Political Science

POL 601. Budget and Financial Management and Administration. 3 Credit Hours.

Role of the budget in shaping public policy; managing public revenues; budgetary theory, politics, and fiscal management. Examples from state, municipal and federal governments.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 602. Congressional Representation. 3 Credit Hours.

Examination of how and when citizens influence legislators' behavior. How legislators' floor behavior reflects citizens' preferences and how these preferences influence the formation of electoral coalitions.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 603. Special Topics in Comparative Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

A seminar in comparative politics, designed to give students a greater degree of knowledge of a particular subject, and to develop ability in the techniques of individual research and group discussion.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 604. The World Before European Domination. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines the historical roots of the contemporary international system, and questions the standard Eurocentric perspective on the rise of the West to a dominant position in the global system.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 605. Sex, Babies, and the State. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines policies on reproduction, work, and the family in a variety of national, with specific emphasis on Latin America.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 606. Organizational Dynamics and Management. 3 Credit Hours.

Analyzes organizational dynamics and management in all organizations, emphasizing the public sector. Highlights organizational processes and behavior, focusing on change management strategies. Students apply knowledge of organizational theories to actual case studies to enhance critical thinking skills.
Prerequisite: POL 201 or POL 202 or POL 203 or INS 101.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 607. Politics, Sociology, and Economy in Contemporary Brazil. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines the social, economic, and cultural transformations shaping contemporary Brazilian politics.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 608. Equity and Diversity in Public Administration. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines federal and state policies, laws, and court decisions as means for helping public administrators develop policies and procedures that meet legal requirements and recognize the values of equity and diversity in the treatment of its citizenry and public employees.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 609. Issues in Judicial Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) through the lens of upcoming cases on the SCOTUS's docket and through recently decided cases that were of important legal precedent.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 610. Statistics for Politics and Public Administration. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on the use of statistics to conduct quantitative research (i.e., statistics) in political science and public administration. The course emphasizes hands-on data work. Students will learn how to perform political analyses – and present findings in an appropriate manner – using SPSS statistical software.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 611. Security in the Arabian Peninsula. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines the security environment of the Arabian Peninsula.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 614. Popular Culture and Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

Explores the issues of political legitimacy, concepts of justice, and identity politics by examining the interrelatedness of politics and works of popular culture (movies, television shows).
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Summer.

POL 615. Media Content Analysis. 3 Credit Hours.

There are few facets of our lives which are not directly affected by media content. From cell phones to televisions, the media is with us all the time. But what messages are contained in the mass media? What methods can we employ to study media content scientifically? This course will explore methods of analyzing media sources including movies, newspapers, magazines, and television Course topics will include political bias, campaign coverage, and news content. Students will design their own projects and implement their own coding strategies.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 616. Experiments in Political Science. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines experimental method of hypothesis testing, with specific examples in the study of politics.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 617. Introductory Statistical Methods in Political Science. 3 Credit Hours.

The tools needed to manipulate and analyze quantitative data rigorously so you may answer questions of political interest. First in a two-course sequence (followed by POL 618).
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 618. Advanced Statistical Methods in Political Science. 3 Credit Hours.

The maximum likelihood framework for statistical inference in the study of politics. Second in a two-course sequence (preceded by POL 617).
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 619. Introduction to Game Theory for Political Science. 3 Credit Hours.

The rudiments of non-cooperative game theory. Mainly intended for political science students, but presents applications from other academic disciplines such as economics, business administration, sociology, and psychology.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 620. Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Provides advanced political science majors with an opportunity to participate in a structured, supervised internship. 25-35 page research paper required.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 621. Public Affairs Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Opportunity for the advanced student specializing in public administration to participate in an administrative capacity in an agency of state or local government. Periodic conferences with adviser and paper required.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 622. Introduction to Graduate Public Administration. 3 Credit Hours.

Introduction to concepts, issues, problems, theories and process in the field of public administration and/or public management.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 624. Non-Profit Organizations: Law, Policy, and Management. 3 Credit Hours.

This course teaches students the essential requirements for creation and operation of tax-exempt nonprofit organization in accordance with state and federal law. The course covers a wide range of relevant topics including guidelines for charitable giving and charitable solicitation, pitfalls that can result in personal liability for officers and directors, and statutory constraints on legislative lobbying and political activities.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring & Summer.

POL 625. Comparative Public Policy and Administration. 3 Credit Hours.

Comparison and analysis of the organizational and managerial policy problems of developed and developing nations. The administrative process will be considered within the institutional and cultural framework of each nation. Case studies will be used to focus on transition from traditional to modern techniques of public management.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 626. Administrative Law. 3 Credit Hours.

Administrative law is the study of the legal relationship of government agencies to legislatures, courts, and private parties. The course examines the legal dimensions of bureaucratic power and procedures as well as constitutional and statutory constraints on regulators and administrators. Topics include rule making, adjudication, investigation and enforcement, political controls on agencies, judicial review of agency decisions, governmental liability and immunity, public records and open meetings laws. Both federal law and Florida law are covered. The course assumes a basic knowledge of the American legal system, constitutional law and bureaucracy.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 627. Comparative Political Institutions. 3 Credit Hours.

The concept of institutionalism by studying three major sets of democratic institutions: electoral systems, legislatures, and political regimes.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 629. Conducting U.S. Elections. 3 Credit Hours.

Fair and free democratic elections are the heart of U.S. democracy. This course will examine who gets to vote, whether election laws and rules are fair (and fairly implemented), and proposals to reform the way elections are run.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 630. Intelligence and National Security. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will study the US national security community structure and decision making process. The course will look at the National Security Council, the principal national security agencies (such as the CIA, Defense Department, and State Department), how they interact, and their roles in dividing and executing policy. We will also examine the role and function of senior policy decision makers such as the President. We will study recent policy challenges such as Iraq and Afghanistan as examples of National Security policy.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 631. Global Environment Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

Examination of the environment within the context of economic globalization. Contrasts the international trading regime and those regimes designed to protect the environment, with specific attention to the issues of global warming and biodiversity.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 634. Applied Policy Analysis. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines a variety of policy problems through the framework of problem definition, formulation of alternatives, assessment of alternatives, and policy impact evaluation. Students will also be introduced to cost-benefit analysis and evaluation methods.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 635. Comparative Legal Systems. 3 Credit Hours.

Considers the institutional and political roles of Courts from a comparative perspective. With a focus on judicial independence and judicial review, will consider the juridical systems of a variety of countries and regions including the US, the EU, Germany, France, Great Britain, Chile, Argentina, Russia, The Asian-Pacific Rim, South Africa, Israel, Central America and the Middle East.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 636. U.S. Health Care Crisis: Politics and Policies. 3 Credit Hours.

This seminar will explore the politics and policies of healthcare in the United States. Our examination of the current crisis in cost and coverage will draw on experience from the debates on comprehensive and incremental reform over the past decade. In addition, we will explore the politics and policies of other health and science issues. Students will be expected to attend every class and be actively involved in class discussions. There will be two examinations, one at mid-term and a final based on readings and course discussions.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 637. Microeconomics for Public Policy. 3 Credit Hours.

Describes and explains principles and theories of microeconomics in the context of public policy applications.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 638. Education Politics and Policy. 3 Credit Hours.

Explores education politics and policy in the United States. We begin with an examination of justice-oriented pedagogies (e.g., Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, bell hook's Teaching to Transgress) to establish the norms for the course. Next, we explore how civic learning in schools helps sustain the vitality of democracy. Concurrently, we discuss how policymakers have tried to limit access to educational experiences for women, LGBTQ individuals, and people of color throughout American history. This framing in mind, we spend multiple weeks exploring prominent policy issues in the realm of education policy (e.g., school choice, online learning, polarized school board elections). Throughout the semester, students will be asked to observe school board meetings throughout the greater Miami area. Using content analyses, we will examine (1) whose voices are being heard, (2) which issues are being discussed, and (3) whether the issues being discussed are representative of the concerns of parents, students, and teachers. We will use this research and the insights of local community stakeholders to think through ways to create education policies that are responsive to needs of Miami area residents and contribute to more equitable educational outcomes. While the course focuses on policy challenges faced by local governments and city residents, it is also meant to be an empowering civic learning experience.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 641. Philosophy of Law. 3 Credit Hours.

Case-based study of jurisprudence designed to illuminate and explain philosophies of law. Examination of theories of free expression; bio-ethical matters; theories of punishment and legal responsibility; and the placement of religious discourses in liberal systems of law. Special attention to cases involving fundamental rights and liberties; the role of the individual and the state in civil society; and the capacities of individuals to be legally competent in contemporary systems of law.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 644. Chinese Foreign Policy. 3 Credit Hours.

International relations of the People's Republic of China, in theory and in practice. Structure and context of foreign policy decision-making; domestic influences on the foreign policy making process. China as a global and regional actor.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 645. Environmental Policy Making. 3 Credit Hours.

Examination of different ethical approaches to the environment; the federal government's management of natural resources; selected environmental policies; international environmental policy issues. Topics include federal management of national grazing lands, national forests, and minerals in the public domain. Analyzes environmental policies such as air, water, toxic wastes, energy, and environmentally-related issues in international trade and national security.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Summer.

POL 646. Public Policy Process and Implementation. 3 Credit Hours.

Examination of public policy issue areas including education, health, welfare, urban mass transit. Limits to effectiveness of federal, state and local governments in providing services. Techniques for analyzing the effectiveness of public policies; research techniques for the assessment of future policy alternatives.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 647. Human Resource Management in Public Service. 3 Credit Hours.

Topics include human resource management in public service: job analysis and design, evaluation and appraisal, recruitment and interviewing, training and development, wages and benefits, and health and safety. Unionization, regulation of wages, hours and working conditions, financial security for workers, manpower planning and job anti-discrimination legislation are considered.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 648. Civic Participation and Democracy. 3 Credit Hours.

Citizens participate in the governing process by communicating their preferences and pressuring the government to respond. In this course we examine these various mechanisms of "civic participation'', and discuss the meaning and consequences of participatory democracy. The course focuses on the contemporary United States, but we will devote some time to discuss civic participation in other countries as well.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 649. Energy Policy: Technology, Politics, and Society. 3 Credit Hours.

An interdisciplinary introduction to energy policy, focusing on studying three major and interrelated themes from a comparative perspective: technology, politics, and society. Covers energy policy examples from the United States, the European Union, China, India, and other countries.
Components: RSC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 650. Advanced Seminar On American Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

This seminar provides students with a survey of significant research on major topics in American Politics. We will read influential works of the past, as well as recent cutting-edge research. Particular attention will be paid to discussing the methods and theories used in the research we will read. The purpose of the course is to acquaint students with the literature on American Politics, while also providing an opportunity for students to develop skills in critically assessing and skillfully conducting social science research.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 651. Productivity in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors. 3 Credit Hours.

Definitions and measures of productivity. Evaluation of government programs, and methods of productivity improvement.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 652. Total Quality Public Service Management: Achieving High Performance Government. 3 Credit Hours.

Examination of the theory and practice of Total Quality Management (TQM) in the government and non-profit sector. Focuses on budgetary, customer service, employee and process improvements that facilitate increased public and non-profit performance. Special emphasis to TQM's contribution to improved service delivery.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 653. The Environmental Movement: Groups, Beliefs and Values. 3 Credit Hours.

Exploration of the origins and political impact of environmentalism in the United States and, to a lesser extent, in the global context. Impact of democratic participation on environmental politics.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 654. Politics and Ethics. 3 Credit Hours.

Personal, professional, organizational, and societal levels of ethical analysis. Ethical theories will be reviewed and applied to actual cases that focus on public policy and/or the officials who create and implement it. Profiles of moral exemplars in public life will be examined.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 655. Public Policy and Health. 3 Credit Hours.

Development of public policy at the federal, state and local level. Policy process, models of policy analysis, policy development in several government service areas, and plans for policy change. Special emphasis on health policy formulation, implementation and the use of epidemiological tools in health policy analysis.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Summer.

POL 656. Public Service Internship. 3-6 Credit Hours.

Individual on-the-job work experience; arranged and monitored by a faculty member.
Components: THI.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 657. Ethical and Managerial Issues in Government, Business, and Non-Profit Organizations. 3 Credit Hours.

Governments at all levels have encountered scandals involving ethical wrongdoing. Businesses and nonprofit organizations have faced similar problems. Countless less visible examples of unethical and ethical behavior occur in organizations daily. This course examines the causes and consequences of such actions and the managerial strategies and competencies needed to effectively cope with the ethical issues confronting individuals and organizations.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.

POL 658. From Electronic Government to Digital Governance. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate and advanced undergraduate seminar explores the transition from electronic government (e-gov) to digital or d-governance, emphasizing political participation, citizen-centric public administration and the proliferation of global information technologies and social media.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 659. International Organizations. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines international organizations which, in addition to contributing to the solution of international problems, also help to provide rules and structures to manage state-to-state relationships.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 660. Public Program Evaluation. 3 Credit Hours.

Background information needed to evaluate public programs, organizations, and policies. Focus on how to design an evaluation using research methods to evaluate a program. Students will construct logic models, understand program theory, apply research methodology, and discuss stakeholders in public organizations and policies.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 661. Ending Wars and Building Peace. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines how local and international actors build sustainable peace strategically through peace-keeping, peace accords, reconciliation, education, human rights, international law, and state-building.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 662. Municipal Modernization in the 21st Century. 3 Credit Hours.

In this experiential learning, civic engagement course, students will conduct an in-depth examination of challenges facing local governments in the 21st century. Students will conduct research and interview officials currently serving in local government positions and local residents who use local government services to better understand the functioning of local governments and the policy and management issues that local governments are facing. Students will work as teams to identify one local government challenge as their focus for the semester and will develop an innovative solution to that local government challenge. Students will develop written materials and an oral presentation to pitch their solution to both practitioners and researchers. One team from the course will be selected to represent the University of Miami at the statewide MuniMod competition in Orlando, FL sponsored by the Florida League of Cities.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall Even Years.

POL 667. Collaborative Governance. 3 Credit Hours.

Theories and practices in collaborative governance. Students who are interested in collaborations between government and other groups/organizations are strongly encouraged to take this course. Even those who are not planning to work for the government can learn how to be prepared to be an organizational leader for future collaboration chances with government organizations and their officials. Students will be equipped with prerequisites to be an organizational leader in a collaboration setting, including but not limited to reducing the gap between theories and practices, analytic and negotiation skills for collaboration, and how to design/initiate/participate in successful collaborative governance practices.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 669. LGBTI Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

Describes and explains global variance in government policies of interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex citizens including sodomy laws, anti-discrimination ordinances, same-sex marriage and adoption, military service, and the right to change one’s sex or identify as neither male nor female.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.

POL 670. Uniting States in International Perspective. 3 Credit Hours.

How states form and fragment; the main actors in nation formation; the elements of continuity and change; the impact outsiders can have on the process.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 671. Government and Business. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines government-business-society relations with emphasis on the social, economic, political, technological, ethical, and ecological environment.
Components: DIL.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.

POL 672. Program Planning, Research and Evaluation in Criminal Justice and Corrections, I. 3 Credit Hours.

Identification of long-term goals and intermediate objectives in the criminal justice process. Formulation of operations, evaluation techniques and the relationships among research, evaluation and management decisions.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 673. Program Planning, Research and Evaluation in Criminal Justice and Corrections, II. 3 Credit Hours.

Continuation of POL 672. Topics include types of evaluation and the design of evaluative studies. POL 672 and POL 673 are designed to facilitate the formulation and execution of a thesis.
Prerequisite: POL 672.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 674. Urban Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores politics in American cities. In particular, this course examines how critical local-level institutions, including neighborhoods, schools, and city government can simultaneously serve as sites that exacerbate existing racial, ethnic, and economic inequalities while also holding the potential to foster agency and equal political voice.
Components: DIS.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 675. The Politics of Civil- Military Relations. 3 Credit Hours.

Course examines the relationship between states and their soldiers across various historical periods and regional contexts, and how this relationship has been altered in an era where the viability of old structures of state authority are no longer self-evident.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 676. On Violence: The Politics of Extremes. 3 Credit Hours.

Literary and theoretical treatments are considered for what they can tell us about the causes, characteristics and consequences of violence. These insights are enlisted to help us understand violence enacted by states against their societies, societies against states, and within society itself.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 677. Security in South Asia. 3 Credit Hours.

The security system of South Asia's northern reaches and the current conflict involving Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India: considerations of sovereignty and the role of frontiers in world politics.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 678. Energy and Security in Eurasia. 3 Credit Hours.

Engages intersection of energy and security within the contested space of Eurasia.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 680. Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Secession. 3 Credit Hours.

Examination of the creation, breakdown, and aftermath of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Using empirical evidence from four case studies, develops a theoretical framework for understanding cross-national patterns of post-communist development in the context of country specific experiences.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 681. Comparative Political Economy of Post-Industrial Democracies. 3 Credit Hours.

This seminar examines four key turning points in the development of capitalism: the industrial revolution, the aftermath of the depression and world wars, the oil crisis of the 1970's, and today's "globalization". We will compare the relationships between government and the economy in Western Europe, Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Japan in each period, and attempt to evaluate why these countries react similarly or differently to identical changes in world economy.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall & Spring.

POL 682. International Development Policy. 3 Credit Hours.

Overview of the principal theoretical paradigms of the development process Comparative analysis of issues such as the role of the state, strategies of industrialization, changes in social structure, basic needs and the trade-offs between growth and equity.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 683. Seminar: Topics in the Comparative Study of the Foreign Policy of China. 3 Credit Hours.

Upon completion of this course students should be able to describe the theories that have been used to analyze Chinese politics, their strengths and weaknesses, be familiar with the tension between communist ideology and modernization, outline the PRC’s party and government structure and the informal deviations thereof, assess economic progress and the difficulties ahead, be aware of the roles on interest groups such as the military, labor, ethnic minorities, and non-governmental organizations in influencing policy formation, describe the social welfare system, and evaluate the ability of the system as a whole to withstand external and internal pressures.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 684. Contemporary Latin American Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course assumes a basic knowledge of Latin American politics, and is designed to foster deeper understanding of political processes in the region and to provide an overview of key debates among political scientists specializing in Latin America. We discuss issues related to democratic consolidation, political participation, representation and governance.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 685. Seminar in the Dynamics of Soviet Society. 3 Credit Hours.

Forces and factors that shape and continue to influence the development of social, political and economic institutions in the Former Soviet Union and their evolving role in decision making.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 686. Conflict in the Middle East and Africa. 3 Credit Hours.

Introduction to major paradigms for the explanation of war and conflict in two of the most unstable regions of the world. Reading and class discussions on select cases of current and past conflicts in each region in order to discern patterns of conflict within and across regions, gain a clearer understanding of what drives violent conflict, and assess strategies of resolution.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 687. Illicit Trade in the Global Economy. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines the rise of illicit trade, the actors and groups involved, and international and national attempts to stop it
Components: DIS.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 688. Politics in China. 3 Credit Hours.

Development and nature of Chinese domestic politics in theory and practice; problems of political stability and conflict; the role of historical and cultural traditions, institutions, social, economic and personality factors in Chinese politics; process of change and problems of leadership succession; the significance of changes in the character and style of Chinese leadership.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 689. Directed Research. 1-3 Credit Hours.

An opportunity for graduate students to assist faculty members with research for course credit. A student may only sign up if s/he has found a professor who has agreed to work with him/her.
Components: RSC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 690. Directed Readings. 3 Credit Hours.

Provides an opportunity for students to organize an independent study with a particular tenure-line faculty member. A student may only sign up if s/he has found a professor who has agreed to work with him/her.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 691. International Security. 3 Credit Hours.

Analysis and evaluation of approaches to international conflict, resolution, reduction and stabilization such as international organization, law, collective security, balance of power, functionalism, world government, morality, and conscience. Special emphasis on recent problems and efforts at institutionalizing social control.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Spring.

POL 692. International Political Economy. 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces students to the study of International Political Economy (IPE). It combines a focus on the main theoretical and methodological approaches used in the study of IPE with the analysis of historical and contemporary issues.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall.

POL 693. International Relations of the Middle East. 3 Credit Hours.

Regional and inter-regional analysis of the foreign relations of Middle Eastern nations, domestic and geopolitical factors.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 694. European Security. 3 Credit Hours.

Examines regional security in Europe, focusing on NATO expansion, EU expansion, Russian foreign policy and related issues.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 695. Special Topics in Political Theory and Methods. 1-3 Credit Hours.

A seminar in Political Theory and Methods; designed to give the student a greater degree of insight and knowledge of a particular subject and to develop ability in the techniques of individual research, group discussion and analysis. The senior seminars may be taken in any sequence.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 696. Special Topics in Public Administration, Policy, and Law. 1-3 Credit Hours.

A seminar in public policy, administration and law; designed to give the student a greater degree of insight and knowledge of a particular subject and to develop ability in the techniques of individual research, group discussion and analysis.
Components: SEM.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 697. Special Topics in International Relations. 3 Credit Hours.

A seminar in international relations; designed to give the student a greater degree of insight and knowledge of a particular subject and to develop ability in the techniques of individual research, group discussion and analysis. The senior seminars may be taken in any sequence.
Requisite: Graduate Standing.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 698. Special Topic in American Politics. 3 Credit Hours.

A graduate seminar in American Politics designed to give the student a greater degree of insight and knowledge of a particular subject and to develop ability in the techniques of individual research, group discussion, and analysis.
Components: LEC.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 699. Directed Readings. 1-3 Credit Hours.

Substantive topics vary by semester and is indicated in parentheses following course number and title in Class Schedule.
Components: THI.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, & Summer.

POL 810. Master's Thesis. 3-6 Credit Hours.

Designed for student working on masters' theses. Not to exceed six credit hours, as determined by student's advisor. Credit is not awarded until the thesis has been accepted.
POL 810 MPA Program.
Components: THI.
Grading: GRD.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.

POL 820. Research in Residence. 1 Credit Hour.

Research in residence for thesis or master's degree after the student has enrolled for the permissible cumulative total in POL 710 (usually six credits). Credit not granted; regarded as full time residence.
Components: THI.
Grading: SUS.
Typically Offered: Offered by Announcement Only.