Political Science

Noelle Norton, Ph.D., Chair
Del Dickson, J.D., Ph.D.
Casey B. K. Dominguez, Ph.D.
Patrick F. Drinan, Ph.D.
Emily Edmonds-Poli, Ph.D.
Virginia Lewis, Ph.D.
Vidya Nadkarni, Ph.D.
Lee Ann Otto, Ph.D.
Michael R. Pfau, Ph.D.
David Shirk, Ph.D.
J. Michael Williams, Ph.D.
Randy Willoughby, Ph.D.

The Political Science Major

The political science major focuses attention on the shared and contending ideas, values, institutions, and processes of public life. The major is expansive in its reach and accommodates a wide range of student interests. Political science courses range from the specific study of politics in one country (for example, the U.S., Mexico, or France) or of a single institution or political process (the judiciary, Congress, the presidency, or elections), to more general offerings such as courses on political development, revolution, research methods, human rights, and legal theory. The Political science department relates theory to practice by providing students with opportunities for simulations, writing workshops, internships, community service, study abroad, semesters in Washington, D.C., and trips to Sacramento. Our faculty are committed to the success of individual students by fostering intellectual curiosity, analytical skills, and a heightened awareness of values. The major prepares students for careers in politics, public service, law, teaching, research, and business, as well as international, national, and local government and nongovernmental-organizations.

Preparation for the Major

POLS 100, 125D, 175, 250.

Major Requirements

24 units of upper-division course work to include POLS 301 and 302.

The Political Science Minor

POLS 125D, 100 or 175, 301 or 302, and 9 upper-division units.

USD/Washington Center Internship Semester

University of San Diego students have the opportunity to enroll in a semester-long internship program in Washington, D.C. and earn academic credit toward their major. These internships are coordinated through the political science and international relations department and the Washington Center, a nationally recognized internship program that pioneered the development of full-time internships in the nation’s capitol. The internship program combines real-world work experience with academic learning in a unique environment that fosters success and achievement. Students earn 12 semester units for participating in a full-time fall or spring semester program, and 6 to 9 units in the summer.

Political Science/International Relations Research Seminar:

Political science majors have the option of taking a political science or international relations research seminar, offered each fall. This will help students to conduct research and write scholarly papers on a variety of American, international, and/or comparative political topics.

• All honors students who are political science majors are required to enroll in the research seminar the semester before their honors thesis seminar.
• All political science majors who plan to go on to graduate school are strongly encouraged to enroll in the research seminar during their junior or senior year.
• All students who would like to write a senior thesis, or who want to conduct independent research in political science, should enroll in the research seminar in lieu of independent study.

Political Science Courses (POLS)

100 Introduction to Political Science / 3 UNITS
This course presents an overview of the discipline, including the basic theories, concepts, approaches, and enduring questions of political science. It provides students with a foundation of knowledge and the analytical skills necessary to understand modern politics in historical context.

125D American Politics / 3 UNITS
This course offers students a fundamental overview of American politics by analyzing the origin, development, structure, and operation of all levels of the American political system. This course also examines how politics are practiced in the United States in order to analyze the uniqueness of the American political system.

175 International Relations / 3 UNITS
This course examines major traditions in the discipline of international relations. Students are introduced to the study of the causes of war and the conditions of peace, international law and organizations, international political economy, great power politics, and foreign-policy decision making. The course also explores issues such as global poverty, immigration, refugees, human rights, and the environment as they affect international politics.

250 Research Methods in Political Science / 3 UNITS
This course introduces students to the various stages of the research process, from conceptualization of the research question to interpretation of findings. Students not only learn to develop efficient research strategies to evaluate empirical relationships from a theoretically informed perspective, but they also design and conduct empirical research of their own.

301 Political Thought: Ancient and Medieval / 3 UNITS
This course examines the formation and development of political ideas, from Greek political philosophy through the late Middle Ages. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between theory and practice in political life.

302 Political Thought: Modern and Contemporary / 3 UNITS
This course examines political ideas in the modern and contemporary Western tradition. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between theory and practice in political life.

304 American Political Development / 3 UNITS
This course explores the origin and development of significant political ideas in the United States as expressed in the contributions of selected thinkers.

306 Political Ideology / 3 UNITS
This course examines the nature and content of modern ideologies and the role they play in the political life of states. Students are introduced to the ideologies of liberalism, conservatism, fascism, socialism, and nationalism, and consider how assumptions about human nature in general, and political ideals of order, liberty, equality, and justice, in particular, affect choice of ideology.

307 Politics and Religion / 3 UNITS
This course offers an introduction to the study of the role of religion in sociopolitical change. The course deals with the theoretical literature on the subject and focuses on the salient cases in the various religious traditions and regions of the world.

308 Politics and Literature / 3 UNITS
This course explores the political content of selected classical, modern, and contemporary literature. Emphasis is placed on concepts such as authority, power, freedom, equality, organization, obligation, and the ways these concepts have been treated by different authors.

310 The Presidency / 3 UNITS
This course focuses on the American presidency as an institution. The class examines the origins of the president’s domestic and international powers, how those powers have grown and changed over time, and how they are both enhanced and limited by other actors in the political system.

312 Congress / 3 UNITS
This course examines the history, organization, operation, and politics of Congress. Nomination and election, constituent relations, the formal and informal structures of both houses, relations with the executive branch, and policy formulation are discussed. Students participate in a simulation of the House of Representatives.

313 Politics and Parties / 3 UNITS
This course examines the origin, nature, structure, and operation of American political parties, interest groups, and social movements, and their roles in the political process.

314 Campaigns and Elections / 3 UNITS
This course analyzes how rules and laws affect the roles that parties, candidates, voters, and other political actors play in elections. It also investigates the behavior of political actors during elections by examining campaign strategy, staffing, polling, advertising, turnout, and symbolic communication. Its main emphasis is on American federal elections, but also considers elections in a comparative context and sub-national elections in the United States.

316D Sex, Power, and Politics / 3 UNITS
This course offers an analysis of gender in politics from historical as well as theoretical perspectives. Topics examined include: gender power, leadership, and governance; social, economic, and political factors explaining women’s political status and participation in relation to men’s; and the women’s movement as a political movement.

321 Constitutional Law and American Government: Federalism and Separation of Powers / 3 UNITS
This course begins with an examination of the early development of American constitutional law, including the Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention, and the Federalist Papers. Students also explore the development of Supreme Court doctrine regarding judicial review, conflicts among the three departments of government in domestic and foreign affairs, and the ongoing struggle to define the responsibilities of state and federal governments.

322D Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties / 3 UNITS
This course examines constitutional law and politics, with a focus on civil rights and individual liberties. Topics include free speech, racial and sexual discrimination, church and state, privacy, voting rights, and the rights of the accused. (Note: POLS 321 is not a prerequisite for this class).

323 Judicial Behavior / 3 UNITS
This course explores judicial politics and decision-making, with particular emphasis on judges, lawyers, and juries. Topics include judicial selection and appointment, the limits of judicial power, the roles that lawyers play in our legal and political systems, and the development of trial by jury.

326 Comparative Law / 3 UNITS
This course presents a cross-national, historical, and comparative analysis of constitutional, administrative, and criminal law. Subject countries vary, but include representative judicial systems within the Civil Law, Common Law, and Socialist Law traditions.

327 International Law / 3 UNITS
This course examines the theory and practice of international law, including efforts to create effective legal means to define, proscribe, and punish war crimes, crimes against humanity, and terrorism. We discuss the negotiation, ratification, and enforcement of treaties and study multinational legal institutions such as the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

329 Law of the Sea / 3 UNITS
This course introduces students to the study of regimes of the sea including fisheries, pollution control, and coastal management zones. The politics of ocean regulation are examined with particular attention to law of the sea negotiations. Cross-listed as MARS 329.

330 Political Behavior / 3 UNITS
In this course, we discuss political socialization, orientation, and participation. Both quantitative and traditional research methods are utilized to explain the political behavior of the American electorate.

340 State and Local Government / 3 UNITS
This course examines the political functions of state and local governments, with special attention to California.

342D Urban Politics / 3 UNITS
This course is designed to introduce students to the major debates that have structured the field of urban politics: interaction among governmental institutions; political actors; private interests; and the marketplace. Other issues such as urban regimes, urban political history, suburbanization, urban growth and renewal, race, class, and gender are examined throughout the course.

345 Public Administration / 3 UNITS
This course explores the theory and practice of governmental administration at the national, state, and local levels, and the development and implementation of legislation.

347 Public Policy / 3 UNITS
This course examines the political and administrative processes through which public policy is formulated, adopted, implemented, and evaluated.

349 Politics and the Environment / 3 UNITS
This course examines the decision-making processes through which modern societies attempt to cope with environmental and natural resource problems. Students investigate both American and international environmental issues, and consider the historical and theoretical bases of current environmental policies and initiatives.

350 Comparative Politics / 3 UNITS
This course examines the major theoretical approaches to comparative politics as well as the political histories of individual countries. It is designed to introduce students to a variety of themes central to this field, including state-society relations, state capacity, the role of institutions, nationalism, cultural/ethnic pluralism, political culture, and democracy.

352 Comparative Politics of Developing Countries / 3 UNITS
This course examines concepts and theories of development and assesses their utility in understanding political, economic, and social change in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. Particular emphasis is placed on issues such as: state building; the bureaucracy; civil-military relations; national identity; economic development; and democratization.

354 Revolutionary Change / 3 UNITS
This course is a comparative study of the revolutionary process focusing on the meaning of revolutionary change, the causes and development of revolutions, and the conditions influencing their outcomes. Special attention is devoted to the French, Russian, Chinese, Cuban, and other revolutions.

355 Politics in Western Europe / 3 UNITS
This course offers a survey of the political cultures, institutions, and processes of the United Kingdom, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, and other West European countries. The development of a more integrated European community is also discussed.

356 Politics in East-Central Europe / 3 UNITS
This course examines the politics of East-Central Europe from its Cold War origins to the dynamic developments after the revolutions of 1989. It focuses on the diverse challenges of democratization and market reform in some of the following countries: Poland; the Czech Republic; Slovakia; Hungary; Bulgaria; Romania; Albania; and the states of the former Yugoslavia.

357 Politics in Latin America / 3 UNITS
This course examines the dynamics of political and economic change in 20th-century Latin America. There is particular emphasis on the causes and consequences of cyclical economic development and recurrent waves of democratization and authoritarianism.

358 Politics in South Asia / 3 UNITS
This course is designed to introduce students to the study of contemporary South Asian politics by examining historical as well as contemporary issues relating to socio-economic change, political development, regional relations, and international links. The course focus is primarily on India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, but the politics of Nepal and Sri Lanka are also considered.

359 Politics in the Middle East / 3 UNITS
This course offers an introduction to the study of the politics of the Middle East and North Africa. The complex issues of regional conflicts with international significance and the forces shaping the internal development of the modern Middle East are explored.

360 Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa / 3 UNITS
This course provides an introduction to Sub-Saharan African political systems and the relationships that exist between governments and their citizens in this region. We examine some of the main factors that shape contemporary African politics, including the legacy of colonialism, the rise of authoritarian states, ethnic, national, and racial conflict, and political and economic reform.

361 Politics in South Africa / 3 UNITS
This course is designed to examine the major issues and challenges facing South Africa today.  The goal of the course is to introduce students to contemporary South African politics and to situate the current political challenges into the broader historical context.  We will analyze the processes of democratic consolidation, state building and nation building since the end of apartheid in 1994.

362 Politics in the United Kingdom / 3 UNITS
This course examines the development of democracy in England, the institutions of government and parliament, political parties, and selected domestic and foreign policies.

363 Politics in France / 3 UNITS
This course examines contemporary French politics. We begin by constructing an historical and ideological foundation for the course, we then move to recent institutional and electoral practices, and we finally analyze a variety of foreign and security policies, including relations with the United States, members of the European Union, and countries throughout the world.

364 Politics in Germany / 3 UNITS
This course introduces students to German politics by examining contemporary as well as historical issues that challenge the unified Germany. The course’s main focus is on the post-Cold War and post-unification era, with particular emphasis on the current political, social, and economic agendas, and on explaining and predicting German national and international politics.

365 Politics in Russia / 3 UNITS
This course examines the development of the political institutions and culture of Russia since the collapse of Communism, with a focus on the role of the Presidency, the Parliament, political parties, and the public in shaping the life of the Russian Federation.

366 Politics in Mexico / 3 UNITS
This course provides an overview of the contemporary Mexican political system. The primary focus is on the breakdown of the dominant party system in the late 20th century and the subsequent recalibration of executive-legislative relations, decentralization of power, and emergence of democratic political culture and competition.

367 Politics in Japan / 3 UNITS
This course examines the development of contemporary Japanese politics by analyzing Japan’s pre-WWII political and social systems, its domestic capabilities, and Japanese policy-making processes. The course also evaluates current, and speculates regarding future Japanese politics by assessing historical and current political, economic, and social conditions in Japan.

368 Politics in China / 3 UNITS
This course examines politics and political issues in the People’s Republic of China from the mid-1800s to the present. Throughout the course students assess factors such as China’s traditional political, social, and economic systems, ideology, and current policy-making structures that shape China’s policies in order to understand contemporary Chinese political issues.

370 Theories of International Relations / 3 UNITS
This course analyzes the major theoretical perspectives in the field of international relations by reflecting upon the writings of the most important scholars in the discipline. Students study the mainstream realist and liberal approaches and explore theoretical alternatives to these paradigms. The relationship between theory and practice is also examined.

371 American Foreign Policy / 3 UNITS
This course provides an in-depth exploration of the challenges and opportunities facing American foreign policy in the 21st century. Students examine the historical legacy and internal and external constraints on foreign policy decision making. Students also study theoretical approaches in the discipline of international relations and discuss their relevance to an empirical analysis of American foreign policy.

372 Russian Foreign Policy / 3 UNITS
This course is designed to introduce students to the nature and substance of Russian foreign policy after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Students explore the implications of loss of superpower status on Russian national identity, of the interrelationship between domestic reform and foreign policy, and of the challenges of developing relationships on a new footing with newly independent states of Eurasia and with the rest of the world.

374 U.S.-Latin American Relations / 3 UNITS
This course explores the history of economic and political relations between the U.S. and Latin America to understand the basis of contemporary U.S. policy. Topics examined include military intervention, drug trafficking, immigration and trade policies, and relations with Cuba.

375 Comparative Foreign Policy / 3 UNITS
This course offers a comparative approach to the study of foreign policy. Public policy formation and political structures in various countries are analyzed, with particular attention to the linkage between domestic and foreign policy decision making.

376 U.S. National Security / 3 UNITS
This course examines contemporary U.S. security policy, including military technology, nuclear strategy and arms control, recent U.S. military interventions, biological and chemical weapons, domestic security politics, the defense industry and budget, and terrorism.

377 Regional Security / 3 UNITS
This course examines security dynamics in three important regions of the world (Europe, East Asia, and Latin America). We address issues ranging from military technologies to diplomatic relations, political economy, and transnational challenges like drug trafficking and terrorism.

378 Transnational Crime and Terrorism / 3 UNITS
This course focuses on how the law enforcement community has responded to the unprecedented increase in crimes and terrorist acts that cross international borders. The course examines those factors that have led to this increase in transnational crime and terrorism, the types of crimes that pose the greatest threat to lawful societies, the responses that have been developed to combat transnational crime, and the extent to which transnational crime threatens the national security interests of the United States and the world community.

380 International Political Economy / 3 UNITS
This course offers an introduction to the study of the history, issues, and dynamics of political/economic interactions in the international economy. The course covers both advanced industrial societies and less developed countries. Special topics such as international energy, the international debt crisis, and international migration are considered. ECON 101 and 102 are recommended prerequisites.

382 International Human Rights / 3 UNITS
This course explores contending approaches to human rights, the role of institutions and organizations in setting human rights agendas, and human rights problems and policies in international politics.

383 International Organizations / 3 UNITS
This course provides an introduction to the study of international organizations in world politics. The focus is on the United Nations and other selected organizations.

430 Field Seminar in California Government / 1 UNIT
Students attend a three-day seminar on California government and politics in the California State Capitol bhuilding in Sacramento. The seminar is offered only during the spring semester at the end of February. Students attend seminar presentations featuring elected state legislators, legislative and executive staffers, journalists, lobbyists, and academic experts on current issues confronting California.

434 Washington, D.C.: The Press and the Presidency / 3 UNITS
This course provides an analysis of U.S. politics and decision-making as seen through an extensive evaluation of the U.S. press and the U.S. presidency. Students meet during the first two weeks in Washington, D.C., during intersession.

435 Washington, D.C.: Directed Study in Political Science / 3 UNITS
This course requires students to complete a research paper while interning in Washington, D.C. The paper will address an issue in political science that relates to the internship experience.

436 Washington, D.C.: Internship in Political Science / 6 UNITS
Students work 35-40 hours a week in Washington, D.C., at an internship related to political science. The internship must be approved by the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Students receive 6 units of credit, of which 3 units may apply toward the major.

437 Washington, D.C.: Class in Political Science / 3 UNITS
This political science course is taken in Washington, D.C., during the internship. The course must be approved by the Department of Political Science and International Relations.

444 Special Topics in Political Science / 3 UNITS
Special topics courses offer an examination of a topical issue affecting politics in the United States. The course number may be repeated for credit provided the topics of the courses are different.

448 Internship in Political Science / 1-6 UNITS
This course involves participation in a governmental office at the local, state, or national level. Students are required to complete a research paper under the supervision of the instructor. This course is open only to junior or senior political science or international relations majors with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students may not enroll in more than 6 internship units, and only 3 units may be used toward the major.

449 Independent Study in Political Science / 1-3 UNITS
This course involves advanced individual study in public policy, american politics, public law, political behavior, or political theory. This course is open only to junior or senior Political Science or International Relations majors with a grade point average in political science courses of 3.3 or higher. Approval of instructor and department chair is required, and substantial prior coursework in the area is expected.

480 Model United Nations / 1 UNIT
This course involves a simulation of the decision-making process of the United Nations. Students participate in at least one conference per semester where they have the opportunity to represent an assigned country and compete against other universities. This course may be repeated once for credit.

485 Washington, D.C.: Directed Study in International Relations / 3 UNITS
This course requires students to complete a research paper while interning in Washington, D.C. The paper will address an issue in international relations that relates to the internship experience

486 Washington, D.C.: Internship in International Relations / 6 UNITS
Students work 35-40 hours a week in Washington, D.C., at an internship related to international relations. The internship must be approved by the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Students receive 6 units of credit, of which 3 units may apply toward the major.

487 Washington, D.C.: Class in International Relations / 3 UNITS
This international relations course is taken in Washington, D.C., during the internship. The course must be approved by the Department of Political Science and International Relations.

494 Special Topics in International Relations / 3 UNITS
Special topics courses offer an examination of a topical issue affecting the domestic politics of foreign countries or the international political system. This course number may be repeated for credit provided the topics of the courses are different.

498 Internship in International Relations / 1-6 UNITS
This course involves participation in an internship related to international relations. Students are required to complete a research paper under the supervision of the instructor. This course is open only to junior or senior political science or international relations majors with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students may not enroll in more than 6 internship units, and only 3 units may be used toward the major.

499 Independent Study in International Relations / 1-3 UNITS
This course involves advanced individual study in international relations or comparative politics. This course is open only to junior or senior political science or international relations majors with a grade point average in Political Science courses of 3.3 or higher. Approval of instructor and department chair is required, and substantial prior coursework in the area is expected.