PSC 520 - FEDERALISM & INTERGOV RELATION

Semester Hours: 3

Designed to help students navigate complex relationships among the 90,000+ governments in the U.S., this course examines the framework of federalism and the tools available to governments to influence public policy outcomes. Students will investigate the impacts of these relationships on policy.

PSC 540 - REGIONAL STUDIES

Semester Hours: 3

An examination of the politics of Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, or Africa, depending on the term. We focus on select countries or themes within each region as part of our study of political structures, history, and culture, for a deeper understanding of each area.

PSC 551 - LAW, COURTS & PUBLIC POLICY

Semester Hours: 3

Examines the role of the courts in the making of public policy in the United States, with an emphasis on the use of the courts by interest groups seeking to achieve specific policy goals.

PSC 561 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Semester Hours: 3

Understand economic development in the developing world. Examine economic transformation & social change towards addressing poverty, inequality, & social justice. Highlight domestic & international institutional, structural, & political sources of economic dynamism/lack thereof in the Global South.

PSC 562 - DECISON-MAKING FORGN & SEC PLY

Semester Hours: 3

An examination of the history, culture, policies, and structures shaping the development of U.S. foreign and national security policies. Special attention will be placed on the roles of Congress, the National Security Council, Defense Department, State Department, and the intelligence community.

PSC 564 - AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

Semester Hours: 3

An examination of the substance of the contemporary U.S. foreign policies and the goals the country seeks to achieve around the world. Students will attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of those policies and examine why it is often difficult for the country to achieve its goals.

PSC 566 - NATIONAL SECURITY STRGY & PLY

Semester Hours: 3

An examination of current U.S. national security strategy and policy. The course will review current strategy and policy documents, examine specific responses to the variety of threats facing the United States, and evaluate whether those policies are effective at achieving their goals.

PSC 570 - ISSUES IN SECURITY POLICY

Semester Hours: 3

Examination of select security-related policy issues. The content of this course will vary during different terms, and students may take the course multiple times so long as the content differs.

PSC 580 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN POLITICAL SC

Semester Hours: 1-3

Selected topics in local, state, national and world politics. This course may be repeated for credit as long as content of course has changed.

PSC 600 - THE AMERICAN POLITY

Semester Hours: 3

Comprehensive and intensive review of the philosophical foundations; formal institutions; and social, economic, and political dynamics of the American polity, with particular emphasis on their relationship to the making of public policy.

PSC 601 - THE PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS

Semester Hours: 3

This course offers an analytical framework for critical thinking about public policy in the U.S.- the inputs, processes, and outputs of governmental activity. Also considers factors that influence policy processes, as well as impacts of decisions by different governments and actors.

PSC 610 - PUBLIC MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONS

Semester Hours: 3

Introduction to public management as a field of study and practice. Review of basic literature. Emphasis on ethics in public service.

PSC 611 - PUBLIC PERSONNEL ADMINIS

Semester Hours: 3

Purposes, functions, and processes of personnel management at the national, state, and local levels.

PSC 612 - BUDGETARY PROCESS

Semester Hours: 3

Governmental revenue and expenditure policies. Budget as a method of administrative and fiscal control.

PSC 615 - SPEC TOPICS IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Semester Hours: 3

Special and advanced topics in public affairs and public policy. Students must have completed 12 hours in the Public Affairs and Policy program. Instructor permission required. This course may be repeated for credit as long as content of this course has changed.

PSC 630 - PUBL VALUES/PUBL POLICY

Semester Hours: 3

Critical examination of the value assumptions of social theoretical paradigms that influence the formation, implementation, and evaluation of public policies. Major themes include ideological biases, ethics of social policies, and moral problems of economic distribution and redistribution.

PSC 635 - PROGRAM EVALUATION AND METHODS

Semester Hours: 3

This course focuses on program evaluation and methods of social science research. By learning the logic and practice of research design and methods, students will be equipped with the necessary skills and techniques to critically evaluate public policy programs and to design and execute research projects.

PSC 690 - CAPSTONE

Semester Hours: 3

Capstone projects give students the opportunity to integrate classroom learning with relevant problem solving they might face in a professional work situation. Students will conduct independent research on a policy question and formulate recommendations based on their findings. Prerequisite: Instructor Permission.

PSC 695 - INTERNSHIP IN GOVERNMENT

Semester Hours: 1-6

Students may receive academic credit for an internship with a local, state, or federal governmental agency, or with a political, legal, or public policy related organization. Students must have completed 12 hours in the Public Affairs program. Prerequisite: Instructor Permission.

PSC 698 - DIRECTED READINGS & RESEARCH

Semester Hours: 3

Supervised in-depth readings and/or individual research in an area of specialized interest to both student and instructor.

PSC 699 - MASTER'S THESIS

Semester Hours: 1-3

Required every semester a student is writing and receiving direction on a master's thesis. A minimum of two terms and six thesis hours is required for the thesis option. No more than six hours credit may be applied toward the degree.