POLS 121.  American Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Analyzes the basic patterns and structure of the American political system emphasizing policies and problems of American politics. This is a Kansas Systemwide Transfer Course.

POLS 121H.  American Politics Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Analyzes the basic patterns and structure of the American political system emphasizing policies and problems of American politics.

POLS 150.  Political Science Workshop   (1-3).

An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 150A, 150B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. Prerequisite(s): instructor's consent.

POLS 150B.  National Politics   (0.5-3).

National Politics examines how American politics works at the federal level. We will investigate how the rules of the Constitution shape our politics and evaluate how our politics lives up to Constitutional ideals. We will examine how people connect to their government through elections and lobbying. We will also discuss the process for making policy to govern the country, the actors that have influence in that process and how those actors interact with each other, and who thus holds power in policymaking.

POLS 150E.  Current Events and Timely Topics   (0.5).

Examines how current events influence public policy and citizen expectations of governance at the local, state and national levels.

POLS 150F.  U.S. Electoral Process: Facts and Fiction   (0.5).

Explores the U.S. election system and considers its strengths and weaknesses. This course examines the right to vote, ballot access and election administration in the United States. Topics include: legal history defining citizenship; legal and political history of the right to vote; voter suppression; voter fraud and election fraud; the Voting Rights Act of 1965; the administration of elections by state and local election officials; political and procedural reforms to democratic processes; and the role of the media and social media in shaping perceptions of how elections work. The course covers both current issues, especially relating to recent presidential elections, and historical development.

POLS 150G.  Global Politics   (0.5).

Explores key concepts, theories and patterns for understanding politics within states and the international system. Using examples within historical and contemporary global affairs, topics include war, terrorism, trade, international law and global governance. The focus is on how international organizations, states and non-state actors raise and address global challenges.

POLS 150I.  The Geography of American Elections   (0.5).

Every presidential election, the country becomes obsessed with a fight between red states and blue states. The outcome is important, but the political fabric of the country is much more subtle and interesting. This class looks at the geography of American elections, exploring why people live where they do, what all those governments are on people's property tax bill, how national elections are actually very local, and why Elbridge Gerry’s salamander is even more relevant two hundred years later.

POLS 150J.  The Rise of Autocracy in the World   (0.5).

The countries of the world can be divided into democratic and authoritarian regimes, but in between those extremes there are many shades. This course discusses the features that define a democracy and distinguish it from a hybrid or authoritarian regime (also called autocracy). The emphasis of this class is on the backsliding of democracy (and the rise of autocracy) that has occurred in the world in the past 15 years, and the implications for the United States and other democracies. The cases of authoritarianism in Russia and China are discussed more in-depth.

POLS 150K.  Kansas Politics 1922-2022: Looking at America through a Century of Bob Dole   (0.5).

Examines the past century of American politics as an exercise in federalism, public policy and electoral democracy. Discusses the growth in government power and controversies over which government should exercise that power. Learn about the importance of Kansas in national politics and the unique career of Senator Robert Dole.

POLS 150M.  History of U.S. Foreign Policy   (0.5).

Traces a brief history of U.S. foreign policy over the course of four weeks. It covers the story of how U.S. foreign policy developed and changed course over more than two centuries. The course highlights several traditions in U.S. policy and discussion of what shapes policy as the history unfolds.

POLS 150N.  Developing Countries: Challenges and Implications for the U.S.   (0.5).

Discusses the processes of development and change in developing countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The course examines the different political regimes that exist in the developing world and the economic, social and political challenges that those countries face and the implications for developed countries, including the United States. It also looks at the policy options for developed countries, such as foreign aid. The course emphasizes current issues but also looks at the historical roots of the problems that exist in the developing world today. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 153.  Model United Nations I   (2-4).

Introduces students to the activities of the United Nations and the protocol and procedures of diplomacy in order to participate in Model United Nations conferences.

POLS 220.  Introduction to International Relations   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines approaches to the study of international relations. Includes foreign policy, international conflict and conflict management, international organizations and law, development and globalization. Either POLS 220 or 336, but not both, may be accepted toward a major in history. Course includes diversity content. This is a Kansas Systemwide Transfer Course.

POLS 220H.  Introduction to International Relations Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines approaches to the study of international relations. Includes foreign policy, international conflict and conflict management, international organizations and law, development and globalization. Either POLS 220 or 336, but not both, may be accepted toward a major in history. Course includes diversity content. This is a Kansas Systemwide Transfer Course.

POLS 226.  Comparative Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Analyzes the basic patterns and structures of Western democratic and political systems, transitional systems, and dictatorial or totalitarian systems. This is a Kansas Systemwide Transfer Course.

POLS 232.  Political Theory and Philosophy   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Shows the direct relationship between political philosophy and practical political structures and policies. Examines the political philosophies of six important Western philosophers at an introductory level. Studies different models of democracy to demonstrate the relationship between a set of basic philosophic assumptions and the political society that seems appropriate to that set of assumptions. Examines one or two major political issues to illustrate the various kinds of solutions that may be suggested by different political philosophies.

POLS 232H.  Political Theory and Philosophy Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Shows the direct relationship between political philosophy and practical political structures and policies. Examines the political philosophies of six important Western philosophers at an introductory level. Studies different models of democracy to demonstrate the relationship between a set of basic philosophic assumptions and the political society that seems appropriate to that set of assumptions. Examines one or two major political issues to illustrate the various kinds of solutions that may be suggested by different political philosophies.

POLS 305.  Environmental Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines the politics of environmental protection and the management of natural resources. Examines such politics at local, national and global levels. No prerequisites, but a background in introductory political, economic and environmental science courses is helpful.

POLS 310.  Latin American Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Overview of domestic political processes in Latin-American countries. A synopsis of historical developments in the region up to and including the transitions from authoritarianism to democracy that took place in the mid 1980s. Presents a regional perspective on key current issues related to governance and democratization such as institutional frameworks (constitutional aspects, elections, political parties and the State), the rule of law, citizen participation and civil society, the role of the elites and the military, the impact of socio-economic factors and the importance of political culture. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 312.  Asian Politics   (3).

Provides a survey of several Asian countries’ political systems. Students explore the cultural, historical and socioeconomic factors that contribute to the development of political systems in these Asian countries. Students analyze and compare the political systems and cultures of authoritarianism, emerging democracies and consolidated democracies in the region. Regional collaborations and competitions among Asian countries are also discussed. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 313.  Global Gender Politics   (3).

Cross-listed as WOMS 313. Provides a survey of various global initiatives for closing the worldwide gender gap in political participation and educational and employment opportunities. Topics of discussion may include gender-sensitive policies of the United Nations, governments and nongovernmental organizations for promoting gender equality in political leadership and participation; transnational organizing against human trafficking; and equal accessibility to affordable education, healthcare, childcare and eldercare. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 315.  The Presidency   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the evolution of the presidential office, the recruitment of presidents, and the nature of presidential power.

POLS 315H.  The Presidency Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the evolution of the presidential office, the recruitment of presidents, and the nature of presidential power.

POLS 316.  Legislative Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the U.S. Congress, state legislatures and the politics of legislatures in general.

POLS 317.  Urban Politics   (3).

Analyzes politics in urban areas, including the nature and distribution of community power, influence and leadership, the nature of community conflict, the formation of policy, urban problems, and political solutions and trends in urban politics.

POLS 319.  State Government   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines the role of the states in the federal system and compares state politics and their political institutions. This is a Kansas Systemwide Transfer Course.

POLS 320.  Developing World   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines the politics and processes of development and change in developing nations in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and the implications for developed nations, including the United States. Attempts to provide students with the theoretical tools and concepts to evaluate politics in these societies. Looks at the theories of political development and modernization, the political institutions, the relationships between the state and society, and the social forces that influence politics and economics in these states. Examines the regime types that exist in the different regions, emphasizing the recent transitions from authoritarianism to democracy. Deals with current challenges for developing nations in the economic and social realm. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 321.  Introduction to Public Administration   (3).

A general survey of the scope and nature of public administration, policy and administration, administrative regulations and adjudication, organization and management, budgeting and fiscal management, public personnel administration, political, judicial and other controls over the administration.

POLS 325.  Gender and Politics   (3).

Cross-listed as WOMS 325. Examines the political process of policy making using policies of current interest concerning women. Explores the association of societal gender role expectations with existing and proposed public policies that pertain to women's lives. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 336.  International Organizations   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the role of international organizations in the international system. Emphasizes the United Nations. Also covers some regional organizations. Either POLS 220 or 336, but not both, may be accepted toward a major in history.

POLS 337.  Conflict Analysis   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Explores the causes of war on three different levels of analysis: international, domestic and individual. Examines historical conflicts as well as more recent wars, and the diplomatic efforts that have been made to achieve lasting peace settlements.

POLS 337H.  Conflict Analysis Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Explores the causes of war on three different levels of analysis: international, domestic and individual. Examines historical conflicts as well as more recent wars, and the diplomatic efforts that have been made to achieve lasting peace settlements.

POLS 340.  Global Challenges   (3).

Seminar-style course in which students actively discuss the scope of, and potential solutions to, many global problems. Topics include: proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, prevention of terrorism, protection of human rights, promotion of development, protection of the environment, alleviation of poverty, and promotion of free trade/globalization. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 352.  Law and Political Power   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the growth of government power in the United States, with an emphasis on the decisions of the Supreme Court and other interpretations of the Constitution. Subjects examined may include economic regulation, federalism and states' rights, separation of powers, and war powers.

POLS 352H.  Law and Political Power Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the growth of government power in the United States, with an emphasis on the decisions of the Supreme Court and other interpretations of the Constitution. Subjects examined may include economic regulation, federalism and states' rights, separation of powers, and war powers.

POLS 353.  Model United Nations II   (2-4).

Introduces students to the activities of the United Nations and the protocol and procedures of diplomacy in order to participate in Model United Nations conferences.

POLS 356.  Civil Liberties   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the rights individuals and groups claim against the government of the United States, with emphasis on decisions of the Supreme Court. Areas of law covered include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, rights of the accused, privacy and abortion rights, and equal rights. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 356H.  Civil Liberties Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on the rights individuals and groups claim against the government of the United States, with emphasis on decisions of the Supreme Court. Areas of law covered include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, rights of the accused, privacy and abortion rights, and equal rights. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 357.  Supreme Court   (3).

Focuses on the U.S. Supreme Court as a political institution. Readings and class discussion examine judicial selection, judicial behavior, Supreme Court doctrine, and connections between the court and American politics broadly conceived. Readings include works of political science and judicial opinions. Students participate in simulated Supreme Court decisions.

POLS 357H.  Supreme Court Honors   (3).

Focuses on the U.S. Supreme Court as a political institution. Readings and class discussion examine judicial selection, judicial behavior, Supreme Court doctrine, and connections between the court and American politics broadly conceived. Readings include works of political science and judicial opinions. Students participate in simulated Supreme Court decisions.

POLS 359.  First Amendment   (3).

Focuses on government's power to regulate and/or restrict rights found in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution: freedom of speech, freedom of press and religious liberty. Emphasis is placed on Supreme Court cases regarding interpretation of the First Amendment.

POLS 359H.  First Amendment Honors   (3).

Focuses on government's power to regulate and/or restrict rights found in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution: freedom of speech, freedom of press and religious liberty. Emphasis is placed on Supreme Court cases regarding interpretation of the First Amendment.

POLS 360.  Human Rights   (3).

Considers the concept of human rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Also considers Western and non-Western conceptions of human rights and the problem of cultural relativism. Examples of topics discussed are women in a patriarchal world, the treatment of minorities, genocide and international legal instruments to protect human rights. Videos on different topics are viewed, including on the leaders of the countries where violations of human rights have been openly perpetrated. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 365.  Political Data Analysis   (3).

Introduces students to the use of different types of quantitative data often used by political scientists. Provides the foundation for students to effectively employ a variety of research sources, organize information, conceptualize problems, interpret and analyze data, turn data into usable information, perform basic quantitative analysis, use summary statistics, design basic research and test theories and hypotheses. A hands-on course taught in a computer lab, where students learn where to find data, how to differentiate between aggregate and survey data, raw and secondary data, and the basics of SPSS software. Required for political science majors and a prerequisite for POLS 600.

POLS 370.  European Politics   (3).

An in-depth study of the politics of Western and Eastern European countries. Europe's special relationship with democracy and democratization will be examined. The European Union and the goals of European integration receive special attention as well as the impact of globalization on the European democracies.

POLS 375.  Latin America International Relations   (3).

Reviews historical and current issues relating to the international relations of Latin America and the Caribbean. Examines the relations among Latin-American countries, as well as the relations of Latin-American states with other regions of the world, in particular the United States, the European Union and Canada. Looks at the position of Latin-American and Caribbean states in the major sub-regional, regional and hemispheric organizations. Discusses current political issues such as democratization, human rights, security, transnational crime and migration, as well as those related to economic issues (trade agreements, international investment and globalization).

POLS 380.  Parties and Elections   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on political parties and elections in democratic political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.

POLS 380H.  Parties and Elections Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on political parties and elections in democratic political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.

POLS 385.  Democracy and Authoritarianism   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. The countries of the world can be divided into democratic and authoritarian regimes, but in between those extremes there are many shades. This course discusses the features that define a democracy and distinguish it from a hybrid or authoritarian regime. It evaluates the theories of democracy and authoritarianism and also looks at quantitative indicators and public opinion data. In addition it discusses the role that different domestic actors and international factors can play in the process of democratization in any given country. Other topics include: the preconditions for democracy, the different waves of democratization that have occurred in the world, the modes of transition from authoritarianism to democracy, and the backsliding or total breakdown from democracy to authoritarianism. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 390.  Special Topics in Political Science   (3).

An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 390A, 390B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. Some courses may be approved as general education.

POLS 390F.  Lobbyists and Interest Groups   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines how interest groups and nonprofit organizations engage in fundraising, electioneering, and lobbying of government officials, focusing on specific case studies.

POLS 390G.  Presidential Nominations   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Focuses on how political parties in the United States pick presidential candidates.

POLS 391.  Special Topics in Political Science   (3).

An umbrella course created to explore a variety of subtopics differentiated by letter (e.g., 391A, 391B). Not all subtopics are offered each semester – see the course schedule for availability. Students enroll in the lettered courses with specific topics in the titles rather than in this root course. Some courses may be approved as general education.

POLS 391A.  Diplomacy and Negotiation   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences advanced further study course. Explores how governments and other organizations conduct negotiations in international politics. Explores some of the protocols of diplomacy. Studies historical cases of negotiated agreements and conducts simulations of negotiations for international agreements. Investigates how strategic calculation, social psychology, culture and political pressures shape the conduct of negotiations.

POLS 391AA.  Negotiation and Diplomacy   (3).

Explores how governments and other organizations conduct negotiations in international politics. Explores some of the protocols of diplomacy. Studies historical cases of negotiated agreements and conducts simulations of negotiations for international agreements. Investigates how strategic calculation, social psychology, culture and political pressures shape the conduct of negotiations.

POLS 391AB.  Practical Politics   (3).

Examines the practical application of political science by immersing students in real-world politics at the local, state and federal level. Students are asked to think critically about the role of advocacy, lobbying, electioneering and campaign finance and examine those issues through the lens of current events and debates. This class also introduces students to the breadth of careers available for those interested in working in politics.

POLS 391AH.  Diplomacy and Negotiation Honors   (3).

Explores how governments and other organizations conduct negotiations in international politics. Explores some of the protocols of diplomacy. Studies historical cases of negotiated agreements and conducts simulations of negotiations for international agreements. Investigates how strategic calculation, social psychology, culture and political pressures shape the conduct of negotiations.

POLS 391E.  Middle East Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines political relations between states in the Middle East with a focus on understanding the impact of history, culture and religion on current conflict resolution efforts. Topics include the Syrian conflict, Israeli-Palestinian relations, the Arab spring and much more.

POLS 391L.  Democracy and Authoritarianism   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. The countries of the world can be divided into democratic and authoritarian regimes, but in between those extremes there are many shades. Course discusses the features that define a democracy and distinguish it from a hybrid or authoritarian regime. It evaluates the theories of democracy and authoritarianism and also looks at quantitative indicators and public opinion data. In addition, it discusses the role that different domestic actors and international factors can play in the process of democratization in any given country. Other topics include: the preconditions for democracy, the different waves of democratization that have occurred in the world, the modes of transition from authoritarianism to democracy, and the possible distortions to or total breakdown of democracy.

POLS 391M.  Legislative Leadership and Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines the practice of leadership in legislative institutions, particularly how individuals attempt to create positive change in institutions like Congress and state legislatures. Often taught by state or local elected officials, this course is designed for all Wichita State students. Of particular appeal to those interested in careers in public service and politics.

POLS 391MH.  Legislative Leadership and Politics Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Examines the practice of leadership in legislative institutions, particularly how individuals attempt to create positive change in institutions like Congress and state legislatures. Often taught by state or local elected officials, this course is designed for all Wichita State students. Of particular appeal to those interested in careers in public service and politics.

POLS 391P.  Public Opinion and Political Psychology   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. The basic premise of democratic government is that the government should be responsive to the wishes or opinions of the people. But how does government know what these opinions are? How are these opinions formed? Can these opinions be changed? And is government really responsive to the public's wishes? Investigate these and several more questions throughout the semester to gain a more complete understanding of the scholarly research on public opinion and political psychology in the U.S. political system.

POLS 391R.  Space Politics   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Introduces students to issues surrounding the policies and regulation of spaceflight activities. Topics include: rationales for space exploration (both historical and contemporary); the Outer Space Treaty; space debris mitigation policies; planetary protection policies; commercial spaceflight and the regulation of space mining; and the politics of space settlement.

POLS 391S.  Foreign Aid   (3).

Introduces students to the basic concepts, types and practices related to the topic of foreign aid. Foreign aid is anything that one country or international organization gives away for the benefit of another country, and it has become one of the most important topics in international relations. The goal of foreign aid is to provide assistance in order to maintain a functioning global society. This course looks at the different sources of foreign aid (bilateral, multilateral and private); the different types of foreign aid (development aid, democracy aid and military aid); and the different kinds of foreign aid (money in the form of loans or grants, technical assistance, and in-kind donations of goods). It also looks at the channels through which foreign aid is processed, in particular in the United States (such as USAID). This course emphasizes development aid and uses current real-life cases of foreign aid. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 391T.  Campaign Finance   (3).

Examines how money influences politics and government in the United States, with a specific focus on election financing. Students learn how campaigns for national, state and local office raise and spend money, and how political parties support and direct campaign fundraising. Students also learn how campaign finance law enables individuals and groups that are unaffiliated with candidates to raise and spend money on behalf of candidates and public policy efforts. The course examines the law of campaign finance, the role of individual donor and corporate money, the role of emerging technology, and the effects of campaign spending.

POLS 391U.  Redistricting Seminar   (3).

Every ten years following a census, all levels of government are required to redraw their legislative districts to balance population changes from the previous decade. This course approaches the problem of redistricting from several angles. Firstly, students learn the law that governs the process and its development over the decades to understand the legal requirements for district plans. Secondly, they learn about the choices that can be made within the legal universe, including partisan gerrymanders, and the reform efforts that have been attempted to rein them in. Finally, students learn how to use open-source geographic information system (GIS) software to analyze real district maps and create their own.

POLS 391V.  Health Politics   (3).

Examines the formation and implementation of national, state and local health policy, with a focus on the politics of health during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Current developments in health politics and policy are followed in the media, in local healthcare institutions, as well as ongoing federal, state and local governments. Students study a health care issue of their choice using a variety of methods such as through news media, publicly accessible data sources, and interviews with stakeholders and policy makers.

POLS 391W.  Immigration Policy and Politics   (3).

Cross-listed as HLS 470A. Examines the history of legislation and policies enacted by the U.S. government to control the flow of legal and illegal immigration into the United States. Critiques the effectiveness of past and present immigration laws and policies in combating transnational crime and terrorism. Identifies issues and challenges of enforcing immigration laws from political, cultural and societal perspectives. Students also explore possible future immigration reform measures and the political, economic and national security impact of such actions.

POLS 391WH.  Immigration Policy and Politics Honors   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Cross-listed as HLS 470A. Examines the history of legislation and policies enacted by the U.S. government to control the flow of legal and illegal immigration into the United States. Critiques the effectiveness of past and present immigration laws and policies in combating transnational crime and terrorism. Identifies issues and challenges of enforcing immigration laws from political, cultural and societal perspectives. Students also explore possible future immigration reform measures and the political, economic and national security impact of such actions.

POLS 391X.  Media and Politics   (3).

Cross-listed as COMM 660BE. Examines the role the media plays in the political system and how politics can influence media. Historical and current trends in political media is also examined. This course also includes looking at the advantages and challenges of various forms of political media, particularly digital.

POLS 391Y.  Religion and Politics   (3).

Examines the role of religion in politics and government. Students learn about how religious belief motivates political participation by citizens, how religion affects political ideology and views about public policy, and how religion influences public policy. The course’s focus on politics in the U.S. and other nations varies with instructor.

POLS 391Z.  Comparative Constitutional Law   (3).

Introduces students to the conceptual and theoretical foundations of constitutional law from a comparative perspective, including analyzing similarities and differences between different constitutional systems and how they address similar constitutional problems. Emphasis is placed on how constitutions work in different social, political and economic systems. The class includes comparative examination of institutional arrangements and focuses on how features of institutional design impact the political system and democratic performance, processes of constitution-making, and constitutional change. The course focuses on how theoretical debates operate in practical settings by studying different jurisdictions to observe how law and politics interact. Cases of constitutional backsliding taking place across the world is also discussed.

POLS 395.  U.S. Foreign Policy   (3).

General education social and behavioral sciences course. Explores the dynamic decision-making process in the development of U.S. foreign policy. Examines the variety of actors involved, including the military, the State Department, the President and others. Bilateral as well as global policy issues are examined.

POLS 398.  Directed Readings   (1-3).

For exceptional students to meet their needs and deficiencies. Repeatable for credit. Prerequisite(s): senior standing and departmental consent.

POLS 421.  Civic Engagement and Democracy   (3).

Examines the attitudes and behaviors of individual participants in the political system, and how varying levels of social trust and trust in government affect the ability to sustain civic voluntarism and a robust democracy. Particular attention is paid to individual motivations for participation in a full array of civic and political activities, as well as recently proposed solutions for enhanced civic engagement in order to explore the long-term trend of generational decline in traditional political activities. The course also includes opportunities to learn and practice civic skills that political science scholarship identifies as essential for engaged citizenship in a democracy. Through experiential service-learning, students explore definitions of civic engagement as it relates to democratic citizenship and its historical context, identify and demonstrate methods of civic engagement that encourage civic life individually and within a community, and understand limits of engagement in society. Course includes service-learning content. Prerequisite(s): POLS 121.

POLS 481N.  Internship   (1-3).

Complements and enhances the student's academic program by providing an opportunity to apply and acquire knowledge in a workplace environment as an intern. Prerequisite(s): departmental consent.

POLS 490.  Internship in Government/Politics   (1-6).

(Washington, 6 credit hours; Topeka, 3 credit hours). Credit for an approved work experience in a public, quasi-public or governmental agency, including an academic component. Washington interns participate in the program co-sponsored with the University of Kansas for which an on-site coordinator is provided. Kansas legislative interns spend two days per week in Topeka while the legislature is in session. Both internships offered each spring semester. Prerequisite(s): sophomore or upper-class standing, POLS 121 or equivalent, and instructor's consent.

POLS 490A.  Internship Seminar   (3).

DC, Topeka and local Internships must be arranged with and approved by Department Chair. You must acquire an electronic signature from the department’s Administrative Assistant (418 LH) in order to enroll.

POLS 500.  Constitutional Criminal Justice in the 21st Century   (3).

Cross-listed as CJ 500, HIST 599AK. Unlike CJ 320 Criminal Procedure that provides only an overview of constitutional principles while concentrating on general criminal law procedures, this course more deeply examines the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 14th amendments to the United States Constitution and how their requirements affect practitioners and citizens alike. The course uses seminal Supreme Court cases to provide deep understanding of constitutional law and why society requires our criminal justice system to seek justice, to reflect reasonableness, and to respect the concepts of liberty and individual rights, while at the same time recognizing societal authority and its dual needs of security and redress for crime victims. The course recognizes the importance of the Rule of Law in a representative democracy.

POLS 570.  International Political Economy   (3).

Cross-listed as ECON 570. Examines policy decisions regarding exchanges of trade, money and labor that span national boundaries. Studies the interaction of politics and economics at the international level, as well as the modern history of the global economy. Economics often studies the material benefits and costs of different policies. Political science asks why these policies exist in the first place with a focus on who gets the benefits, who pays the costs, and how decisions about allocating benefits and costs are made. Course includes diversity content.

POLS 600.  Senior Thesis   (3).

Capstone course for political science majors designed to pull together many of the themes and concepts covered in introductory and upper-division courses. The main component is writing a senior thesis in which students conduct in-depth research about a topic of their interest. The topic should be related to one of the main areas of political science: American politics, international relations or comparative politics. In exceptional cases, students may write a paper related to political theory. Course professor provides guidelines and a schedule of activities, supervises and grades the overall research process; however each student works closely with a faculty member in order to develop his or her research projects. For undergraduate students only.

POLS 710.  Public Sector Organizational Theory and Behavior   (3).

Cross-listed as PADM 710. Reviews the scope of the field of public administration including a survey of key concepts and schools of thought underlying the field. Identifies issues shaping the future development of the field.

POLS 725.  Public Management of Human Resources   (3).

Cross-listed as PADM 725. Surveys the major areas of management of human resources in the public sector. Includes hiring, training, evaluation and pay promotion policies. Emphasizes the laws governing public personnel management and the unique merit, equal employment opportunity, productivity, unionization and collective bargaining problems found in the public sector.