GOVT 2304: Introduction to Political Science

Transcription

1 GOVT 2304: Introduction to Political Science HCCS Southwest College Professor: Larry J. Gonzalez, PhD Voice: Purpose of the Course: On behalf of the Government Department faculty I welcome you to the study of political science. This is a TOTALLY online course. You will not need to report to a campus to satisfy any of the course requirements. Government 2304 is designed to introduce students to the academic study of political science. Among the topics covered are the different conceptions of politics and science and the relationships between them, the major controversies over the possibility and shape of political science, and the different approaches employed in the study of politics. This particular course includes a study of the fundamental principles of political science, and the study of recent developments in the various subfields, including Political Theory, International Relations, Comparative Politics, Public Law, and Public Administration. Finally, the course explores further academic and employment opportunities in this emerging field. Required Readings: Ellen Grigsby, Analyzing Politics, 6th Edition. Cengage ISBN: Publisher s Website: All other materials will be furnished by the Instructor and the College. Recommended: Students are encouraged to follow current political events by reading newspapers and following media news reports.

2 Advisory Statements: Please review the following Student Advisory Statements: Distance Education Advising and Counseling Services Advising can be accomplished by telephone at 713/ option # 4, via at de.counseling@hccs.edu, by visiting the Distance Education Office at the HCC Administration Building, 3100 Main Street, 3rd floor and/or by on-site advising at other HCC locations upon request. Confidential sessions with the distance education counselors will help students understand admissions, registration, entrance testing requirements, degree planning, transfer issues, and career counseling. Houston Community College counselors also maintain a local referral base in order to provide appropriate referrals to students with personal or family issues that may require long-term solutions. FINAL GRADE OF FX: Students who stop attending class and do not withdraw themselves prior to the withdrawal deadline may either be dropped by their professor for excessive absences or be assigned the final grade of "FX" at the end of the semester. Students who stop attending classes will receive a grade of "FX", compared to an earned grade of "F" which is due to poor performance. Logging into a DE course without active participation is seen as non-attending. Please note that HCC will not disperse financial aid funding for students who have never attended class. Students who receive financial aid but fail to attend class will be reported to the Department of Education and may have to pay back their aid. A grade of "FX" is treated exactly the same as a grade of "F" in terms of GPA, probation, suspension, and satisfactory academic progress. ADA Statement Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Ability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Ability Services Office. At Southwest College, students should contact Dr. Becky Hauri at

3 EGLS3 At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time near the end of the term, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your professors and department chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term. Educational Outcomes: The Objective of Political Science as a Core Curriculum course is to facilitate one s understanding and evaluation of the nature of governments and of the political actions of people concerning government and public policy. This particular curriculum is designed to implement these requirements as set forth by the State of Texas, and the Houston Community College System and Southwest College Government Departments. Upon completion of the core curriculum component in political science, the students enrolled in this course should be able to: Establish broad and multiple perspectives on the individual in relationship to the larger society and world in which he or she lives, and to understand the responsibilities of living in a culturally and ethnically diversified world; Stimulate a capacity to discuss and reflect upon individual, political, economic, and social aspects of life in order to understand ways in which to be a responsible member of society; Recognize the importance of maintaining health and wellness; Develop a capacity to use knowledge of how technology and science affect their lives; Develop personal values for ethical behavior; Develop the ability to make aesthetic judgments; Use logical reasoning in problem solving; and Integrate knowledge and the interrelationships of the scholarly disciplines.

4 Outcome Measures: Students in a Core Curriculum course are assessed on their ability to demonstrate all or most of the following proficiencies: Reading: Reading at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials-books, articles, and documents-within the contemporary context of the discipline. A core curriculum should offer students the opportunity to master both general methods of analyzing printed materials and specific methods for analyzing the subject matter of individual disciplines. Writing: Competency in writing is the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience. Students of political science need to be familiar with the writing process: how to discover a topic; how to develop and organize it; and how to phrase it effectively for their audience. These abilities can only be acquired through practice and refection. Speaking: Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience. Developing this competency includes acquiring poise and developing control of the language through experience in making presentations to small groups, to large groups, and through the media. Critical Thinking: Critical thinking, or intellectual reasoning, which is necessarily exercised in those competencies described above, is the ability to organize and analyze ideas and data using logical methods. Data here includes written texts, visual presentations, artifacts, and experimental and statistical material. Critical thinking embraces methods applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to appropriate political subject matter in order to evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the applications of critical thinking, used to address an identified task. Computer Literacy: Computer literacy at the college level means the ability to use computer-based technologies in communicating, solving problems, and acquiring information. Core-educated students should have an understanding of the limits, problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology, and should have the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available.

5 GRADE COMPUTATION: Students success will be assessed with a series of reading exams and assignments throughout the course of the semester. Reading Exams (50%) Semester Research Assignment (50%) Class Schedule Introduction to the Discipline of Political Science Reading Quiz 1---Chapter 1, 2: (Please See Course Calendar for Exact Dates) Key Concepts in Political Science Reading Quiz 2-Chapter 3: (Please See Course Calendar for Exact Dates) The Role of Political Theory Reading Quiz 3---Chapter 4: (Please See Course Calendar for Exact Dates) Comparative Politics Reading Quiz 4---Chapter 8: (Please See Course Calendar for Exact Dates) International Relations and World Politics Reading Quiz 5---Chapter 11: (Please See Course Calendar for Exact Dates)