Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Political Science (POL)

POL 100.  General Education Political Science: World Perspectives.  (3 Units)  

An introduction to world affairs and the role of the individual in an increasingly complex and interdependent international system. Both the conceptual and practical aspects of problem solving and decision making are examined as they relate to international cooperation and conflict.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 101.  American Institutions.  (3 Units)  

A study of contemporary political institutions, with emphasis on the philosophy, structure, and behavior of the American political system, including the State of California. Meets State requirement in U.S. Constitution and California State and Local government.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 300.  Research Design in Political Science.  (3 Units)  

The first course of a two-course sequence - Poll 300 and POL 301 - that examines the fundamentals of research design in political science. Satisfies Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 301.  Statistical Analysis in Political Science.  (3 Units)  

Prerequisite: POL 300 is required. Focuses on introducing students to elementary statistical techniques and their applications to problems in Political Science.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 304.  Basic Concepts of Law: Substantive.  (3 Units)  

An examination of conflict situations which arise in contemporary life and the way in which the law and legal institutions address these conflicts. Statutory law and common law will be studied with an emphasis on case analysis, torts, crimes, property, contracts, and landlord-tenant.

Offered Infrequent

POL 305.  Basic Concepts of Law: Procedural.  (3 Units)  

A basic course in understanding the legal system with a focus on basic procedural law. Emphasis will be placed on civil procedure, evidence, and litigation, probate and corporation, partnership and agency.

Offered Infrequent

POL 310.  Current Issues in American Government.  (3 Units)  

Analysis and critical evaluation of recent major issues, conflicts and problems in American government and institutions. Current issues might include social and health services, energy, environment, multinational corporations, military spending, taxation, political economy, criminal justice, and civil rights.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 312.  State and Local Government: Organization and Problems.  (3 Units)  

Analysis of functions of state and local government with particular emphasis on California. Examination of state-federal and state-local relations and the policy choices available for solving current problems. The course meets the statutory requirement for state and local government.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 314.  American Political Parties and Elections.  (3 Units)  

A study of the dynamics of American political behavior, including the legal regulation of parties and of elections. Analysis of voting behavior and public opinion. Study of political party organization, membership, and leadership in the context of the contemporary political scene.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 315.  Congress and the President.  (3 Units)  

An analysis of development and operation of the elected decision-making structures of the United States government. Particular focus on the interrelationships between the Congress and the President.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 318.  Public Policy Choices: Distribution of Wealth.  (3 Units)  

A study of wealth and redistribution, including the causes and consequences of inequalities in the United States and other countries. Considers how economic inequality affects citizens' participation in political activities, interest groups, political parties, social movements, and civic associations.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 319.  Horror and Politics.  (3 Units)  

Perquisite(s): POL 101 required. Co-requisite(s); POL 315 recommended. In addition to scene of terror, many times horror films deliver political commentary. What do horror films say about the times in which they were created, as well as our own time? This course will explore these issues and more.

Offered Fall

POL 320.  Urban Government and Policy Choices.  (3 Units)  

A survey of the structures of American municipal, county, and special districts within the context of a systematic evaluation of the public policy choices facing these units of government.

Offered Fall, All terms

POL 323.  Black Politics.  (3 Units)  

An analysis of the structure of power within the Black community and political interaction between activists, moderates, and conservatives. Evaluation of styles within the Black sub-political culture and manipulative aspects and tactics; e.g., coalition, confrontation, establishment politics.

Offered Fall

POL 325.  Women and Politics in the United States.  (3 Units)  

Examination of the expansion across time of women's rights in the United States. Considers the limitation of rights, feminist movements/theory, and ongoing problems. Also examines roles of specific women who have lead movements and/or pushed for legal change.

Offered Spring

POL 328.  Cultural Pluralism in American Politics.  (3 Units)  

Discusses the issues of political socialization and cultural differences in the American political arena. Analyzes the political orientations of various ethnic groups in the United States , their cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and their levels of political participation and interaction with American political institutions.

Offered Infrequent

POL 331.  International Terrorism.  (3 Units)  

Analysis of the concept of terrorism, root causes and forms. Examination of theories and counter-terrorism strategies at different levels of analysis; individuals, groups, societal, states and transnational. Special emphasis on specific terrorism cases, terrorist organizations and cyber-terrorism in the Digital Age.

Offered Fall

POL 332.  International Security.  (3 Units)  

Analysis of the theory and practice of international conflict, crisis, and war management. Special emphasis on the contemporary concerns of deterrence, limited war, guerrilla warfare, foreign commitments, arms races, and arms control.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 333.  International Relations of East Asia.  (3 Units)  

Analysis of contemporary international relations of East Asia, including the rise of China, its affects on US-China relations and implications in the region concerning foreign policy issues for countries such as Japan, North and South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Offered Spring

POL 334.  American Foreign Policy.  (3 Units)  

The formulation and execution of foreign policy in the United States, including an analysis of competing ideological concepts, the role of President and Congress, and the influence of public opinion.

Offered Fall, Spring, All terms

POL 335.  Introduction to International Relations.  (3 Units)  

Introduction to international relations. Students will learn theories, concepts, principles and practices of international politics. Topics include war/peace, international political economy, and international institutions. Global issues such as terrorism, human rights, environment, and global health will also be examined.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 336.  Theories of International Relations.  (3 Units)  

Analysis of action and interaction of states, decision-making, capability analysis, balance and imbalance, systems analysis, communication, crisis, and game theory.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 337.  European International Relations.  (3 Units)  

An analysis of European international relations and foreign policies including the impact of Western European economic integration, the foreign policies of the Russian Commonwealth with Eastern and Western Europe, and the changing role of NATO.

Offered Infrequent

POL 339.  Model United Nations.  (3 Units)  

Examination of the role of international organizations and the issues addressed by these international actors while preparing students to participate in intercollegiate Model United Nations simulations. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9.0 units.

Offered Infrequent

POL 340.  Introduction to Comparative Politics.  (3 Units)  

Study of domestic politics in different regions of the world by focusing on topics, such as economic development, democratization and regime change, political institutions, income redistribution, and political representation.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 341.  Gov and Politics of East Asia.  (3 Units)  

China, Japan, and Korea : political behavior, ideas, and institutions of societies of East Asia. Political parties and organizations, role of competing ideologies and systems of behavior, interaction of domestic and foreign policies.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 342.  Government and Politics of the Middle East.  (3 Units)  

Analysis and explanation of political processes, governments, political issues and foreign relations of the Middle East. Discussion of influence of religion, oil, revolutions and conflicts on Middle East politics.

Offered Fall

POL 343.  Political Behavior in Latin America.  (3 Units)  

Analysis of political and cultural behavior in South America with a focus on Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia , and Venezuela . Their sociopolitical institutions, elites, and interest groups; and the impact of national and cross-national cultural pluralism upon political life in the region.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 344.  Latin America: The Revolutionary Tradition.  (3 Units)  

A comparative analysis of the revolutionary process in Mexico , Central America and Cuba , encompassing the dimensions of the socio-political, cultural and economic characteristics. An emphasis on post-revolutionary developmental politics in Mexico, Nicaragua, Cuba , and on the current social unrest in Central America, including an analysis of ideas, institutions, groups and economic conditions.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 345.  Democratization.  (3 Units)  

Students examine the basic principles, theories, and comparative methods useful for understanding the challenges of democracy and democratization and provides insights into the range of practical policy recommendations which could be adopted to strengthen the process of democratic governance.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 347.  Comparative Political Parties.  (3 Units)  

For more than a century, democratic politics has been synonymous with party politics. This class provides an understanding of the origins or parties and party systems, the reasons for their successes and failures, and their impact on political outcomes.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 349.  Government and Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa.  (3 Units)  

A study of the dynamics of government and politics in Africa south of the Sahara Desert with special emphasis on South Africa . Imperialism and colonial administration, nationalism, and decolonization treated as background to the problems of modernization and nation-building in the region.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 350.  History of Political Ideas.  (3 Units)  

A critical analysis of the major political philosophies and schools of thought from Plato to the sixteenth century. Examination of the political concepts of Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Machiavelli.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 351.  Modern Political Thought.  (3 Units)  

A study of principal political philosophers from the seventeenth century to the present. Special emphasis is given to writers such as John Stuart Mill and Karl Marx, whose concepts of political criticism have become predominant in the modern world.

Offered Spring

POL 352.  Democratic Theory.  (3 Units)  

A comprehensive examination of the theory and practice of democracy. Students engage with various theoretical justifications for democracy, analyzing the various understandings of its strengths and weaknesses. Using these theories, students examine the various forms of democracy historically and globally.

Offered Spring

POL 354.  American Political Thought.  (3 Units)  

A critical analysis of the political ideas that have emerged within the United States . Special attention is given to twentieth century political theories that aim to achieve social justice and/or alternative life styles through a restructuring of the economy.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 355.  Politics and Political Theory through Film.  (3 Units)  

Focuses on political theory and politics as presented through film. Students examine the various ways artists critique existing political and social structures, provide alternative visions, and challenge audiences to rethink their unexamined assumptions regarding human existence.

Offered Fall

POL 356.  Political Theory and Science Fiction.  (3 Units)  

Explores how science fiction has explored perennial questions of political theory. Students engage with the books, films, and TV shows of the genre, and how thee works challenge existing political structures and develop alternative visions.

Offered Fall

POL 357.  Food Politics.  (3 Units)  

Explores the political, social, and ethical concerns surrounding food and food culture. Topics examined include: the ethics of consumption, food media, cultural appropriation, and race, identity and the representation in the restaurant industry.

Offered Fall

POL 360.  American Constitutional Law: Distribution of Power.  (3 Units)  

An examination of the nature and development of the United States constitutional system. Emphasis on the role of the courts in interpreting the concepts of separation of powers, federalism, the police power, and the commerce clause.

Offered Spring

POL 361.  American Constitutional Law: Civil Rights.  (3 Units)  

A study of fundamental rights as protected by the U.S. Constitution and other legal provisions. The role of the courts in interpreting freedom of expression and conscience, due process, and equal protection of the laws.

Offered Fall

POL 366.  Criminal Law and Procedures.  (3 Units)  

Materials and cases treating Criminal Law and procedures within the context of the American policy. Systematic analysis of the role of the citizen in relationship to operational legal principles and procedures of Criminal Law. An emphasis on contemporary problems and recent court decisions.

Offered Infrequent

POL 370.  Public Opinion and Propaganda.  (3 Units)  

The nature of public opinion and its manipulation by propaganda in modern society. Relations between government and other social institutions and the opinions of groups and individuals; the press, pressure groups.

Offered Spring

POL 371.  Conflict, Violence, Nonviolence and Peace.  (3 Units)  

Examination of relevant theories and instances of aggression, sociopolitical conflict and conflict resolution, various types of political violence (as terrorism, revolution, urban riots) and nonviolence. Course will present an overview of all these topics, or focus on one topic in detail, such as terrorism, revolution, or nonviolence.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 372.  International Institutions.  (3 Units)  

Prerequisite(s): POL 335 required. An examination of the theories and practices of international institutions. The origins, structures, functions, and effectiveness of international institutions will be discussed. Major issues include war and conflict, global economy, environment, human rights, and global health.

Offered Fall

POL 373.  International Political Economy.  (3 Units)  

An examination of the theoretical approaches to the study of international political economy and contemporary issues in the global economy. Major topics include international trade, international finance, economic development, multinational corporations, and globalization.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 374.  International Human Rights.  (3 Units)  

Prerequisite(s): POL 335 required. An examination of the historical evolution and practices of human rights in world politics. Emphasis on the dynamic interaction between governments, and international and domestic human rights institutions. The topics include political rights, torture, refugees, racism, environment, and women's rights.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 375.  Technical Policy and the Future.  (3 Units)  

Various humanistic, ethical, legal, and political-economic policy issues surrounding the use and future development of technology, in such areas as energy, food production, transportation, computers, communications, electronic surveillance, medicine, weaponry, and space. The issue of high technology vs. appropriate technology also global restructuring trends from technological change. Course will focus on one or more such technological topics depending upon the instructor.

Offered Infrequent

POL 380.  Mock Trial I.  (3 Units)  

Students will be taught the basics of how to present a case in a simulated trial environment. Students will create opening and closing statements, and cross-examinations and direct examinations. Students will have the opportunity to participate as witnesses. Upper division status is recommended or consent of instructor is required.

Offered Infrequent

POL 401.  Political and Public Sector Leadership.  (3 Units)  

Prerequisite: 12 units of uppder division courses are required. This is an applied techniques, skills-development course. It blends ideas from several different sectors of political theory, public policy, public relations, conflict negotiation, and intercultural communication to teach students skills that are necessary for leadership roles.

Offered Spring

POL 494.  Independent Study.  (1-3 Units)  

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and department chair. Independent study of a particular problem under the direction of a member of the Political Science Department. Course is not repeatable for credit in the Political Science major or minor.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 495.  Special Topics in Political Science.  (1-3 Units)  

An intensive study of an issue or a concept in political science that is of special interest to both the faculty member and the students. Repeatable course. Three hours of seminar per week.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 496.  Internships in Political Science.  (3 Units)  

Practical application of coursework in political science through supervised work and field experience in politics, government administration, public and private paralegal agencies such as offices of lawyers and judges, and community agencies. Repeatable course.

Offered Fall, Spring

POL 498.  Directed Research.  (1-3 Units)  

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. The student develops and completes an individual study under faculty supervision. Repeatable course.

Offered Infrequent