Discipline: Political Science Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

Political Science 1


COURSE DESCRIPTION
1 American Politics Units: 3.00
 
Prerequisite(s): None.

Advisory: Qualification for English 1A
The principles and critical issues of American politics, with emphasis on the national government. Course topics include: political parties and elections, interest groups, mass movements, public policy, media, judicial system, and California state and local government are included. Students may not receive credit for both POL-1 and POL-1H. 54 hours lecture.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
The principles, institutions, policies, and critical issues in American politics.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
Before entering the course, students will be able to:
  1. Critically discuss and analyze primary and secondary texts, recognizing key ideas and responding in both oral and written form;

  2. Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate concepts studied in primary and secondary texts using intermediate to advanced critical thinking skills;

  3. Compose and develop unified, stylistically competent writing assignments and adjust writing to the target audience with intermediate to advanced skill.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1.   Describe, analyze, and evaluate concepts, theories, and institutions
      of American politics.

2.   Objectively explain critical issues in American politics and analyze
      their own opinions concerning government and current political
      issues.

3.   Use research tools including scholarly readings, current media and
      the Internet.

4.   Demonstrate critical thinking ability including the analysis and
      evaluation of data, the understanding of alternative
      explanations and the forming of conclusions from the data
      presented.
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 

Focus of class readings may be chronological, topical-thematic, disciplinary, and/or based on case studies.  

  1. Definitions of power
    1. General definitions: power, authority, democracy, representation, majoritarianism, pluralism, and elitism
  2. Development of American constitution and government
    1. Bill of Rights, federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers
    2. Definition and explanation of civil liberties and civil rights
    3. State and Local Government, California politics
  3. Political Parties, Interest Groups, Mass Movements, and Media in American Politics
    1. Interest Groups---controlling “mischiefs of factions, business, labor, agricultural, consumer, and environmental interest groups, lobbying
    2. Political Parties---why the two party system persists, how political parties operate in  government, the role of party organizations in politics, third parties and American politics
    3. Mass Movements---leadership, community organizing, selected case studies
    4. Media---media in a democracy, candidates and television, cyberspace and campaigns
  4. Linking Government to Individuals: public opinion, campaigns, and elections in American Politics
    1. The roles of family, education, peers, life events, economic status and occupation on political opinions.
    2. Measuring public opinion.
    3. Factors affecting whether and how people vote including party identification, perception of candidates, socioeconomic factors, ideology, and campaigns
    4. Nomination process, types of elections, and presidential elections
  5. Institutions of American GovernmentCongress---Congressional elections, congressional leadership and organization, the legislative process, the budgeting process, the makeup of Congress
    1. The Presidency---the president’s constitutional powers, the expansion of presidential powers, the organization of the executive branch, issues of presidential leadership and executive privilege
    2. The Bureaucracy----the nature and size of the bureaucracy, how the federal bureaucracy is organized, policymaking and the iron triangle, curbing waste and improving effieciency
    3. The Judiciary---the federal court system, , federal judicial appointments, the Supreme Court in American politics, ideology and the courts
  6.  Public Policy
    1. Definitions of domestic policy, social welfare policy, economic policy
    2. The policymaking process including agenda-setting, policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation
    3. American foreign policy including actors in foreign policy, history of American foreign policy, interventionism, the Cold War, and War on Terror 

 
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

  • Presentation of lectures and discussions on the institutions and processes of American politics in order for students to understand the relationship of power, the constitution, the branches of government, and political participation.
  • Showing films, videos, slides, distributing handouts, and/or using electronic or computer-based media in order to reinforce understanding of concepts related to principles, institutions, policies, and issues of American government.
  • Guest lecturers invited to class to discuss topics on democracy, American political institutions, the constitution, civil liberties, and civil rights.
  • Develop and assign class exercises such as reports and papers in order to reinforce understanding the relationship of the U.S. Constitution, the judiciary, civil liberties and civil rights to American politics.
  • Cooperative/collaborative learning tasks, including pair and small group discussions and projects, in order to develop and reinforce course content and topics.
  • Conduct individual conferences in order to evaluate and advise students on original writing and other projects.
  • Assigned readings in order to reinforce and supplement course content.
  • Computer-assisted and/or web-enhanced instruction which reinforces and develops course content.
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

  • A minimum of two significant pieces of formal academic writing beyond quizzes or examinations is required.
  • Oral reports/presentations/performances designed to evaluate students’ understanding of the development of the constitution, the principles, institutions, and issues in American politics.
  • Written reports/presentations/performances designed to demonstrate students’ understanding of development of the constitution, the principles, institutions, and issues in American politics.
  • Quizzes/examinations designed to assess students’ ability to recall, critically analyze and apply key concepts and course content.
  • Written assignments designed to demonstrate successful understanding and application of basic concepts and course content.
  • Class, group, and individual projects designed to assess students’ understanding of the key principles, institutions, and policies in American government.
  • Participation and regular attendance as required by instructor to ensure progress in mastering course content.
  • Final examination designed to assess students’ mastery of the essential concepts explored in the course.
  • Internet assignments designed to reinforce and elaborate on course content.
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

  • McKenna, George and Feingold, Stanley. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Political Issues . Connecticut: MacGraw-Hill, 2004.
  • Levine, Herbert. Point-Counterpoint: Readings in American Government . 7 ed. California: Wadsworth/Thomson, 2004.
  • Welch, Susan, et.al.. American Government. 9 ed. Belmont: Thomson Learning Inc., 2004.
  • Greenberg, Edward and Page, Benjamin. The Struggle for Democracy. 6 ed. New York: Longman, 2003.
  • Miroff, Bruce, et.al.. The Democratic Debate. 3 ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2002.
  • Parenti, Michael. Democracy for the Few. 7 ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins Press, 2002.
  • Sohner, Charles P.. California Government and Politics Today. New York: Longman, 1999.
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