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Course Descriptions

Political Science (PSC)           Course Schedules

Distance Learning Courses: Courses in the department approved for offering in a distance learning format include: PSC 522, 551.

PSC 514 American Public Policy Making 3(3-0)
This course serves to integrate political institutions and levels of government in terms of policy development and implementation.

PSC 515 Comparative Public Policy 3(3-0)
Techniques of cross-national and other comparative policy analysis applied to social and economic policies of industrialized nations, especially Western Europe.

PSC 516 Environmental Politics and Policy 3(3-0)
Analysis of relationships between politics and public policy in the environmental arena. Emphasis upon policy making process, political strategies, and alternative decision modes. Prerequisites: complete minimum of 56 credit hours of university course work, or permission of instructor.

PSC 520 American National Government and Politics 3(3-0)
This course will examine the major theoretical frameworks used in the study of American national government and politics and survey current research in the area. Prerequisites: a minimum of 9 hours of political science coursework, including PSC 105 or permission of instructor.

PSC 522 Regulatory Processes and Administrative Law 3(3-0)
Survey of the principles of administrative law and the politics of the U.S. regulatory processes.

PSC 540 Cultural Heritage and Politics of Eastern Europe 3(3-0) Comparative study of political systems of Soviet bloc countries and Yugoslavia.

PSC 551 Seminar in International Relations 3(3-0)
Significant aspects of international relations on the basis of timeliness and importance.

PSC 555 International Law I 3(3-0)
Processes of international law; role in international relations and organizations; effects on individual rights in peacetime through cases, treaties, customs, and legal rules.

PSC 561 American State Government and Administration 3(3-0)
Political, legislative, executive, and judicial processes of American state government, with emphasis on the way they affect public policies in the states.

PSC 563 Politics and Policy in Urban Communities 3(3-0)
Examination of large and small city governments. Their political process, behavior and citizen participation. Emerging public policies and intergovernmental cooperation.

PSC 565 Managing Modern Local Government 3(3-0)
Covers all aspects of local government. Simulated problem solving in local administration. Prerequisite: a course in local government.

PSC 566 Intergovernmental Relations in the United States 3(3-0)
An analysis on the administrative and fiscal relationships between the national, state, and local governments, with emphasis on grants-in-aid and revenue sharing.

PSC 583 Survey Research 3(3-0)
Development and utilization of quantitative data, with emphasis on behavioral research, public opinion polling, and statistical analysis.

PSC 585 Computer Applications for Public Administrators 3(3-0)
To teach public administrators applied public sector information systems, and the role that computers play in the management of information in a democracy. Prerequisites: undergraduate computer skills, such as CPS/BIS 106 and CPS/BIS 107, and PSC 210 or permission of the instructor.

PSC 590 Independent Study 1-6(Spec)
Open to majors or minors who have completed at least 12 hours of political science with a B average. Arrange with department chairperson and instructor.

PSC 598 Special Topics in Political Science 1-12(Spec)
Subject matter not included in courses currently listed in Bulletin.

PSC 610 Foundations of Public Administration 3(3-0)
Overview of major subfields of modern public administration including administrative theories and processes, democratic environments, administrative functions and activities and analytical tools and concepts.

PSC 615 Politics and Regulation of Health Care Policy 3(3-0)
Explore external environments in which health care systems operate, political determinants of health care policy, politics of bureaucracy, social and economic demands placed upon the system.

PSC 619 Continuing Registration for Final Research Project 1(1-0)
A non-credit course intended for students who have completed all program credits but still need to use university resources to complete their degree requirements.

PSC 642 Problems and Processes of International Development I 3(3-0)
Impact of modernization and industrialization upon emergent countries and nation-building processes.

PSC 651 Comparative Political & Economic Systems 3(3-0)
An introduction to comparative political and economic systems. How politics and economics interact in theory, as well as in concrete political-economic interactions of nations. Prerequisites: PSC 351.

PSC 710 Seminar on Public Bureaucracies and Policy Formation 3(3-0)
Selected topics in bureaucratic policy-making, including science and public policy, liberalism and the bureaucratic states, and street-level bureaucracies.

PSC 711 Public Personnel Administration Practice 3(3-0)
Emphasizes skill development in selected areas of public personnel administration, including: personnel evaluation, collective bargaining, affirmative action, and human resource planning and development.

PSC 712 Implementation and Reform of Public Programs 3(3-0)
Methodology of implementing public programs. Examination of administrative reforms and their implementation. Prerequisite: admission to MPA program or permission of instructor.

PSC 713 Public Budgeting and Finance 3(3-0)
Advanced study of public budgets and processes. Emphasizes political nature of budget preparation, adoption, administration and evaluation at various levels of government.

PSC 714 Program Analysis and Evaluation 3(3-0)
Methodology of analyzing and evaluating public programs. Design and use of quantitative and qualitative techniques for predicting and measuring performance. Prerequisite: admission to MPA program or permission of instructor.

PSC 740 Seminar in Comparative Politics 3(3-0)
Examination of the specific approaches and methods of comparative political analysis.

PSC 761 Seminar in American State Government 3(3-0)
Study and research in the problems and the process of state government. Content varies. Recommended: PSC 561.

PSC 770 Seminar in Political Theory 3-6(Spec)
Investigation of selected aspects of ancient or modern political thought through a variety of sources.

PSC 773 Public Administration and Public Interest 3(3-0)
Normative theoretical inquiry into the ethical dimensions of public administration through a variety of sources in political thought and administrative theory.

PSC 774 Strategic Planning for Public/Non-Profit Organizations 3(3-0)
Study of strategic planning process and documents in public and no-profit organizations. Develop and critique strategic plans, goals, and information processes. Prerequisites: PSC 713 or PSC 714, or permission of instructor.

PSC 775 Organization Theory in Public Administration 3(3-0)
A systems approach to studying the appropriate design structures for administering complex organizations in the public sector. Emphasis on diverse strategies in decision making, planning, and coordination.

PSC 780 Research in Public Administration in Political Science 3(3-0)
Conceptual frameworks within which policy is studied, and relationship between theory and empirical research.

PSC 785 Strategic Leadership 3(3-0)
The study of leadership within public and not-for-profit organizations or agencies. Examines major theories of leadership, analyzes case studies involving leaders in various settings, and explores how to lead and manage change in organizations.

PSC 790 Advanced Readings I 1-6(Spec)
Prerequisite: permission of advisor and department chairperson.

PSC 795 Internship in Public Administration 1-6(Spec)
An integrative learning experience where students apply textbook knowledge to public administration and public affairs work experience. CR/NC only. Prerequisites: permission of instructor.

PSC 796 Applied Research in Public Administration 3(3-0)
Work experience in administration in a public agency is utilized in the course for an applied research project to integrate the practical and theoretical contributions.

PSC 798 Thesis 1-6(Spec)
CR/ NC only. Prerequisite: written permission of advisor and department chairperson.

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