Political Science Courses (PSC)
GE Core denotes General Education Core credit;
GE Marker denotes General Education Marker credit;
CAR denotes College Additional Requirement credit.
Courses for Advanced Undergraduates & Graduate Students
501 Selected Topics in Political Science (1–3)
Pr. major in political science or permission of instructor
May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
Opportunity for advanced students to study in depth a topic of special interest.
503 Survey Methods for Policy Research (3:3)
Theoretical and practical issues involved in designing and using sample surveys for political and policy research. Emphasis on survey methods used by the government and others in public sector.
504 Public Management Information Systems (3:3)
Overview of management information systems in public and nonprofit organizations, covering broad questions of design, management, training, utilization, and impact on decision making.
505 Problems in Politics (3:3)
Seminar in research and study in political science. Attention also on problems of methodology and alternative conceptions of field of political science as a scholarly discipline.
510 Topics in Public Policy (1–3)
May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Intensive analysis of a major area of public policy. Examination of sources of policymaking, the policymaking process, and the impact of policy. 510A—Politics of Education; 510B—Criminal Justice; 510C—Labor Relations; 510D—Foreign and Defense Policy; 510E—Environmental Policy; 510F—Urban Development Policy; 510G—Health Strategies; 510H—Global Challenges; 510I—Press and Politics; 510J—Politics of Industrial Policy; 510K—Ethics in Public Policy.
511 Problems in Public Management (1)
May be repeated when topics vary up to a limit of six (6) semester hours.
Intensive examination of important current problems related to the management of public institutions.
512 Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations (3:3)
Pr. 100, 210, or 310, or permission of instructor; or graduate standing
Focuses on changing relationships of local-state-federal agencies, expanding role of regional cooperation, and recent developments in sub-national governments.
516 Administrative Law (3:3)
The law, practice, and procedure in federal administrative agencies: agency rulemaking; administrative adjudication; judicial review; informal process and administrative discretion. Buck
520 Urban Political System (3:3)
Examination of major topics in the study of urban government and policy. Systems approach to provide an analytic framework for interrelating specific topics such as citizen participation, interest groups, parties, types of elections, forms of government, community power, and racial politics. (Fall)
530 Administrative and Elected Leadership (3:3)
Recruitment, selection, and roles of executives and legislators; organization and activities of the offices; relationships among executive offices, administrative offices, and legislative bodies.
535 Citizen Participation in Policy-Making (3:3)
Political participation and citizen involvement in governmental policy-making. Both citizen initiated and government sponsored efforts to increase popular input analyzed. Assessment of impact of citizen participation on policy-making in specific areas of policy and on performance of government in general.
540 Nonprofit Management and Leadership (3:3)
Pr. senior or graduate standing
Overview of major concepts and concerns of nonprofit organizations, including tax-exempt status, incorporation, nonprofit-government relations, board-director-staff relations, volunteers, services and program planning, implementation, resource development.
545 Nonprofit Financial Management and Budgeting (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor or graduate status
Nonprofit financial management and budgeting concepts, techniques, and practices, including management control, budgeting, cost accounting, long-term financing, nonprofit accounting and financial reporting, financial analysis, cash management, and accountability and control.
550 Philanthropy and Resource Development (3:3)
Pr. 540 and senior or graduate standing
Major concepts, strategies, issues, and approaches to resource development and philanthropy in nonprofit and educational organizations. (Spring)
560 Special Topics in Public Administration (1–3)
Pr. permission of M.P.A. Program Director or instructor
Students may repeat three-semester-hour courses when topics vary, but one-semester-hour courses when topics vary only for a maximum of three semester hours. Specific topic identified by extension to basic title, e.g., Special Topics in Public Administration: Public Financial Management; Financial Analysis Techniques; Grants and Contract Administration. (Fall or Spring or Summer)
Please refer to The Graduate School Bulletin for additional graduate-level courses.
