Political Science - undergraduate program

Political Science

[ undergraduate program | graduate program | faculty ]

All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice.

Courses

For course descriptions not found in the UC San Diego General Catalog 2019–20, please contact the department for more information.

Lower Division

POLI 5 or 5D. Data Analytics for the Social Sciences (4)

Introduction to probability and analysis for understanding data in the social world. Students engage in hands-on learning with applied social science problems. Basics of probability, visual display of data, data collection and management, hypothesis testing, and computation. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: ECON 5, POLI 5, or POLI 5D.

POLI 10 or 10D. Introduction to Political Science: American Politics (4)

This course surveys the processes and institutions of American politics. Among the topics discussed are individual political attitudes and values, political participation, voting, parties, interest groups, Congress, presidency, Supreme Court, the federal bureaucracy, and domestic and foreign policy making. POLI 10 is Lecture only, and POLI 10D is Lecture plus Discussion section. These courses are equivalents of each other in regards to major requirements, and students may not receive credit for both 10 and 10D.

POLI 11 or 11D. Introduction to Political Science: Comparative Politics (4)

The nature of political authority, the experience of a social revolution, and the achievement of an economic transformation will be explored in the context of politics and government in a number of different countries. POLI 11 is Lecture only, and POLI 11D is Lecture plus Discussion section. These courses are equivalents of each other in regards to major requirements, and students may not receive credit for both 11 and 11D.

POLI 12 or 12D. Introduction to Political Science: International Relations (4)

The issues of war/peace, nationalism/internationalism, and economic growth/redistribution will be examined in both historical and theoretical perspectives. POLI 12 is Lecture only, and POLI 12D is Lecture plus Discussion section. These courses are equivalents of each other in regards to major requirements, and students may not receive credit for both 12 and 12D.

POLI 13 or 13D. Power and Justice (4)

An exploration of the relationship between power and justice in modern society. Materials include classic and contemporary texts, films, and literature. POLI 13 is Lecture only, and POLI 13D is Lecture plus Discussion section. These courses are equivalents of each other in regards to major requirements, and students may not receive credit for both 13 and 13D.

POLI 27. Ethics and Society (4)

An examination of ethical principles (e.g., utilitarianism, individual rights, etc.) and their social and political applications to contemporary issues such as abortion, environmental protection, and affirmative action. Ethical principles will also be applied to moral dilemmas familiar in government, law, business, and the professions. Satisfies the Warren College ethics and society requirement. Prerequisites: CAT 2 and 3, DOC 2 and 3, MCWP 40 and 50, HUM 1 and 2, MMW 2 and 3, WCWP 10A–B, or WARR 11A–B.

POLI 28. Ethics and Society II (4)

An examination of a single set of major contemporary social, political, or economic issues (e.g., environmental ethics, international ethics) in light of ethical and moral principles and values. Warren College students must take course for a letter grade in order to satisfy the Warren College general-education requirement. Prerequisites: PHIL/POLI 27.

POLI 30 or 30D. Political Inquiry (4)

Introduction to the logic of inference in social science and to quantitative analysis in political science and public policy including research design, data collection, data description and computer graphics, and the logic of statistical inference (including linear regression). POLI 30 is Lecture only, and POLI 30D is Lecture plus Discussion section. These courses are equivalents of each other in regards to major requirements, and students may not receive credit for both 30 and 30D.

POLI 40. Introduction to Law and Society (4)

This course is designed as a broad introduction to the study of law as a social institution and its relations to other institutions in society. The focus will be less on the substance of law (legal doctrine and judicial opinions) than on the process of law–how legal rules both reflect and shape basic social values and their relation to social, political, and economic conflicts within society.

POLI 87. Freshman Seminar (1)

The Freshman Seminar Program is designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small seminar setting. Freshman Seminars are offered in all campus departments and undergraduate colleges, and topics vary from quarter to quarter. Enrollment is limited to fifteen to twenty students, with preference given to entering freshmen. May not be used to fulfill any major or minor requirements in political science.

POLI 90. Undergraduate Seminar (4)

Selected topics to introduce students to current issues and trends in political science. May not be used to fulfill any major or minor requirements in political science. P/NP grades only. May be taken for credit four times.

POLI 99H. Independent Study (1)

Independent study or research under direction of a member of the faculty. Prerequisites: student must be of freshman class standing, and a Regents Scholar; approved Special Studies form.

Upper Division

Minimum requirement for all upper-division courses is at least one quarter of lower-division political science, or upper-division standing.

American Politics

POLI 100A. The Presidency (4)

The role of the presidency in American politics. Topics will include nomination and election politics, relations with Congress, party leadership, presidential control of the bureaucracy, international political role, and presidential psychology.

POLI 100B. The US Congress (4)

This course will examine the nomination and election of congressmen, constituent relationships, the development of the institution, formal and informal structures, leadership, comparisons of House with Senate, lobbying, and relationship with the executive branch.

POLI 100C. American Political Parties (4)

This course examines the development of the two major parties from 1789 to the present. Considers the nature of party coalitions, the role of leaders, activists, organizers, and voters, and the performance of parties in government.

POLI 100DA. Voting, Campaigning, and Elections (4)

A consideration of the nature of public opinion and voting in American government. Studies of voting behavior are examined from the viewpoints of both citizens and candidates, and attention is devoted to recent efforts to develop models of electoral behavior for the study of campaigns. The role of mass media and money also will be examined.

POLI 100E. Interest Group Politics (4)

The theory and practice of interest group politics in the United States. Theories of pluralism and collective action, the behavior and influence of lobbies, the role of political action committees, and other important aspects of group action in politics are examined. Prerequisites: sophomore standing.

POLI 100F. Social Networks (4)

This class explores the many ways in which face-to-face social networks have a powerful effect on a wide range of human behaviors. With a foundation in understanding real-world networks, we can then consider how these networks function online.

POLI 100G. How to Win or Lose an Election (4)

This course explores the various aspects of a political campaign including campaign organization, vote targeting, political parties, social media, fundraising, polling, media interactions, and more. These areas are examined citing specific examples from federal, state, and local campaigns.

POLI 100H. Race and Ethnicity in American Politics (4)

This course examines the processes by which racial and ethnic groups have/have not been incorporated into the American political system. The course focuses on the political experiences of European immigrant groups, blacks, Latinos, and Asians.

POLI 100I. Participation and Inequality (4)

This course examines the causes and consequences of the unequal participation and representation of groups in US politics. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100J. Race in American Political Development (4)

Readings examine how the multiracial character of the United States has shaped the broad outlines of American politics. Cases include the founding/the Constitution, southern politics, social organization in formerly Mexican regions, the New Deal, consequences of limited suffrage. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100K. Railroads and American Politics (4)

The railroads transformed the economy and politics of the United States in the nineteenth century. The railroads were the first big businesses, and their sheer size led inevitably to conflict with governments at all levels. This conflict shaped modern politics. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100M. Political Psychology (4)

We begin with hypotheses about how people develop political attitudes, and methods to test those hypotheses. The second half focuses on emerging cognitive neuroscience insights, including brain imaging, and asks how these inform theories of political cognition, affect, and behavior. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100N. Politics in Washington (4)

Examines Washington as a political community, its institutions, culture, and history. In addition to its elected officeholders and senior government officials, it examines Washington’s subcommunities: the national news industry, diplomatic service, the representation of interests. Prerequisites: department approval is required.

POLI 100O. Perspectives on Race (4)

This course looks at race in American politics from a variety of perspectives. We may consider psychological, genetic, neuroscience, economic, political, sociological, and legal views of what drives powerful dynamics of race in our country. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100P. Economic Entrepreneurs and American Politics (4)

This course is concerned with the interaction between representative democracy and capitalism in American political history. The key to understanding this interaction is the role of the entrepreneur in the economy and how unexpected economic change shapes politics. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100Q. Advanced Topics in Racial Politics (4)

This course explores how race shapes outcomes in American democracy through in-depth exploration of key issues in American politics. Topics include race in the voting booth, immigration, discrimination, and inter-minority conflict.

POLI 100T. Business and Politics (4)

This course uses the tools of political science and economics to study how corporations affect and are affected by politics. We will cover a broad range of issues, including regulation, lawmaking, mass media, interest group mobilization, and corporate social responsibility.

POLI 100U. Games, Strategy, and Politics (4)

This course provides an introduction to game theory with an emphasis on applications in economics, political science, and business. Game theory uses simple mathematical models to understand social phenomena. The required mathematical background is minimal (high school algebra).

POLI 100V. Organized Interests (4)

This course provides a theoretical and practical examination of political parties, interest groups, and social movements in the United States. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100W. Politics, Policy, and Educational Inequality (4)

Education is often thought of as “the great equalizer” but in the U.S. and around the world, many governments fail to ensure that all citizens have access to high-quality educational opportunities. Why? This course will give students the conceptual tools to understand who shapes education policy decisions, through what channels, and how those policy decisions affect the quality and equity of education. Emphasis is on the U.S., but analyzed in comparative perspective. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 100Y. Asian American Politics in the United States (4)

This class is a survey of historical and contemporary issues in Asian American politics in the U.S.; race and ethnicity in the context of US politics; comparisons of racial and ethnic group experiences in the U.S. with those experienced by racial and ethnic groups elsewhere; Asian American access to the political system through political participation. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 101E. The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration (4)

This course examines the interplay between racial/ethnic identity and politics. How do race and ethnicity become politicized? What role does ethnic or racial identity play in political behavior and decision-making processes? To what extent do political institutions and institutional design reinforce the salience of ethnic or racial identity in politics? We will be taking a comparative approach to this topic, and cover readings in both American politics and comparative politics literature.

POLI 102C. American Political Development (4)

Examines selected issues and moments in the political history of the United States, comparing competing explanations and analyses of US politics. Likely topics include the founding, “American exceptionalism,” change in the party system, race in US politics, the “new institutionalism.”

POLI 102D. Voting Rights Act: Fifty Years Later (4)

The Voting Rights Act (VRA) is one of the most significant and controversial acts in American history. We will examine the environment that led to its introduction, the legislative process, executive implementation, and the political ramifications and subsequent state government and court decisions.

POLI 102E. Urban Politics (4)

(Same as USP107) This survey course focuses upon the following six topics: the evolution of urban politics since the mid-nineteenth century; the urban fiscal crisis; federal/urban relationships; the “new” ethnic politics; urban power structure and leadership; and selected contemporary policy issues such as downtown redevelopment, poverty, and race.

POLI 102F. Mass Media and Politics (4)

This course will explore both the role played by mass media in political institutions, processes and behaviors, and reciprocally, the roles played by political systems in guiding communication processes.

POLI 102G. Special Topics in American Politics (4)

An undergraduate course designed to cover various aspects of American politics. May be repeated for credit two times, provided each course is a separate topic, for a maximum of twelve units.

POLI 102J. Advanced Topics in Urban Politics (4)

(Same as USP 110) Building upon the introductory urban politics course, the advanced topics course explores issues such as community power, minority empowerment, and the politics of growth. A research paper is required. Students may not receive credit for both POLI 102J and USP 110. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 102K. The Urban Underclass (4)

The lives of individuals living in ghetto poverty in the United States. Causes and consequences of ghetto poverty. Political debates surrounding the underclass and different possible solutions. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 102L. The Politics of Regulation (4)

Politics and policy-making issues in regulation. Themes: regulation versus legislation; general versus specific grants of regulatory power; market versus command mechanisms; private property; and risk assessment. Emphasis on American regulatory policy, examples from current regulatory debates (e.g., health care and environment). Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 103A. California Government and Politics (4)

(Same as USP 109) This survey course explores six topics: 1) the state’s political history; 2) campaigning, the mass media, and elections; 3) actors and institutions in the making of state policy; 4) local government; 5) contemporary policy issues; e.g., Proposition 13, school desegregation, crime, housing and land use, transportation, water; 6) California’s role in national politics.

POLI 103B. Politics and Policymaking in Los Angeles (4)

(Same as USP 113) This course examines politics and policymaking in the five-county Los Angeles region. It explores the historical development of the city, suburbs, and region; politics, power, and governance; and major policy challenges facing the city and metropolitan area. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 103C. Politics and Policymaking in San Diego (4)

(Same as USP 115) This course examines how major policy decisions are made in San Diego. It analyzes the region’s power structure (including the roles of nongovernmental organizations and the media), governance systems and reform efforts, and the politics of major infrastructure projects. Prerequisites: upper-division standing or consent of instructor.

POLI 103D. California Local Government: Finance and Administration (4)

(Same as USP 116) This course surveys public finance and administration. It focuses upon California local governments—cities, counties, and special districts—and also examines state and federal relationships. Topics explored include revenue, expenditure, indebtedness, policy responsibilities, and administrative organization and processes. Prerequisites: upper-division standing.

POLI 104A. The Supreme Court and the Constitution (4)

An introduction to the study of the Supreme Court and constitutional doctrine. Topics will include the nature of judicial review, federalism, race, and equal protection. The relation of judicial and legislative power will also be examined.

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