Fall 2025 Courses
Undergraduate Courses
Please view the Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ Course Catalog for a complete listing of the Political Science department course offerings.
Important note about special topic courses.
The department encourages students to take special topic (ST) courses. All special topic courses are eligible for credit with regard to political science major and minor requirements.
ST: American politics and political theory courses are eligible for Track 1 credit.
ST: Comparative politics and international relations courses count for Track 2 credit.
Special topic courses are not automatically assigned to the corresponding requirement. Advisors request a course substitution by emailing the registrar. If your special topic courses require a transcript adjustment, please contact your advisor.
Introductory Courses for LinC credit - M3, M4, M5
100- Level Courses
POSC 110 A & B: American Political System
Operation of American political processes and governmental institutions. Political culture of American democracy, political philosophy of the Constitution, relationship between organization of the economy and political power, linkages between mass public and governing elites, and operation of institutions of national government. (M4)
POSC 115 A & B: Introduction to International Politics
This course is meant to acquaint students with the analytical approaches, concepts, processes, issues, and actors in world politics. The class is anchored in class discussion and exchange of ideas. We will study the continuum of theoretical traditions and analytical approaches used in the study of international relations/world politics/international politics, including realism, liberalism, constructivism, and feminism. We will explore the roles of key actors in global politics including governments, international institutions, and a variety of non-state actors. Additionally, we will examine key global issues such as global security, war and peace, human rights, global economics and trade, poverty and development, and environmental issues. The course will draw on historical and contemporary cases to help students draw connections between theories and world events and to be equipped with how to best explain and understand the world (M4)
POSC 120 A & B: Introduction to Political Thinking
How can we ask better political questions and provide better political answers? This course introduces students to the habits of mind of famous thinkers across the centuries: Plato, Machiavelli, Shakespeare, de Tocqueville, Students for a Democratic Society, and Hannah Arendt. Topics include personal choice, democratic citizenship, justice, and totalitarianism. (M3)
POSC 125 A & B: Introduction to Comparative Politics
In this course, students will be introduced to analytical tools that can be used to explore how politics operate of the United States. We will begin by addressing fundamental "what" questions about the concept of the state, democracy, and political identity. From there, we will examine "why" and "how" questions through comparative perspectives. Some of the questions we will explore include: Why are some countries democratic and peaceful while others are authoritarian and conflict-prone? How does democracy affect power distribution among political actors? What is the impact of political identities based on race/ethnicity/gender and religion on domestic politics? Upon completing the course, students will better understand the differences between strong and weak states, how politics are organized in democracies and non-democracies, and the political significance of various forms of identities. (M5)
Advanced Courses
200-Level courses
POSC 245 A: The Politics of the Middle East
This course aims to demystify "the Middle East." The long history of the western colonial encounter with this region has not only helped "create" the modern Middle East but generated conceptual frameworks that serve colonial practices at the expense of a humane understanding of the region's people, politics, history, and culture. The course aims at achieving such an understanding. To get there, the course examines common preconceptions about the region that often ends up framing Muslims and Arabs as exotic or hostile others and obstruct a more humane understanding. The rest of the course is divided into four segments: (1) an examination of anti-colonialism as expressed in politics of resource nationalism in the case of modern Iran, (2) a critical look at the "oldest wound" in the heart of the region, namely the Question of Palestine, (3) an evaluation of the "war on terror" since 9/11 with special attention paid to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and (4) a consideration of the question of the Arab revolutions in the context of the "Arab Spring" with attention to developments in Egypt, Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. (Track 2 credit)
POSC 250: 20th Century Political Theory
This course addresses a selection of political thought from 1900 to the present. Topics vary but may include democratic political thought, the study of totalitarianism, theories of justice, and a wide selection of important twentieth-century schools of thought. (Track 1 credit)
POSC 291 A: ST: Asian Tigers: Comparative Political Economy
This course delves into the remarkable success stories of the Asian tigers, encompassing Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea. We will investigate how these nations have achieved the renowned "East Asian Miracle" by outperforming economies in other parts of the world. This extraordinary economic growth in East Asia is distinguished by the unique challenges these countries have faced, such as imperialism, partition, and the dominance of the United States in the region, as well as their reliance on state-led growth. Our primary aim is to analyze the factors, variables, and conditions that have contributed to the prosperous economic development of these nations and to examine the contemporary challenges they encounter. We will explore the role of the state in formulating and executing export-oriented development strategies, the interdependence of these countries and the complications arising from the interconnectedness, the impact of financial crises on their accumulation strategies, and the current human rights and environmental issues stemming from their development. Prereq: POSC 125 (Track 2 credit)
POSC 298 PM: ST: American Foreign Policy
In this course students acquire an understanding of how the relationship between the US and the rest of the world has evolved over time and the various ways in which the relationship has been defined, described, and understood and the implications of such understandings. The course will start off with an overview of the history of US foreign relations with special emphasis on the 20th century until present, followed by a review of theories of foreign policy. We will then discuss U.S. policy toward major regions of the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, using various case studies. We will cover major episodes of the 20th and 21st centuries and current realities including the World Wars, Cold War, Indochina wars, the Korean War, the War on Terror, Russia/Ukraine conflict, and the rise of China. We will also discuss the institutional environment in which US foreign policy is formulated. This course fulfills the Global Politics and International Political Awareness (Track 2 credit) requirement.
300-Level Course
POSC 392 A: ST: Identity Politics
This course provides an in-depth analysis of identity politics in the United States, focusing on how social identities - such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, and class - shape political behavior, public opinion, policy preferences, and political representation. The course examines how individuals and groups mobilize around shared identities to influence political outcomes and how these identities intersect with political institutions, party dynamics, and public discourse. Emphasis is placed on understanding the ways identity both unites and divides political coalitions, affects policy debates, and impacts voter engagement and participation. Students will engage with key theoretical frameworks and empirical research to explore how identity influences political attitudes, group solidarity, and the distribution of power within the U.S. political system. As a writing-intensive course, students will develop a thesis-driven research paper that critically examines a topic related to identity politics, requiring them to engage with scholarly literature, analyze evidence, and construct a well-supported argument. This course is ideal for students interested in deepening their understanding of the complex relationship between identity and political behavior in American politics while strengthening their academic writing and research skills. (WI) (Track 1 credit)