Academic
Catalog August 2008 - August 2009 Undergraduate
and Graduate
Some courses may not be offered every year. Check with the college or department office for current information about when specific courses are offered.
For course syllabi, see the departmental website.
POS 501 RESEARCH METHODS AND ANALYSIS (3)
This course is an introduction to the practice of social research, including the design of scientific research and the analysis of information. Not available for students in the M.A. in Political Science, M.P.A., or Ph.D. in Political Science programs.
POS 527 ETHICS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT (3)
This course examines alternative approaches to ethics in the context of public administration and management, and at the level of individuals, organizations, society, culture, and politics. Not available for credit for students in the M.A. in Political science, M.P.A. or Ph.D. in Political Science programs.
POS 541 PUBLIC MANAGEMENT (3)
Introduces major contemporary and classical concepts relating to management of the public sector. Not available for credit for students in the M.A. in Political Science, M.P.A. or Ph.D. in Political Science programs. Letter grade only.
POS 543 ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT (3)
Examines dynamics of modern complex organizations, including structure of bureaucratic organizations, incremental and rational approaches to decision-making, influences of bureaucratic routines, and strategies for increasing organizational effectiveness. Not available for students in the M.A. in Political Science, M.P.A., or Ph.D. in Political Science programs.
POS 552 POLITICAL ECONOMY (3)
Assesses classical liberal (capitalist), modern liberal (welfare state), and socialist justifications for alternative systems of political economy.
POS 555 SCIENCE, POLITICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (3)
Examines the generation of scientific knowledge and how that knowledge is presented, evaluated, manipulated, and applied as political forces that shape environmental policy. Prerequisite: graduate status or instructor's consent.
POS 566 LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIP (1-12)
Supervised internship in the Arizona Legislature during spring semester. You must apply during fall semester; selection is competitive, and you must be a candidate for a graduate degree. Registration is handled by the internship coordinator after the legislature has made its final selection. Pass-fail only. Department consent required.
POS 581 CURRENT ISSUES IN ADMINISTRATION (3)
Addresses theory and practice of current issues in public administration in a variable content, topics format. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit with different content.
POS 597 READING FOR COMPREHENSIVE EXAM (1-9)
Preparation for comprehensive examination. Pass-fail only. Department consent required.
POS 599 CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENTS (1-3)
Examines recent trends and investigations in a selected area of a particular field of study in political science. May be offered no more than three times before being submitted for a permanent course number. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit. Letter grade only.
POS 600 APPROACHES TO POLITICAL INQUIRY (3)
Explores the uses and limitations of political science with particular attention to the description, explanation, philosophical assumptions, and justification of various research methods.
POS 601 RESEARCH METHODS AND ANALYSIS (3)
Introduces the practice of political inquiry. Emphasizes the structuring of scientific inquiry, quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and analysis.
POS 603 SPECIAL TOPICS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (3)
Examines special topics in political science; selected on the basis of developments in the discipline as well as student interest and needs. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 604 TOPICS IN THE POLITICS OF GENDER (3)
Examines the politics of gender and intersecting issues. Variable topics may include gender issues such as development, race, class, human rights, nationalism, globalization, feminist theory, third world women, other. May be repeated for up to 6 units of credit. Letter grade only.
POS 605 TOPICS IN RESEARCH METHODS (3)
Introduces specific research methodologies that reflect different conceptions of political inquiry. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 606 TOPICS IN RACE AND ETHNIC POLITICS (3)
Examines specific issues and topics in race and ethnic politics, such as race theory, race politics in the U.S., and ethnic relations in global politics. May be repeated for up to six hours of credit with different content. Letter grade only.
POS 607 POLITICAL THEORY (3)
Surveys texts and concepts in the political theory canon and in contemporary political thought. Letter grade only.
POS 608 FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE (1-12)
Department consent required.
POS 610 AMERICAN POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS (3)
Development of U.S. political system; theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of national legislative, executive, and judicial branches within the federal system.
POS 612 AMERICAN POLITICAL PROCESSES (3)
Approaches to the study of public opinion and political behavior, including voting, interest groups, and other forms of political participation.
POS 619 TOPICS IN AMERICAN NATIONAL POLITICS (3)
Specialized study of specific U.S. institutions or political processes. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 620 TOPICS IN AMERICAN SUBNATIONAL POLITICS (3)
Specialized study of such institutions and processes as state and local government, urban politics, federalism, and community power. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 621 TOPICS IN AMERICAN PUBLIC LAW (3)
Specialized study of such subjects as civil rights and liberties, constitutional law, environmental law, legal theory, and law of race and gender. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 627 ETHICS AND POLITICS (3)
Examines ethical dilemmas that occur in political life in relation to individualist and communitarian concepts of ethics.
POS 641 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (3)
Overview of the field of public administration. Examines basic issues presently facing public agencies and explores problems of the future.
POS 642 HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION (3)
In-depth analysis of the administration of human resources in public organizations. Personnel processes from recruitment to retirement and administration of human resources for increased efficiency and effectiveness in public sector output.
POS 643 THEORIES OF ORGANIZATION (3)
Analyzes structure of public and private agencies, examining how groups and individuals behave in varying organizational circumstances. Emphasizes theoretical understanding of administrative structures and problem solving.
POS 644 GOVERNMENT BUDGETING (3)
Comprehensive examination of how governments use fiscal resources to plan their activities. Major topics include taxation, budgets, programs, management, and fiscal transfer payments.
POS 648 COMPARATIVE POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION (3)
Comparative perspectives of substantive policy areas (such as health, education, environmental, and economic policies), examining policy making and implementation in different regional or national settings.
POS 657 AMERICAN INDIAN POLICIES AND LAWS (3)
Examines the development, structure, functioning, political, and legal aspects of American Indian policies and laws.
POS 658 TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS (3)
Examines a variety of specific issues and topics in environmental politics and policy, such as environmental political theory, natural resource policy, and global environmental politics. May be repeated for up to 6 units of credit. Letter grade only.
POS 659 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (3)
Examines environmental policy in the United States. Topics include air and water policy, energy production and regulation, federal land policy, and problems associated with food and agricultural production. Letter grade only.
POS 670 COMPARATIVE POLITICS (3)
Surveys significant theories and methods of comparative analysis: political systems or public policy. Letter grade only.
POS 671 POLICY PROCESS (3)
Introduces the theoretical frameworks used to study public policy, emphasizing the assumptions and values that inform these frameworks.
POS 672 POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT (3)
Surveys political development in the Third World, including imperialism, revolutions, nationalism, and processes of structural change.
POS 676 AREA STUDIES (3)
Analyzes the politics of major world regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Offered periodically by region. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 679 TOPICS IN GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS (3)
This course explores the relationship between global politics and environmental problems. It examines both a variety of environmental issues and range of possible responses at global, state, and civil society levels. May be repeated for up to six hours of credit with different content. Letter grade only.
POS 680 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY (3)
Surveys the major theoretical approaches in the area of international relations. Letter grade only.
POS 681 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (6)
Combines theory and practice in an overview of public administration theory with a simultaneous, practical field experience. Prerequisite: POS 601 and 641 and 642 and 643 and 644
POS 683 TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL POLICY STUDIES (3)
Explores state policies on major international issues, such as trade, security, environment, resources, and international organizations. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 684 ISSUES IN GLOBAL SOCIETY (3)
Examines the issues of the global community, emphasizing international problems not limited by the nation-state. May be repeated for up to 6 hours of credit.
POS 685 GRADUATE RESEARCH (1-6)
Letter grade or pass/fail. Department consent required.
POS 691 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR (3)
Introduces the political science profession. Topics include strategies, techniques, and issues of teaching, professional ethics, research and publishing. Required for graduate student instructors. Pass-fail only.
POS 697 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-3)
Letter grade or pass-fail. Department consent required.
POS 698 GRADUATE SEMINAR (3)
Letter grade or pass-fail. Department consent required.
POS 699 THESIS (1-9)
Individualized directed research, writing, and oral defense of selected thesis topic. May be repeated as needed. Department consent required. Prerequisite: Admission to master's program.
POS 799 DISSERTATION (1-9)
Individualized directed research, writing, and oral defense of selected dissertation topic. Prerequisite: Admission to candidacy for doctoral degree. Department consent required.