Political Science (POLS) Courses
POLS 301 Introduction to Government: United States
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(a); AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area U2; CSU Area U3; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- C-ID:C-ID POLS 110
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
In this course, students will examine principles and problems of government, the political process, and democracy as practiced in the United States. This course fulfills federal, state, and local government requirements.
POLS 302 Comparative Politics
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- C-ID:C-ID POLS 130
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
The political systems of selected nations such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, Mexico, People's Republic of China, India, South Africa, and Cuba are analyzed. The course will also compare the formation of language, culture, religion, and political institutions, and the role of political culture, political parties, and public policy.
POLS 303 Contemporary Politics of Africa
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
Area Studies courses cover the government and politics of selected nations within a distinct geopolitical area of the world in order to provide understanding of the institutions and dynamics of the area. This Area Studies survey course is designed to give students an understanding of past and contemporary African politics. The impact of language, culture, religion, colonialism, neo colonialism, free market, ideology, liberation and revolutionary movements, ethnic conflict and resolution, rise of populist leadership, indigenous politics, impact of global economic integration, and foreign and domestic policies will be examined in the region on a country-by-country basis. The course includes an examination of dominant political institutions, actors, processes, and belief systems within the context of political culture and an analysis of area political economy and foreign policy in the environment of global interdependence. Countries to be covered include but are not limited to Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The course concludes with a summation of the region as it stands today and an assessment of where it is likely to go in the near future.
POLS 304 Introduction to Government: California
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(a); AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area U3; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
This course covers the essential organization, institutions, and processes of California state and local government. The state's diversity will be a key theme in explaining California's political history, participation, and policies.
POLS 310 Introduction to International Relations
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); AA/AS Area VI; CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- C-ID:C-ID POLS 140
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
In this course, students will examine the problems, motivating forces, and techniques of conflict resolution among actors within the global nation-state system. Particular emphasis is placed on comparing perspectives among developed and underdeveloped nations.
POLS 312 Politics of the Middle East
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); AA/AS Area VI; CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
This course covers the government and politics of selected nations within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in order to provide an understanding of the institutions and dynamics of the area as a whole. It covers the region's political history through the Ottoman Empire, colonialism, independence, and the modern-day challenges of economic globalization and foreign intervention. The impact of economics, colonialism, struggles over natural resources, religious movements, class/gender inequality, social and cultural struggles, and ideology will be examined in the region on a country-by-country and regional basis. The course will also analyze ethnicity, ethnocentrism, and/or racism and how they shape and explain ethnic experiences. The question of Palestine and the Palestine-Israel conflict will be closely examined as a core issue in the politics of the region. The course includes an examination of dominant political institutions, actors, processes, and grassroots movements within the context of political culture and history and an analysis of area political economy and foreign policy in an environment of global interdependence. Countries to be covered include, but are not limited to, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria. In this course, students will be introduced to the comparative politics of the Middle East and North Africa with a heavy emphasis on the political and economic roots of contemporary events.
POLS 313 Latin America
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
Area Studies courses cover the government and politics of selected nations within a distinct geopolitical area of the world in order to provide understanding of the institutions and dynamics of the area. This Area Studies survey course is designed to give students an understanding of past and contemporary Latin American politics. The impact of language, culture, religion, colonialism, neo colonialism, free market, ideology, revolutionary movements, conflict, and resolution, rise of populist leadership, indigenous politics, and foreign and domestic policies will be examined in the region on a country-by-country basis. The course includes an examination of dominant political institutions, actors, processes, and belief systems within the context of political culture and an analysis of area political economy and foreign policy in the environment of global interdependence. Countries to be covered include but are not limited to Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. The course concludes with a summation of the region as it stands today and an assessment of where it is likely to go in the near future.
POLS 320 Introduction to Political Theory
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- C-ID:C-ID POLS 120
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
In this course, students will examine theoretical approaches to politics and ways of thinking about politics, covering important thinkers and topics during the ancient, medieval, and modern periods.
POLS 322 Political Ideologies
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
In this course, comparative, conceptual, and historical analysis of competing ideological approaches to government will be covered. Emphasis will be on the theories, values, and assumptions that make up a political ideology and the effect of such theories on a political system.
POLS 340 Women in Politics
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
In this course, students will learn about current problems affecting women's political participation, particularly running for office, in the United States. Students will analyze the role and impact of cultural attitudes and traditions, self-perceptions, and political groups affecting women’s political participation in America. Students will also critique current studies of eligible women candidates and the decision to run for office, including political ambition, familial issues, political recruitment, perceptions of the electoral environment and campaign process, and gender gap to determine future goals of improving women's representation in electoral politics.
POLS 350 Environmental Politics
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area D; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
This course is an introduction to environmental political thought and politics. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the theoretical roots, including capitalism, industrialism, and liberalism, of current arguments in environmental politics and policy. Students will analyze how competing perspectives in environmental politics inform policy processes, both in the United States and globally.
POLS 480 Introduction to International Relations - Honors
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(b); AA/AS Area VI; CSU Area D8; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- C-ID:C-ID POLS 140
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
In this course students will examine the problems, motivating forces, and techniques of conflict resolution among actors within the global nation-state system. Particular emphasis is placed on comparing perspectives among developed and underdeveloped nations. This honors section uses an intensive instructional methodology with extensive research projects on international institutions designed to challenge motivated students. Honors courses are open to students who demonstrate an ability to write carefully reasoned, well-organized essays of varying lengths, are prepared to make clear oral presentations in class, and are able to actively contribute to seminar discussions. Credit may be earned for POLS 310 or POLS 480 but not for both.
POLS 481 Introduction to Government: United States - Honors
- Units:3
- Hours:54 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU; UC
- General Education:AA/AS Area V(a); AA/AS Area V(b); CSU Area U2; CSU Area U3; Cal-GETC Area 4 (effective Fall 2025); IGETC Area 4H
- C-ID:C-ID POLS 110
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
In this course students will examine principles and problems of government, the political process, and democracy as practiced in the United States. The classes are conducted in a seminar format and requires a higher level of student academic engagement, reading and writing, and course preparation. This honors section uses an intensive instructional methodology with extensive research projects on American institutions designed to challenge motivated students. Honors courses are open to students who demonstrate an ability to write carefully reasoned, well-organized essays of varying lengths, are prepared to make clear oral presentations in class, and are able to actively contribute to seminar discussions. Credit may be earned for POLS 301 or POLS 481 but not for both.
POLS 494 Topics in Political Science
- Units:0.5 - 4
- Hours:9 - 72 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
Content will differ each time course is offered. The objective is to focus content on topics and issues of local, national, or international significance at the time of offering course. (Credit may be earned for HIST 494 or POLS 494, but not for both.) UC transfer credit will be awarded only after the course has been evaluated by the enrolling UC campus. The units completed for this course cannot be counted towards the minimum 60 units required for admission to the university.
POLS 495 Independent Studies in Political Science
- Units:1 - 3
- Hours:54 - 162 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:None.
- Advisory:ENGWR 300 or ESLW 340 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
An independent studies project involves an individual student or a small group of students in study, research, or activities beyond the regularly offered political science courses. UC transfer credit will be awarded only after the course has been evaluated by the enrolling UC campus. The units completed for this course cannot be counted towards the minimum 60 units required for admission to the university.
POLS 497 Internship in Political Science
- Units:1 - 4
- Hours:60 - 300 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:None.
- Enrollment Limitation:According to Education Code Title 5 regulations, a student must be in a paid or unpaid job, volunteer position, or internship.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
According to Title 5, code 55252, an Internship in Political Science is supervised employment extending classroom-based occupational learning at an on-the-job learning station related to the student's educational or occupational goal. This course is designed for students working in a paid or unpaid job, volunteer position or internship directly related to their major. The course will provide students with a structured program designed to teach them new soft skills and employability skills that will assist them in securing a job in the future and an opportunity to explore occupational interests that will assist them in the academic major and career decision making process. The student must have a job, volunteer, or internship position secured to remain enrolled in the course. Course content includes understanding the application of education to the workforce; responsibilities of an intern or employee in a workforce setting; completion of Title 5 Education Code documents (i.e. Student Application, Learning Objectives, Time Sheet, and Evaluation), that document the student's progress and hours spent in the workplace; and development of workplace soft skills and employability skills relevant to the 21st century workplace. Learning objectives will be developed between the student, employer, and Work Experience/Internship Instructor to best meet the students level of learning. The student will be required to attend an orientation at the beginning of the course and complete a minimum of 75 hours to a maximum of 300 hours of paid work; or a minimum of 60 hours to a maximum 240 hours of unpaid work per unit per semester. This course consists of a supervised internship and study in political, governmental, or related organizations.
POLS 499 Experimental Offering in Political Science
- Units:0.5 - 4
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2023
This is the experimental courses description.
