward a PSC major, ID major or minor. Note: PSC 256 cannot be taken pass / fail.
|
| |
-
PSC 258 - Strategies of WWII Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will examine the interplay between military and political strategies that shaped the course of World War II, with special attention to the European Theater. It is designed to illustrate the nature of strategic thinking, its relationship to tactical thinking, and its real-world constraints. Special attention will be given to the British decision to continue fighting after the French surrender, the Battle of Britain, Hitler’s decision to invade Russia, the allied decision to invade North Africa, and the planning for Normandy.
|
| |
-
PSC 350 - Theories of International Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) In-depth investigation and evaluation of the major perspectives on world politics. Mainstream theories will be compared and contrasted to critical/alternative paradigms. Special attention is given to modes of theory evaluation.
|
| |
-
PSC 351 - Global Organized Crime Course Units: 1
(Fall, Hislope) This course will focus on the emergence of new transnational criminal networks in the age of globalization, and the sources and patterns of political corruption in a comparative perspective. Specific issues to be explored include: trafficking zones, weak states, economic underdevelopment, the western consumer demand for illegal commodities, international anti-corruption discourse, US drug policy, comparative analysis of mafia organizations, and how private money corrupts democracies.
|
| |
-
PSC 352 - International Organizations Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course analyzes the development of contemporary international organizations in all forms, examines the activities of various regional organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), as well as multinational organizations. Focusing on major principles, organizational characteristics, functions, and activities of the United Nations and the UN system, the course assesses the rapid changes, problems, and opportunities that have developed since the end of the Cold War.
|
| |
-
PSC 353 - Terrorism and Torture Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course considers the definition(s) and history of terrorism, as well as its causes and manifestations in the contemporary era. Next, strategies for combating terrorism will be explored - with a major focus on the so-called “war on terror” the U.S. has been engaged in since 2001. A particularly controversial aspect of U.S. actions in the past decade has been the use of torture against detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and other locations. The course will therefore consider a broad-ranging literature on torture - from its history, to the conditions under which it is used in the contemporary era, to questions regarding whether or not torture is effective (and for what purpose).
|
| |
-
PSC 354 - Human Rights and Immigration Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course explores the tense relation between immigration, nation-states, and human rights. What are the rights of documented/undocumented immigrants? What kind of human rights abuses are these people subjected to? What renders non-citizens so vulnerable to various forms of violence, discrimination, and mistreatment? To what extent can these problems be addressed and remedied by appeals to human rights? In what ways does the contemporary condition of non-citizens reveal the limits, paradoxes, and promises of human rights? In this upper level political science course, we will address these challenging, intriguing, and somewhat disconcerting questions through an interdisciplinary inquiry. CC: SOCS
|
| |
-
PSC 355 - Defense Policy Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) A deeper understanding of US Defense Policy in relation to current trends in the international threat environment. Examines the historical roots of US defense policy with a focus on the impact of isolationism, exceptionalism, and the Cold War on those policies. The policy-making process itself will be examined highlighting the influence of the realist paradigm, as well as the various organizational inputs, which help to shape the policy outcomes. A look at the post-Cold War period with emphasis on the impact of 9/11 and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction on changes in US policy.
|
| |
-
PSC 358 - Wealth and Power Among Nations Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An examination of the tensions between developed and developing countries in the global political economy. First, the course traces the genealogy of thinkers on the issues of development, such as Smith, Marx, Keynes, modernization theory and development economics, as a way to understand the enduring debates within the field. Second, it examines historical transformations in the international economy, such as in trade, global finance and economic crises, in order to understand how the structures and opportunities for developing countries have transformed over time. Finally, although there is no focus on any single region of the world, the course touches upon the oil boom in the Middle East in the 1970s, the debt crises in Latin America and Africa in the 1980s, the rise of Japan and the East Asia tigers, the fall of the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc countries in the 1990s, the new giants of China and India, new forms of post-Fordist production, and the relationship between production and identity.
|
| |
-
PSC 359 - Seminar: International Politics Course Units: 1
(Fall, Brown) Selected topics in international politics. Content will vary from year to year. Preference to sophomore and junior political science majors.
|
Political Science - Political Theory 200-level courses survey a wide range of texts and themes, and may focus on a specific historical period or a specific theoretical approach. These courses can be taken by students at all levels.
300-level courses are geared towards students who have likely taken PSC 113 or a 200-level course in theory, and have basic familiarity with the history of Western political thought. Some familiarity with close reading and textual interpretation is expected, although these are practices and skills that students will also further develop in 300-level courses.
|
| |
-
PSC 230 - (331) Ancient Political Thought Course Units: 1
(Spring, Cidam) Examines the ideas of major political thinkers in ancient philosophy. Potential themes include the tension between philosophy and politics, the nature of democracy, the relationship between war and political life, debates concerning how to live a “good life,” the political significance of poetry and art, and the body/mind duality. Thinkers and texts that may be covered include Homer, Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, the Greek poets, Saint Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and the Bible.
|
| |
-
PSC 231 - Theories of Peace and War Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Do aggression and violence arise from individuals or groups, from nations, global forces, or from entire civilizations? Is warfare an eliminable pathology or just part of the human condition? Any answer to these questions ultimately involves ontological claims on how things are, key in shaping the ways in which we imagine and inhabit our world. This course revisits arguments on peace, war, and violence central in the tradition of Western political thought. By exploring works of classical, modern, and contemporary political thinkers, contextualized in reference to key cases, we will identify and critically assess contentious explanations and philosophical justifications.
|
| |
-
PSC 232 - Violence and Politics Course Units: 1
(Winter, Cidam) What is the relationship between violence and politics? Is politics a continuation of violent struggle through other means? Or is there a fundamental difference between the two? What is the relationship between legal order and violence? What is the role of violence in resisting different forms oppression? Can the use of violence ever be morally justifiable? If so, when and why? This political theory course aims to inquire into these challenging questions by studying the theoretical debates on the relationship between violence and politics with a special emphasis on questions related to the relationship between legal order, constitution of the state, and the use of violence both in support of, and in opposition to, the existing order. During the course of the term, we will focus on debates surrounding difference forms of violence in embedded in our legal systems, look at examples of resistance movements, assess different arguments made in defense of nonviolent and violent methods of resistance, analyze different conceptions of civil disobedience, and grapple with the question of how representations of violence affect our judgments about its legitimacy and/or justification.
|
| |
-
PSC 234 - Women Political Theorists Course Units: 1
(Fall, Marso) Where are all the women in the history of political thought? Some thinkers we explore throughout history include Mary Astell, Mary Wollstonecraft, Harriet Taylor Mill, and Emma Goldman. Their work will prepare us to discuss the political and social thought of three prominent women thinkers of the 20th century: Simone de Beauvoir, Iris Murdoch, and Hannah Arendt. We investigate questions concerning freedom and contingency, responsibility, the nature of self in relation to others, and the limits and scope of ethical action in the work of these theorists. Women political theorists often write novels, short stories, and autobiography/biography (rather than philosophical texts) to explore political and philosophical themes. Consequently, we will be reading novels and autobiography along with political philosophy to think about the relationship between philosophy, politics, and literature. We will also be interested in considering how living their lives as women might have influenced the way these philosophers viewed major political and intellectual issues of the day.
|
| |
-
PSC 235 - African American Political Thought Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will introduce students to the critical and constructive dimensions of African American political thought. We will assess the claims that Black Americans have made on the polity, how they define themselves, and how they have sought to redefine the basic terms of American public life.
|
| |
-
PSC 236 - Police, Security and Biopower Course Units: 1
(Spring, Seri) While the development of a political community presupposes a certain level of security, the second half of the 20th century shows how unfortunately frequent it has become for people to turn into victims of the devices they set to secure themselves. How can the tensions between the political and security be addressed to enhance, not to destroy, the freedom and creativity that characterize a political community? Organized as a seminar, and heavy in contemporary political theory, this course will explore both practical and theoretical relations between political communities and the pre-political preconditions for their preservation. CC: LCC
|
| |
-
PSC 237 - Music and Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This class explores the multiple relationships between music and politics with a specific focus on the following dimensions: (1) the use of music as a lens to perceive the world, to frame injustices, to inform political discourse, to raise consciousness, and to mobilize public opinion; (2) the political context in which critically significant music is produced; (3) biographical details of artists that bring understanding to the art they produce; (4) the impact of class, race, ethnicity, and gender on music; (5) the interpretation of political messages found in music; and (6) the intentional and unintentional political consequences of popular music.
|
| |
-
PSC 239 - (332) American Political Thought To World War I Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Political thought in America from the colonial period until World War I with an emphasis on evolving political, social, cultural, and intellectual perspectives on enlightenment values, nationalism, slavery, the rise of the industrial economy, the political machine, and America’s changing role in the world.
|
| |
-
PSC 330 - Enlightenment and Its Discontents Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Is there a politics to the “age of reason?” This course focuses on enlightenment thought and its critics, in the modern as well as the contemporary era. We will inquire about the role of reason in setting the terms of citizenship, including how the citizen should behave. Is reason a male attribute? Does passion and/or religion play a role in reasonable thinking? The historical span of this course will generally cover the 17th to the 19th centuries and show how we have come to think about politics the way we do today.
|
| |
-
PSC 333 - Twentieth Century American Political Thought Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An exploration of the development of political thinking in the United States in the 20th century of 20th-century. Potential topics include the nature of democracy in the United States, individualism, pluralism, diversity, freedom, social responsibility, protest, social ethics, justice, and how Americans perceive their role in the world.
|
| |
-
PSC 334 - Contemporary Continental Theory Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) In the latter half of the twentieth century, theorists working in the continental tradition have developed new approaches to modern political concerns about the power of the state, the possibility of democracy, the importance of language, media and rhetoric, and the connections between knowledge, ethics, religion and politics. Students in this course will grapple with some of the most important figures and theories at the leading edge of this tradition. While this course presumes no background in continental theory, students must be prepared to wrestle with difficult texts, ideas and thinkers. Authors may include: Agamben, Badiou, Butler, Cavarero, Cavell, Deleuze, Derrida, Fanon, Foucault, Ranciere, Zizek.
|
| |
-
PSC 339 - Seminar: Political Theory Course Units: 1
(Spring, Seri) Selected topics in political theory. Content will vary from year to year. Preference to sophomore and junior political science majors.
|
| |
-
PSC 434 - Feminist Film Course Units: 1
(Winter, Marso) Using 10 films as our “texts” we will examine the role of women in society, the diversity of women’s lives, the impact of gender roles in various cultural contexts, the possibility of alternative sexualities and ways of living, and whether we can say what constitutes a “feminist film.” The course is focused on discussion of, and writing about, the films but includes analysis of feminist political theory and feminist film theory to provide tools for better interpretation.
|
Political Science - United States Politics Unless otherwise indicated, prerequisites for the following courses are PSC 111 or PSC 112 or sophomore standing.
200-level courses in United States politics generally focus on institutions of government, political behavior, or public policymaking. These courses are framed at a conceptual level accessible to students from across the college.
300-level United States politics courses focus on a special topic (such as film, political psychology, and constitutional law) and/or contain a strong methodological component. The course materials are more conceptually and theoretically complex, and involve a more sophisticated set of intellectual problems.
|
| |
-
PSC 160 - Presidential Elections Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will be offered every four years, in the fall term of U.S. presidential election years. The course will consist of an in-depth examination of the presidential election. Candidates, developments, and events of that year will be analyzed, as well as placed within their broader historical and conceptual contexts. Prerequisite(s): Students who have taken PSC 159 (Presidential Nominations in Politics) will need special permission from the instructor to enroll. CC: SOCS
|
| |
-
PSC 260 - Policy Making and American Society Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The process through which public policies are originated, shaped, adopted, and applied at all levels of government in the U.S. and the impact of public policies on American society. Policies such as crime, immigration, gay rights, abortion, the environment, smoking, and others are used as case studies to examine the policy process.
|
| |
-
PSC 261 - Public Opinion Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An overview of public opinion in the United States. Topics include the content of citizens’ opinions toward a wide range of political topics, the sources of people’s opinions, and an evaluation of whether the opinions of the public matter (for policy, for governance, and for democracy). The course material is structured around important normative questions, such as: What is the role of citizens in a democratic society? Are citizens pliable? Do citizens organize their political thinking? Do citizens demonstrate and endorse democratic basics?
|
| |
-
PSC 263 - The Politics of Poverty and Welfare Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will look at various theories of poverty and inequality and the ideological and policy implications of these theories. Further, the history and political controversies surrounding the establishment and continuation of welfare programs such as Social Security, TANF, Medicare, Veterans benefits, and disability will be examined. CC: LCC
|
| |
-
PSC 264 - Congressional Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An examination of the U.S. Congress emphasizing elections, representation, organization, decision-making and the human psychology of being a representative. Course is unique among PS courses in that almost the entire course is conducted as a simulation, with students taking on the roles of legislators, journalists, lobbyists, and members of the executive branch.
|
| |
-
PSC 266 - Women and Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The political, social, and economic circumstances of women in the U.S. Topics include history of women’s rights, feminism, women as political actors (voters, candidates, and government officials). Issues including work, reproductive rights, violence against women and poverty are covered. Special attention to the role of minority women. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or PSC 111 or SOC 100 .
|
| |
-
PSC 268 - Electoral Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Examination of elections in the U.S., including presidential, congressional, and state elections. Specific topics include the democratic theory of elections, candidate strategy, voter decision making, identity politics, campaign finance, and the electoral roles of the media, political parties, and campaign consultants. The course is typically offered every four years, during congressional midterm election years. Examination of elections in the U.S. Course is taught as a simulated presidential election with students taking on the roles of presidential candidate, campaign staff member, or journalist. Specific topics include the democratic theory of elections, candidate strategy, fundraising, voter decision making, and the electoral roles of the media, political parties, and campaign consultants.
|
| |
-
PSC 269 - Media and Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Major trends in U.S. media, politics, and political communication. The focus is on media treatment of politics as well as effects of media on the public, across various types of media sources. These will include the traditional news media, partisan media sources, entertainment shows that address politics, and social media. The larger context is the role of media in a democratic society.
|
| |
-
PSC 270 - (362) CIA and the Art of Intelligence Course Units: 1
(Fall, Lobe) Provides an historical background to intelligence and espionage, and offers perspectives on present day secret intelligence operations of world powers in support of their national security objectives. Discussions on intelligence analysis, evaluation, human and technical intelligence, cryptography, counter-intelligence, moles, various kinds of overt operations, US foreign policy issues and goals.
|
| |
-
PSC 272 - The Environment, Energy, and US Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Examination of how politics and policymaking affect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we live on. This course will explore key U.S. environmental issues and their scientific underpinnings as well as the connections between these issues and our collective use of natural resources. The course will review major pieces of federal environmental law in the United States and address the policy considerations, justifications, and regulatory frameworks underlying them, as well as the effectiveness of these laws in achieving a healthier environment. The course will also examine the respective roles of Congress, the executive agencies, and the courts in determining environmental policy.
|
| |
-
PSC 273 - The Supreme Court and Judicial Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An investigation of the judicial branch of government in the U.S. that focuses on the role of judges, the functioning of courts, and leading contemporary controversies in the judicial system. Among the primary concerns of this course are: the structure of the American Judiciary, judicial selection processes, how cases originate and move through the judicial system, how judges think about and reach decisions in the cases, and the role law plays in society. In exploring these topics many actual Supreme Court cases are dissected, focusing on such issues as: gay rights, pornography, rights of disabled citizens, the rights of those accused of crimes, and free speech over the Internet, to name only a few areas.
|
| |
-
PSC 274 - Political Parties in the US Political System Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will provide an overview of political parties in the United States. Specifically, it will consider the various major party regimes from the founding to the present. Other topics covered will include the role of third parties, polarization among the electorate, and contemporary questions regarding the role of parties in the 21st century.
|
| |
-
PSC 277 - Capital Region Political Internships Course Units: 1
(Fall, Angrist; Winter, Spring, Oxley) This class enables students to become politically active and/or gain political experience by working for elected officials, government agencies, election campaigns, interest groups, non-profit organizations, lobby firms, etc. Students draw on their internship experience and related academic work to reach a better understanding of the complexities and dynamics of politics at the state or local level. Students are permitted to enroll in this course twice, although the course will count toward the Political Science major only once. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing and permission of the instructor. Note: This course does not count towards the PSC portion of an ID major.
|
| |
-
PSC 280T - Washington, DC Internship Program Course Units: 1
(Winter, Lobe) A 10-week spring term in Washington, DC wherein each student is an intern either on the Hill, with a Nongovernmental agency (NGO), or with some other political, social, cultural, or scientific organization in DC. The internship receives one course credit. The second course is a seminar focused on a specific political theme (examples from past years include national security and foreign policy) introducing students to the policy, partisan and ideological debates within Washington. The third course is Washington, DC: Cultural and Political Spaces in America’s Capital (AMS 251T ) Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing and permission of the instructor. These courses may not be taken as pass/fail. Note: The internship does not count towards the PSC portion of an ID major.
|
| |
-
PSC 281 - Issues in American Education Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The analysis of current conflicts over education policy at all levels of government including the funding of education, increased testing for accountability, the impact of charter schools and choice, bilingual education, religion and prayer, tenure laws and the role of teacher unions. Most of the focus will be on K-12 education but we will also address higher education and the recent concerns about tuition costs, financial aid, and the mission of colleges and universities. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing and PSC 111 or SOC 100 or ANT 110 or PSY 100 .
|
| |
-
PSC 282 - Health Politics and Policy Course Units: 1
(Spring, Weiner) This course will examine the subject of health care policy in the American political system. Students will learn about the roles and functions of key actors, institutions, concepts, and principles as part of a broad overview of American health politics. From this foundation, we will develop a theoretical and practical framework to ground our analysis of current health policy issues and debates. Topics will include finance, insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”), prescription drug regulation, private markets, the public interest, ethics, and the role of government.
|
| |
-
PSC 283 - Social Movements, the Environment and Society Course Units: 1
(Same as SOC 270 ) (Not Offered this Academic Year) The role of extra-governmental actors in the formation of public policy with a focus on environmental issues. The origins and development of social movements and the differences and similarities among these. Topics include the means by which such groups seek to influence policy and social practice and the outcomes of such attempts.
|
| |
-
PSC 284 - Political Sociology Course Units: 1
(Same as SOC 240 ) (Not Offered this Academic Year) Issues of political power, domination, and legitimacy from a sociological perspective. Topics include the creation and maintenance of political power, the role of legitimacy and the impact of political socialization.
|
| |
-
PSC 286 - The Modern Presidency Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Case studies in Presidential leadership and administrative styles, including those of FDR, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Reagan, Clinton, Obama, and Trump.
|
| |
-
PSC 287 - (367) The Contemporary Presidency Course Units: 1
(Fall, Brown) The rapidly-changing Trump-era presidency in contemporary and historical context: recent developments in the institutional and narrative-based presidency, with a background examination of the administrations from Reagan through Trump.
|
| |
-
PSC 288 - American Constitutional Theory Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course is concerned with the theoretical foundations of American constitutionalism. American constitutional theory is a broad topic, inclusive of the nature of constitutions, interpretive methodologies, institutional design, institutional function, and political development. While this course will touch on each of these, the central animating question is: Who shall interpret the Constitution? Twenty-first century constitutionalism has been marked by interpretive pluralism and the interpretations offered by different departments of government bear their distinct imprimatur. As such, understanding which institution does and ought to interpret the Constitution is among the most important political questions of our time.
|
| |
-
PSC 289T - New Hampshire Primary Mini-Term Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) One of the most important events in every presidential election cycle is the New Hampshire primary. In this mini-term, students will analyze the New Hampshire primary through formal coursework (readings, discussions, papers, etc.) They will also experience the primary by spending three weeks in New Hampshire in late November-early December, shortly before balloting occurs early in the following year (a presidential election year). While in New Hampshire, students will volunteer with a candidate campaign organization, media outlet, or other campaign-related group. In addition, students will attend campaign events and guest lectures (by state officials, campaign staff members, journalists, scholars, etc.). This course is offered every four years consistent with the presidential election cycle.
|
| |
-
PSC 361 - Political Psychology Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The application of psychological theories to understanding the political attitudes and behavior of individuals (citizens, political leaders) as well as small groups (juries, presidential advisors). Specific topics include stereotypes, personality, social cognition, attitude formation, altruism, emotion, psychoanalysis, groupthink and elite decision-making. Prerequisite(s): PSC 111 or PSC 112 , or PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSC 364 - (275) Law and Film Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course uses the medium of film as a springboard to introduce and explore concepts in legal theory, American legal culture, and the exercise of public and private power through the legal system. Specific topics of discussion include law as morality, higher versus positive law, law and gender, and the heroic lawyer mythology.
|
| |
-
PSC 365 - (285) Law, Society, and the Wire Course Units: 1
(Winter, Hays) HBO’s The Wire is often hailed as one of the greatest television series. During its run, critics compared it to a novel or epic poem. Along with its gritty portrayal of inner city decay and the lives lived in this environment, the crime drama convincingly portrays communities and their institutions. The Wire’s depiction of law is among its most nuanced and provocative features. The show easily slips among the black letter law, the law on the street, and informal law-like systems that exist among communities that do not fully subscribe to the norms of the state. This course will use the portrayal of law in The Wire to address some of the following questions: What is law? Is law only the domain of the state? What is the relationship between law and power? Is violence inherent in law? Is law inherently oppressive? If so, how do we reconcile oppression with democratic practice and human rights?
|
| |
-
PSC 369 - Seminar: US Politics Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Selected topics in U.S. politics. Content will vary from year to year. Preference to sophomore and junior political science majors.
|
| |
-
PSC 370 - Constitutional Law Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) An examination of the Constitutional tradition in the United States, focusing upon the structure and powers of the federal government. Topics and themes include the power of the courts to interpret the laws and the Constitution, the power of the federal government and the significance of “states’ rights,” federal government intervention in matters of “commerce” or economics, and the nature and expansion of executive power, especially in the area of national security. The course proceeds mainly through close examination of Supreme Court cases, considered in their political, historical and legal context.
|
| |
-
PSC 371 - Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) Considers the protections afforded to individual rights and liberties by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Topics include freedom of speech and assembly, the right to privacy, religious freedom, equal protection and discrimination, and the due process rights of those accused of crimes. The course proceeds mainly through close examination of Supreme Court cases, considered in their political, historical and legal context.
|
Political Science - Independent Research |
| |
-
PSC 295H - Political Science Honors Independent Project 1 Course Units: 0
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) By application to the individual instructor and subject to confirmation by the Department Chair.
|
| |
-
PSC 296H - Political Science Honors Independent Project 2 Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) By application to the individual instructor and subject to confirmation by the Department Chair.
|
| |
-
PSC 490 - Political Science Independent Study 1 Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) By application to the individual instructor and subject to confirmation by the Department Chair.
|
| |
-
PSC 498 - Political Science Senior Thesis 1 Course Units: 0
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) Open to seniors in political science. Subject to department approval, this requirement may be fulfilled by the completion of original political science research, political action, political art, or applied public policy research. The senior project is an intensive two-term research project serving as the capstone experience for the major. All senior projects are subject to an oral examination as a requirement for graduation as a major.
|
| |
-
PSC 499 - Political Science Senior Thesis 2 Course Units: 2
(Staff)
|
Psychology |
| |
-
PSY 100 - Introduction to Psychology Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; DeBono, Hart, Morton, Rogers) The activities and experiences of the human being. Personality and its development, motives, learning and intelligence, and behavior in conflict. CC: SOCS
|
| |
-
PSY 200 - Statistical Methods in Psychology Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Egan, Morton, Romero, Stanhope) The descriptive and inferential statistical procedures used by researchers to explain and analyze their results. Mean, variance, correlation, hypothesis testing using t-test, ANOVA, and nonparametric tests. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 210 - Behavioral Neuroscience Course Units: 1
(Same as BIO 210 ) (Fall, Spring; Egan, Romero) Basic concepts of brain functioning as they relate to psychological phenomena. Including methodology, neuroanatomy, and neurotransmission, important for understanding the mediation of behavior. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or (BIO 103 (110) and BIO 104 (112) ). CC: SET
|
| |
|
| |
-
PSY 213 - Clinical Neuropsychology Course Units: 1
(Winter, Spring; Anderson-Hanley) This course will examine the relationship between brain function and behavior, especially the evaluation and treatment of individuals across the lifespan with cognitive deficits and brain compromise (e.g., due to injury, neurodevelopmental or degenerative processes, toxic exposure, etc.). The material is interdisciplinary, integrating across various sub-disciplines of medicine (e.g., neurology, psychiatry, radiology) and subfields of psychology (e.g. neuroscience, abnormal, assessment, cognitive, health). Clinical cases and research reports will be used to illustrate and characterize neuropsychological phenomena, conditions, and diagnoses. The course objectives will be accomplished through lecture, readings, and discussion as well as via experiential and service learning opportunities. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 210 (or BIO 210 )
|
| |
-
PSY 215 - Health Psychology Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will examine psychology’s role in the etiology, prevention, progression, and treatment of disease. Topics will include mechanisms by which stress and health-related behaviors such as diet, exercise, smoking and substance abuse contribute to illness, doctor-patient communication, problems of medical compliance, cognitive/behavioral treatment techniques, pain management, and health promotion/ disease prevention strategies. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 220 - Attention and Memory Course Units: 1
(Winter, Spring; Hayes) This course will focus on how people take in information about the world around them, store that information, and retrieve it to help them solve problems. In doing so, we will discuss the seemingly paradoxical conclusion that we take in and interpret a great deal of our environment but that we also fail to notice much of it. We will also discuss how we are able to work on and manipulate the information we have taken in, and make decisions based on it, emphasizing the impact that this process has on our ability to perform many cognitive tasks. Additionally, those factors that influence how and how well we encode and later retrieve various types of information will be considered. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 225 - The Psychology of Language Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter; Rogers) This course will present a broad overview of language and its instantiation within the human brain. We will pay particular attention to 1) the ways that neurological disorders impact language functioning, and 2) how these patterns of language breakdown inform psychological models of typical language processing. This course will cover basic anatomy as well as a survey of language related topics (e.g., speech perception, deafness, language acquisition, linguistic diversity). Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 230 - Social Psychology Course Units: 1
(Same as SOC 203 ) (Fall, Winter, Spring; Bizer, Morton) This course presents an overview of the field of social psychology: We live in a world in which social factors can dramatically impact us. We will thus explore major theories and classic and contemporary research on why people think, feel, and behave the way they do in both individual and group settings. Topics may also include evolutionary and cultural perspectives, research methods and ethics in the field, and applications of social psychology to areas such as health, law, education, and public policy. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 is required per the PSY Department. SOC 100 does not serve as a prerequisite
|
| |
-
PSY 235 - Industrial-Organizational Psychology Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) A general overview of the research and theory relating psychology to work behavior and to applications in the industrial setting. Personnel psychology, human factors and engineering psychology, organization theory, organizational development, and organizational behavior will be examined. Prerequisite(s): PSY 230 preferred, but not required.
|
| |
-
PSY 240 - Developmental Psychology Course Units: 1
(Winter, Spring; Stanhope) This course traces the processes that influence human development across the lifespan, from infancy to old age. What are the cognitive, emotional and social behavioral milestones that occur at each significant stage of development? In what ways do human beings change as they get older, and in what ways do they stay the same? What early experiences can influence later developmental outcomes? The major theoretical perspectives that help illuminate the developmental process, as well as the experimental and quasi-experimental methods of study, will be emphasized Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 242 - Death and Dying Course Units: 1
Winter; Weisse) This course will examine the social and psychological processes that shape the dying and bereavement process. The historical and cultural factors that influence attitudes toward dying and the ethical issues that impact decisions about how we die will be discussed. In addition, this course will discuss end of life care, including hospice, palliative care and pain management; how our health care system treats the dying; mental health interventions; and suicide.
|
| |
-
PSY 245 - Psychology of Gender Roles Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) The psychological bases and effects of the masculine and feminine role norms in our culture. Topics include biological bases of sex differences, sexuality, romance, work and family roles, origins of sex-typed personality in family and cultural socialization. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 246 - Educational Psychology Course Units: 1
(Spring, Stanhope) In this course, we will apply the principles of psychology to various aspects of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on the cognitive abilities of students, classroom management procedures, and motivational techniques. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 250 - Clinical Psychology 1: Disorders Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Walker) An introduction to the diagnosis, study, and treatment of psychological disorders. Emphasis will be placed on the cause (i.e., etiology), expected outcome (i.e., prognosis), and prevalence of the major mental disorders recognized by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders. The course covers major categories of psychiatric diagnoses including Anxiety, Mood, Eating, Sexual, Trauma and Stressor-Related, Obsessive-Compulsive, Personality, Somatic, Dissociative, and Psychotic Disorders. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 251 - Personality Course Units: 1
(Spring; Benack) This course will emphasize personality theory and research in an effort to understand individual persons. Students will come to learn more about their own and others’ personality through a variety of approaches, such as traits and individual differences, psychoanalysis, personality development, self psychology, and the humanistic perspective. Drawing connections to other areas of psychological science, the course will explore how personality relates to motivation, emotion, cognition, and behavior. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 255 - Psychology of Addiction Course Units: 1
(Fall; Walker) A socio-psychological approach to understanding a variety of addictive behaviors. Includes coverage of substance abuse, e.g., alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs and foods, as well as activities such as gambling, sex, work, relationships etc. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 257 - Evolutionary Psychology Course Units: 1
(Not Offered this Academic Year) This course will provide a solid theoretical foundation for the study of psychology from an evolutionary perspective. We will apply to humans the same lens that evolutionary biology has applied to other species. This perspective cuts across cognition, motivation, attention, social behavior, and many other aspects of psychology. The course will begin with an in-depth introduction to evolutionary theory as it applies to human psychology and behavior followed by a survey of more specific psychological phenomena studied from an evolutionary perspective. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
-
PSY 291 - Psychology Research Practicum 1 Course Units: 0
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) The Psychology Research Practicum experience allows students to become involved in psychological research early in their careers at Union College. Students work under the supervision of a member of the Psychology Department. Duties will be determined individually with the research supervisor, and may include such things as: surveying the literature in an area, designing or testing research materials, interacting with research participants, collecting data, and analyzing data. Expectations include at least four hours per week devoted to the research, as well as attendance at Psychology Speaker Series seminars. This course requires permission of the individual research supervisor, and is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. In order to receive credit equivalent to one course, the student must earn passing grades in three terms of practicum experience within the psychology department. Research Practicum is normally not open to students who are currently enrolled in independent research experiences in psychology, except by permission of the department chair. The Research Practicum course does not count towards the major requirements in psychology. Prerequisite(s): PSY 100 or PSY 100P
|
| |
-
PSY 292 - Psychology Research Practicum 2 Course Units: 0
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) The Psychology Research Practicum experience allows students to become involved in psychological research early in their careers at Union College. Students work under the supervision of a member of the Psychology Department. Duties will be determined individually with the research supervisor, and may include such things as: surveying the literature in an area, designing or testing research materials, interacting with research participants, collecting data, and analyzing data. Expectations include at least four hours per week devoted to the research, as well as attendance at Psychology Speaker Series seminars. This course requires permission of the individual research supervisor, and is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. In order to receive credit equivalent to one course, the student must earn passing grades in three terms of practicum experience within the psychology department. Research Practicum is normally not open to students who are currently enrolled in independent research experiences in psychology, except by permission of the department chair. The Research Practicum course does not count towards the major requirements in psychology. Prerequisite(s): PSY 291
|
| |
-
PSY 293 - Psychology Research Practicum 3 Course Units: 0
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Staff) The Psychology Research Practicum experience allows students to become involved in psychological research early in their careers at Union College. Students work under the supervision of a member of the Psychology Department. Duties will be determined individually with the research supervisor, and may include such things as: surveying the literature in an area, designing or testing research materials, interacting with research participants, collecting data, and analyzing data. Expectations include at least four hours per week devoted to the research, as well as attendance at Psychology Speaker Series seminars. This course requires permission of the individual research supervisor, and is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. In order to receive credit equivalent to one course, the student must earn passing grades in three terms of practicum experience within the psychology department. Research Practicum is normally not open to students who are currently enrolled in independent research experiences in psychology, except by permission of the department chair. The Research Practicum course does not count towards the major requirements in psychology Prerequisite(s): PSY 292
|
| |
-
PSY 295H - Psychology Honors Independent Project 1 Course Units: 0
(Staff) Note: Total credit is obtained by the completion of PSY 296H
|
| |
-
PSY 296H - Psychology Honors Independent Project 2 Course Units: 1
(Staff)
|
| |
-
PSY 300 - Research Methods in Psychology Course Units: 1
(Fall, Winter, Spring; Bizer, Burns) Students will learn how to conduct research in psychological science, including hypothesis development, research design, data collection, scientific writing, ethical considerations, and dissemination. Students will also learn how to conduct statistical analyses using the SPSS software package, to include regression as well as analysis of within-participant and factorial designs. In the capstone assignment, students will develop their own hypotheses and design their own psychological experiments with which to test those hypotheses. Prerequisite(s): PSY 200 Corequisite(s): PSY 300L Lecture/Lab Hours Weekly lab
|
| |
-
PSY 310 - Cognitive Neuroscience Course Units: 1
(Spring; Rogers) This course will present in depth the present understanding of the brain mechanisms that give rise to many mental processes, including attention, memory, language production, and comprehension, numerical processing, reasoning, emotions, and executive functioning. Weekly laboratory sessions will cover major methodologies used in cognitive neuroscience, including brain imaging and neural network simulation Prerequisite(s): PSY 210 (or BIO 210 ), PSY 220 , and PSY 300 Corequisite(s): PSY 310L
CC: SCLB Lecture/Lab Hours Weekly lab
|
| |
|
| |
-
PSY 312 - Experimental Neurobiology Course Units: 1
(Same as BIO 362 ) (Staff) Prerequisite(s): BIO 225 or by permission of the instructor. Corequisite(s): PSY 312L CC: SCLB
|
| |
-
PSY 313 - Sensation and Perception Course Units: 1
(Winter; Egan) The study of sensation and perception examines the physics of the real world (stimulus), how the nervous system captures information about the environment (sensation), and the translation of sensory information into meaningful events (perception). Multiple levels of analysis will be introduced including sensory physiology, psychophysiology, and psychophysics. The class will cover a variety of topics, possibly to include how the eye is not a camera, why people need glasses, how 3-D movies work, the mysteries of face blindness, and what’s hiding behind your eardrum. Prerequisite(s): PSY 210 (or BIO 210 ), and PSY 300 . Corequisite(s): PSY 313L CC: SCLB Lecture/Lab Hours Weekly lab
|
| |
-
PSY 315 - Neural Circuits of Behavior Course Units: 1
(Same as BIO 365 ) (Staff) Prerequisite(s): BIO 104 (112) and one of the following: BIO 210 , BIO 330 , BIO 362 , or BIO 363 or permission of instructor. CC: SET
|
| |
-
PSY 330 - Advanced Personality and Social Psychology Course Units: 1
(Winter; Hart) Covers contemporary theory and research on (a) attitudes and social cognition (e.g., attitude formation and change; impression formation; persuasion; stereotypes and prejudice; emotion; self-regulation), (b) interpersonal relationships and group processes (e.g., romance; intergroup relations; aggression; pro- and anti-social behavior), and (c) personality and individual differences (e.g., trait structure, development, assessment, and outcomes). Weekly lab involves learning and applying topically relevant research methods. Prerequisite(s): PSY 300 and PSY 230 or PSY 251 Corequisite(s): PSY 330L CC: SCLB Lecture/Lab Hours Weekly lab
|
| |
-
PSY 331 - Psychology of Emotion Course Units: 1
(Spring; Hart) Examination and evaluation of scientific theories and research about emotions, including the evolution and development of emotions, the physiological and neurological underpinnings of emotions, individual differences and psychopathology, and the role of emotions in close relationships and everyday life. Prerequisite(s): Any 200-level PSY course, except PSY 200 .
|
| |
-
PSY 347 - Psychology of Sexuality Course Units: 1
(Spring; Benack) We will examine the varied forms of human sexuality from a psychological perspective. This analysis will include several theoretical approaches (e.g., comparative, biological, evolutionary, psychoanalytic, queer theory) and a range of topics (e.g., sexual development across the lifespan, choice of gender of partners, the relation of sexuality and gender, power relations in sexuality). Prerequisite(s): PSY 100
|
| |
Page: 1 <- Back 10 … 8
| 9
| 10
| 11
| 12
| 13
| 14
| 15
| 16
| 17
| 18
|
|
|
|
Print this Page