History and Government, MA

HIST 8010  RESEARCH DIRECTED READINGS PROJECT (1-3 credits)

Special research problems and or directed readings arranged individually with students on topics not explored in other graduate offerings. If students do not complete all the readings during the semester in which they enroll in the course, they must complete all the readings within one academic year of their enrollment.

Prerequisite(s): Minimum of nine graduate hours in history completed. Permission of history Graduate Program Chair. Open only to students enrolled in the History MA program. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 8016  RELIGION IN EARLY AMERICA (3 credits)

This course examines the history and nature of religion in North America to c. 1770 with an emphasis on the British colonies. (Cross-listed with HIST 4010, RELI 4050).

Prerequisite(s): Must be a graduate student enrolled in History MA program. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 8020  GRADUATE INTERNSHIP (1-3 credits)

The graduate student is supervised by a member of the faculty in a project involving part-time employment or service with a museum, historic site, historical society or other institution. Work hours, activities, reporting requirements, and responsibilities must be specified in written agreement between employer, student, Graduate Program Chair, and/or supervising faculty member. Normally taken for 3 hours. If a hosting institution cannot commit to a supervised workload which the departmental advisor and/or Graduate Program Chair believe to be equivalent to 3 hours, course may be taken for fewer hours. In such circumstances, student may repeat course up to a total of 3 hours.

Prerequisite(s): Must be in the History/History & Government MA program, have completed at least 6 hours of graduate credit, and have History Graduate Program Chair (GPC) and/or supervising faculty approval before enrolling. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 8030  GRADUATE HISTORICAL METHODOLOGY (3 credits)

This course will examine various historical methodologies which have been employed by historians to provide structural interpretations of the past. Although exact content may vary, examples of methodologies include the Whig Interpretation, Marxism, Structuralism, Postmodernism, and the New Social History.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate student in History/History & Government program. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 8046  HOMESCAPES: THE MATERIAL CULTURE OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN AMERICA, 1600-1860 (3 credits)

This course examines the culture and technologies of house forms and work landscapes in North America, 1600-1860. (Cross-listed with HIST 4040).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate student in history, or permission of the graduate chair.

HIST 8056  HISTORY OF WOMEN IN AMERICA TO 1875 (3 credits)

This course examines the history of women in what is now the United States from the seventeenth century to 1875. Topics include law, work, sexuality and reproduction, slavery, cross-cultural encounters, religion, political activism, and the transformation of gender by the market and industrial revolutions. (Cross-listed with HIST 4050).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 8066  HISTORY OF WOMEN IN AMERICA FROM 1875 - 1992 (3 credits)

This course examines the history of women in the United States from 1875 to 1992. Topics include law, work, sexuality and reproduction, immigration, civil rights, political participation and party politics, and changes to the American gender system, including family structure and employment. (Cross-listed with HIST 4060, WGST 4060, WGST 8066).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 8076  SLAVERY AND RACE RELATIONS IN THE AMERICAS (3 credits)

Slavery and Race Relations in the Americas examines the historical relationship between the trans-Atlantic slave trade and American race relations, connecting the enslavement of Africans in the Americas to race relations in the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States. (Cross-listed with HIST 4070, BLST 4650, BLST 8656, LLS 4650, LLS 8656).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

HIST 8086  THE BLACK ATLANTIC (3 credits)

This course examines the cultural and ethnic history of Black people who comprised "The Black Atlantic." The course is organized historically and begins with a brief overview of the European slave trade on the West African Coast in the 15th century. From there, we look critically at the arrival of Africans to the New World, examine varieties of slavery and freedom in the Americas, and conclude with slave revolts and emancipation activism in the 18th and 19th century. We will use the Haitian Revolution (in which Haiti became the first country to be founded by formerly enslaved people) as a special case study, a conduit for our exploration of this socio-cultural, economic, and Diasporic space. (Cross-listed with BLST 8356, BLST 4350, HIST 4080).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

HIST 8146  COLONIAL AMERICAN HISTORY (3 credits)

This course provides a study of the settlement and development of North America to c. 1763 with an emphasis on the British colonies. (Cross-listed with HIST 4140).

HIST 8156  THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY ERA, 1763-89 (3 credits)

This course examines the period of the American Revolution beginning with the changed circumstances in the British North American colonies following the end of the French and Indian War and concluding with the ratification of the United States Constitution. The course analyses social, political, and military themes from this period. (Cross-listed with HIST 4150).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8166  THE EARLY AMERICAN REPUBLIC: FROM THE CONSTITUTION TO THE SECOND PARTY SYSTEM (3 credits)

This course covers an important period of American history beginning with the first federal government and ending with an analysis of the consolidation of the Second American Party system. Topics to be covered include the earliest debates over the nature of the federal government, foreign relations, the emergence of political parties, and the rise of the Jacksonian democracy. (Cross-listed with HIST 4160).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8176  HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN WEST (3 credits)

An examination of the unique aspects of the region of the United States known as "the west." Students will learn about the multiple peoples, cultures, and environments which combined to form this region. Content will also include an examination of how the myths of the west were created. (Cross-listed with HIST 4170).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

HIST 8186  THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR PERIOD: FROM THE TEXAS REVOLUTION THROUGH RECONSTRUCTION (3 credits)

This course focuses on the period of the American Civil War. It will begin with the background to, and events of the Texas Revolution. It will then consider the growing national tensions over slavery, particularly as a consequence of the Mexican-American War before examining the immediate causes of the civil war. The course will then examine the war itself before concluding with analysis of Reconstruction. (Cross-listed with HIST 4180).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8246  EMERGENCE OF MODERN AMERICA (3 credits)

This course examines American history from the end of Reconstruction to the end of World War II. Among the topics covered are western expansion, industrialization, immigration, and the expanding international footprint of the United States. (Cross-listed with HIST 4240).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8336  U.S. CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY TO 1860 (3 credits)

This course will examine the history of the United States constitution from its promulgation in 1787 through the end of the Civil War. This will include consideration of both English and colonial precedents. The course will analyze the process of writing and ratifying the document in the late 1780s and will then look at some of the key legal decisions between 1790 and 1860. (Cross-listed with HIST 4330).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8346  U.S. CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY SINCE 1860 (3 credits)

This course examine the increasingly important role played by competing interpretations of the United States constitution since the outbreak of he Civil War. This will include the emergence of the idea of a "living constitution," the extension of constitutional guarantees to the states, and examination of critical Supreme Court cases. (Cross-listed with HIST 4340).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8366  THE U.S. IN THE COLD WAR (3 credits)

This course will examine the impact of the Cold War in modern American history on two levels. First it will seek to understand how the Cold War influenced American foreign policy decisions since the end of World War II and examine the long term consequences of those policies for both the U.S. and the world. Secondly, this course will examine how the Cold War impacted or shaped American culture, domestic politics, and social movements in the postwar period. (Cross-listed with HIST 4360).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate student in history, or permission of the graduate chair.

HIST 8406  HISTORY OF NATIVE AMERICAN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (3 credits)

This survey of North American Indigenous peoples provides a historical overview of the peoples and their interactions with settlers, wars, policies, and other events that have shaped modern Tribal and U.S. relations. (Cross-listed with HIST 4400, NAMS 4400).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

HIST 8416  HISTORY OF NEBRASKA (3 credits)

An examination of the history of Nebraska from Native American occupation to the present, with emphasis on environmental factors that have shaped the region and its people. (Cross-listed with HIST 4410).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

HIST 8426  THE SIOUX TRIBE (3 credits)

A cultural and historical study of the Sioux tribes emphasizing the earliest historic period to the present. (Cross-listed with HIST 4420).

HIST 8456  NATIVE AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTALISM (3 credits)

This course studies North American tribal subsistence and natural resource use practices from the early historic period to the present, Native Americans as environmentalists, and modern tribal environmentalism. (Cross-listed with HIST 4450).

HIST 8466  AMERICAN IMMIGRATION HISTORY (3 credits)

A study of American immigration from the colonial era to the present. Topics covered include Old World origins of migration, the old immigrants from western Europe, the new immigrants from southern and eastern Europe, non-European immigrants, native-born American responses to immigrants, the periods of immigrant adjustment in the new physical environment, and the contemporary revival of ethnicity. (Cross-listed with HIST 4460).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate student standing or permission of the graduate chair

HIST 8486  THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1960S (3 credits)

This course is a review of the economic, social, cultural, and political changes that marked the United States in the 1960s. (Cross-listed with HIST 4480).

HIST 8536  EUROPE: RENAISSANCE & REFORMATION (3 credits)

This course will examine European history from the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries. Among the topics which will be covered are the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Reformation, Wars of Religion, the beginning of European overseas expansion, and the Scientific Revolution. In addition to examining the religious ideas and revolutions of the period, there will also be analysis of economic, social, and political change. (Cross-listed with HIST 4530).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8546  MEDIEVAL EUROPE (3 credits)

A dive into the history of medieval Europe through the stories of men and women, their beliefs, struggles, contradictions and achievements. (Cross-listed with HIST 4540).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8616  TUDOR AND STUART ENGLAND (3 credits)

English history from the end of the Wars of the Roses in 1485 to the death of Queen Anne in 1714. The course will examine the efforts of the Tudors and Stuarts to establish dynasties, the religious upheavals in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, changes in the role of Parliament, the Civil Wars, and the beginning of English overseas expansion. (Cross-listed with HIST 4610).

Prerequisite(s): graduate standing

HIST 8726  THE HOLOCAUST (3 credits)

An interdisciplinary approach in a seminar oriented format discussing various aspects of the most notorious genocide in modern times. The course will explore the history of anti-Semitism, the rise of Nazi Germany and the road to the 'final solution.' It will further explore psychological, sociological and intellectual aspects of the dark side of humanity. (Cross-listed with HIST 4720, RELI 4160, RELI 8166).

HIST 8736  ISRAEL AND PALESTINE (3 credits)

This course will outline the history of the conflict over Palestine/Israel, examine its present status, and explore its likely unfolding in the future. It seeks to provide a broad and concise understanding of the historical events which have shaped the relations between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as a keen awareness of the challenges and prospects related to their future. (Cross-listed with HIST 4730).

HIST 8746  COMPARATIVE GENOCIDE (3 credits)

This course explores genocide and its many forms throughout history. It begins by considering the varied elements and definitions of the term. Next it looks at what makes people kill before going on to examine many different genocides throughout history. Finally, the course addresses the prosecution and prevention of genocide. (Cross-listed with HIST 4740).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate student enrolled in History MA program. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 8806  U.S. AND THE MIDDLE EAST (3 credits)

This course focuses on the evolution of US relations with and Foreign Policy vis-a-vis the Middle East over the last six decades. It seeks to illuminate the constant features in contrast to the changes in direction, examining the agendas of varying administrations as well as the treatment by the media of this region. It follows a chronological framework with particular emphasis on key thematic topics. While emphasizing the political dimensions of international relations, the class will also explore cultural and social aspects of the ties between the US and the peoples of the Middle East. (Cross-listed with HIST 4800).

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students

HIST 8826  MESOPOTAMIA AND PRE-ISLAMIC PERSIA (3 credits)

Examination of the Ancient Near East from the emergence of its earliest civilizations--Sumer, Akkad and Babylonia--through the Bronze and Iron Ages, concluding with Persia in the Common Era (CE) just before the rise of Islam. (Cross-listed with HIST 4820).

HIST 8836  ANCIENT GREEK MYTH, RELIGION & MAGIC (3 credits)

Students will examine the impact of ancient Greek myth and belief on actual religious practice: e.g., "lived" religion. Areas covered include formal civic sacrifice, wartime religion, family and personal devotions, mystery cults, oracles and seers, plus the popular pursuit of magic. (Cross-listed with HIST 4830, RELI 4830, RELI 8836).

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing

HIST 8846  ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE MACEDONIAN ORIGIN (3 credits)

Examination of the conquests of Alexander the Great, as well as controversies in Alexander studies. Includes discussion of both the Macedonian culture that produced him and the career of his father, Philip II. (Cross-listed with HIST 4840).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

HIST 8856  ROME AND THE EARLY CHURCH (3 credits)

Students will cover Roman-Christian-Jewish interactions from just before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth to c. 450 CE, with an emphasis on social and political history. We catalogue Christianity's transformation from its origins as a Jewish movement and an illegal "superstition" to the dominant religion of the Roman empire. (Cross-listed with HIST 4850, RELI 4850, RELI 8856).

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing.

HIST 8916  TOPICS IN HISTORY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to specialized subject matter not available in existing History courses. Course may be repeated as long as the topic is substantially different each time. Course may be cross-listed with other programs e.g. Native American Studies (NAMS), Women's and Gender Studies (WGST) when topics are appropriate. (Cross-listed with HIST 4910).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

HIST 8990  THESIS (1-6 credits)

Thesis research project written under supervision of an adviser.

Prerequisite(s): Completion of twenty-four hours of History or History & Government graduate work. Permission of History Graduate Program Chair. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 9100  SEMINAR IN HISTORY (3 credits)

This seminar guides advanced graduate students through critical readings and practices in historical research or historiography. Topics will vary and course can be repeated under different topics.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate students in History/History & Government who have completed HIST 2980 or equivalent, or approval of GPC. Non-History grad students may be admitted after consultation with History GPC and instructors. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

HIST 9200  COLLOQUIUM (3 credits)

The colloquium guides advanced graduate students through the historiography of a specific subject. Topics will vary and course can be repeated under different topics. Open only to students enrolled in MA program in history unless permission granted by History Department Graduate Program Chair.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate students in History/History & Government who have completed HIST 2980 or equivalent, or approval of GPC. Non-History grad students may be admitted after consultation with History GPC and instructors. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8000  SEMINAR IN THE RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the methods of data collection and analysis for political science research.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of graduate adviser

PSCI 8005  QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the techniques that political scientists use to answer research questions with quantitative data, as well as issues of research design, hypothesis formation, and causation. The course emphasizes the methods used to collect, analyze, and extract information from data using statistical computer software. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3000)

Prerequisite(s): Permission of graduate advisor

PSCI 8015  URBAN POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the development, powers, forms of government, and functions of cities and their suburbs as well as the problems faced by elected officials, business and community leaders, and citizens in the urban setting. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3010)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100.

PSCI 8036  THE PRESIDENCY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the development and modern application of presidential leadership through examination of presidential selection, presidential decision-making, the relationship of the presidency with other governmental and non-governmental actors, and the role of the presidency in making public policy. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4030)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8040  SEMINAR IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to classic and contemporary scholarship on the principles, institutions, processes, and policies of national government in the United States with an emphasis on engaging in thoughtful discussion and individual research.

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8045  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF NEBRASKA (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the development, structures, functions and public policies of the government of the state of Nebraska.. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3040)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100.

PSCI 8046  CONGRESS AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the development of the Congress and modern application of the legislative process through examination of congressional elections, congressional leadership, congressional decision-making, legislative rules and procedures, the relationship of the Congress with other governmental and non-governmental actors, and the role of the Congress in making public policy. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4040)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8055  STATE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the development, structures, functions and public policies of states. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3050)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100.

PSCI 8056  THE JUDICIAL PROCESS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the administration of law in federal and state courts with respect to the organization of the courts, judicial selection, judicial powers, judicial decision-making, judicial policy-making, the bar, and reform movements in the pursuit of justice. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4050)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100 or junior standing or permission of instructor.

PSCI 8100  SEMINAR IN POLITICAL ECONOMY (3 credits)

A comprehensive study of theories of political economy, linkages between politics and economics, and major contemporary issues.

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8105  LGBT POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the political struggle for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) equal rights in the United States using a model of political empowerment, which may be applied for all minority or identity groups and social movements, generating operationalized measures of progress toward the loci of political power. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3100, WGST 3100, WGST 8105)

PSCI 8106  MONEY IN AMERICAN POLITICS (3 credits)

This course surveys facts and scholarship about two types of money in American politics: money as a political resource and money as policy. As a political resource, money is critically important for candidates to win elections, for interest groups to exert influence on government, and for policy expertise from civil society to inform government policy. As policy itself, in history or in modern times money has lain at the heart of policy debates like the creation of a national bank, gold and silver as legal tender, and financial regulations, as well as perennial governmental processes like federal budgeting and appropriations and the selection of congressional party leaders. This course trains students to comprehend, analyze, critically evaluate, and build on key research on these topics. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4100).

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100 or equivalent is a strongly recommended prerequisite.

PSCI 8116  POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the role of human thought, emotion, and behavior in politics through examination of the psychological factors that motivate political elites and the mass public. (Cross-listed with PSC I 4110, PSYC 4110, PSYC 8116)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100 is recommended.

PSCI 8120  SEMINAR IN LEADERSHIP (3 credits)

This course introduces students to classical and contemporary scholarship on leadership theory, research, and application. Students gain a foundation in models of leadership, assess their own leadership styles, and learn to integrate what they learn in corporate, governmental, non-profit, or community organizations. (Cross-listed with CACT 8510)

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8126  PUBLIC OPINION AND POLLING (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the origins, nature, measurement, and consequences of public opinion on policymaking. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4120)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8135  WOMEN AND POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to women's political participation, including holding elective office, socialization, the feminist movement and its opposition, and public policies with particular impact on women. The focus is on contemporary perspectives on women in American political ideas and behavior. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3130, WGST 3130, WGST 8135)

PSCI 8136  BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION (3 credits)

Brown v. Board of Education traces the educational history of African Americans from segregation to desegregation to re-segregation. This course will review the legal cases before and after the Supreme Court's Brown decision, their aftermath, and the effects on educational policies and practices. (Cross-listed with BLST 8716, BLST 4710, PSCI 4130).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or instructor permission

PSCI 8145  LATINO/-A POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the dynamism and growth of the role of Latinos, as a group of political actors, in the United States. This course provides students with an exposure to and understanding of various concepts and dimensions of this phenomenon, including historical and contemporary Latino political thought and the efforts to increase political empowerment (representation and participation) and influence through grassroots, social, and political movements. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3140, LLS 3140, LLS 8145)

PSCI 8146  CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: CIVIL RIGHTS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the history, principles, and judicial interpretation of key constitutional provisions and federal statutes regarding civil rights in the United States. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4140)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100 or equivalent.

PSCI 8150  SEMINAR IN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the Constitution and the Supreme Court's exercise of judicial review in relation to governmental powers, civil rights, and civil liberties.

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8165  POLITICAL PARTIES (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the origin, development, structure, and functions of political parties in the United States as political organizations, coalitions of voters, and governing coalitions that seek to hold office and influence public policy. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3160)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8175  INTEREST GROUPS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the theories, formation, organization, and activities of interest groups and their impact on public policy, particularly through their role in campaigns and elections and lobbying. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3170)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8176  CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: FOUNDATIONS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the principles, design and operation of the American constitutional system with emphasis on analysis of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, and the Federalist Papers. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4170)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100 or junior standing or permission of instructor.

PSCI 8185  CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the evolution and modern application of campaigns and elections in the United States through examination of campaign management and campaign strategy in congressional and presidential elections. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3180)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8186  CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: THE FEDERAL SYSTEM (3 credits)

This course introduces students to American constitutional law as it relates to issues of federalism, the relation of the nation and the states, and separation of powers, the relation of the three branches of the national government. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4180)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8196  CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: CIVIL LIBERTIES (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the philosophy, history, and development of the personal liberties guaranteed by the Constitution including freedom of speech, religion, assembly, petition, and the right of privacy, primarily through examination of Supreme Court decisions. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4190)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 1100

PSCI 8200  SEMINAR IN FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to classic and contemporary scholarship on the formulation and implementation of foreign and national security policy in the United States with an emphasis on engaging in thoughtful discussion and individual research.

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8206  INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF EAST ASIA (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the international politics of East Asia with an emphasis on the contemporary relations among major East Asian states (China, Japan, the Korean peninsula) and the United States. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4200)

PSCI 8216  INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF THE MIDDLE EAST (3 credits)

This course focuses on the international politics of the Middle East region, specifically looking at conditions for peace and causes of war. It examines how the international system, domestic politics, ideologies, and leaders influence international politics in the Middle East. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4210)

PSCI 8220  SEMINAR ON INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to international leadership and strategy theory, research, and application. (Cross-listed with CACT 8540).

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8225  DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM SOLVING (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the history, principles, structures, and processes developed to organize and legitimize peaceful reconciliation of the differences of nation-states and to advance their mutual interests in the contemporary global political and economic system. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3220)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8235  GENDER AND GLOBAL POLITICS (3 credits)

This seminar introduces students to gender politics in comparative and international politics. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3230, WGST 3230, WGST 8235)

PSCI 8245  THE POLITICS AND PRACTICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to human rights issues across the globe and explores the theoretical foundations of human rights as well as human rights institutions and transitional justice. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3240)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8246  INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION (3 credits)

This course introduces students to different approaches to peace, their basic assumptions, and their application to current conflicts.. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4240)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8250  SEMINAR IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to classic and contemporary scholarship on the issues, theories, and methodological approaches associated with the study of the nation-state system, international law, international organizations, international security, and globalization.

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8255  GLOBAL SECURITY ISSUES (3 credits)

This course introduces students to issues of national and international security that cross boundaries and threaten all countries including issues such as climate change, environmental deterioration, population and demographics, gender issues, disease and public health, the media, asymmetrical warfare, drugs/organized crime, and cyberthreats. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3250)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8256  INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the United States intelligence services, and their relation to broader U.S. national security policy. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4250)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8265  UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the analysis of foreign and defense policy processes in the United States, including the role of the President, Congress, Departments of State and Defense, the intelligence community, and other actors/factors affecting policy formulation and implementation. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3260)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210.

PSCI 8266  INTERNATIONAL LAW (3 credits)

The course introduces students to the general principles of international law, including the key actors, the creation and sources of international law, the interpretation of international law by courts and tribunals, and its enforcement. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4260)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8276  GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to issues of global environmental politics and policy, including the science behind issues such as climate change, how environmental policy is made at the national and international levels, and what role politics plays in determining environmental resource use. (Cross-listed with ENVN 4270, PSCI 4270)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8286  INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF LATIN AMERICA (3 credits)

Analysis of the role of Latin American states in the international political arena. Emphasis upon developing, applying and testing an explanatory theory of international politics through the study of the inter-American system: the regional, institutional and ideological environment, power relations, policies and contemporary problems. (This course fulfills the department's international politics requirement). (Cross-listed with PSCI 4280, LLS 4280, LLS 8286)

PSCI 8296  INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT & SUSTAINABILITY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to different concepts of international development through the lens of sustainability. The course explores a broad range of activities related to international development, including international aid, trade, philanthropy, interventions in conflict, peacebuilding, public health, human rights, social justice, and the environment. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4290, CACT 8306)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2210 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8300  SEMINAR IN POLITICAL THEORY (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the history of political theory, from its origins in ancient Greece to its manifestations in contemporary thought. (Cross-listed with CACT 8200)

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8316  CLASSICAL POLITICAL THOUGHT (3 credits)

This course introduces students to key works representative of premodern political thought. Authors examined may include Plato, Aristotle, Xenophon, Cicero, Augustine, and Aquinas. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4310).

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2310 or equivalent is recommended

PSCI 8326  EARLY MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT (3 credits)

This course introduces students to key works of the 16th through mid-18th centuries. Authors examined may include Machiavelli, Hobbes, Hume, Smith and Montesquieu. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4320)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2310 or equivalent is recommended

PSCI 8336  LATE MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT (3 credits)

This course introduces students to key texts of the mid-18th through 19th centuries. Authors to be examined may include Rousseau, Burke, Mill, Tocqueville, Marx, and Nietzsche. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4330).

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2310 or equivalent is recommended

PSCI 8345  AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the ideals, ideologies, identities, and institutions of American political thought from the country's origins to the present. Topics to be covered may include the political thought of the early American settlers and of the founding generation, the debates over the creation and implementation of the Constitution, the 19th century arguments over slavery, the rise of progressivism, the New Deal and its critics, and contemporary American conservatism and liberalism. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3340)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2310 is recommended.

PSCI 8346  CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL THOUGHT (3 credits)

This course introduces students to leading works of contemporary political thought, including Marx, Spencer, Dahl, Rawls, feminism, and rational choice. The theories, their interrelationships, the theorists, and the manifestations of these works will be discussed and analyzed. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4340)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2310 or equivalent is recommended

PSCI 8356  DEMOCRACY (3 credits)

A basic study of theory, practice and practitioners of political democracy, its roots, development, present application and problems and future. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4350)

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2500 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8366  AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES (3 credits)

An analysis of various types of authoritarian regimes, their differences from democratic governments, and the causes of their establishment, maintenance, and failure. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4360).

PSCI 8376  GENERALS AND POLITICIANS: CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to civil-military relations and military politics across the globe. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4370).

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2500 or equivalent is recommended.

PSCI 8476  SOUTH AFRICA & THE SOCIO POLITICS OF APARTHEID (3 credits)

South Africa and the Socio Politics of Apartheid examines the lived experiences of South African people under the Apartheid system, and their long struggle against European colonial oppression and racial segregation throughout the 20th century. Students will examine the laws, tools, and strategies that developed and sustained Apartheid, and the anti-Apartheid movements and international pressure that led to its repeal and South African democratic elections. (Cross-listed with BLST 8476, BLST 4470, PSCI 4470, SOC 8476, SOC 4470).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

PSCI 8500  SEMINAR IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to classic and contemporary scholarship on the issues, theories, and methodological approaches associated with the systematic and comparative study of nation-states and their political systems with an emphasis on engaging in thoughtful discussion and individual research.

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8505  EUROPEAN POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the political institutions, processes, and public policies of the states of Europe, including the European Union. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3500)

PSCI 8506  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF GREAT BRITAIN (3 credits)

A comprehensive study of contemporary British politics and government. Emphasis will be focused on the formal institutions and informal customs and practices of the British political system. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4500).

PSCI 8526  POLITICS OF FRANCE (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the political heritage of France, contemporary political institutions and problems, and political and policy responses to these problems. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4520)

PSCI 8556  POLITICAL VIOLENCE, INSURGENCY, AND TERRORISM (3 credits)

This course is a survey on the types of violence used within a political context, focusing on its causes, forms and consequences. Specifically, this course details why and how violence occurs, and its impact on institutions and the people operating within that system. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4550).

PSCI 8585  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF RUSSIA AND THE POST-SOVIET STATES (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the political cultures, institutions, processes, and public policies of Russia and the states of the former Soviet Union. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3580)

PSCI 8626  ISLAM AND POLITICS (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the interaction between religion and politics in the Muslim world, covering various political ideologies in the Muslim world and different experiences of Muslim-majority countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Indonesia, and Egypt. It will also analyze mainstream and radical transnational Islamic movements. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4620)

PSCI 8645  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF CHINA AND EAST ASIA (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the political cultures, institutions, processes, policies, and other characteristics of China and neighboring states, with reference to other major powers engaged in the region. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3640)

PSCI 8646  ASIAN POLITICS (3 credits)

This course provides students with a broad understanding of Asian Politics with a focus on Northeast Asia (Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Taiwan) and some emphasis on Southeast Asia (Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). Students in this course will investigate these Asian societies and discuss their shared history as well as their common political themes, patterns, and connections. Students will explore state institutions, political parties, and state-society relations through the overarching themes of development, democracy, and nationalism. Specific themes include the economic rise of East Asian states, the emergence and development of democracy in the region, and the persistence of authoritarianism. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe, explain, and critically evaluate from a social science perspective the principal political features and processes of these Asian societies and develop their own research projects based on a topic discussed in the course. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4630).

Prerequisite(s): PSCI 2500 or junior standing or permission of the instructor.

PSCI 8665  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF JAPAN AND EAST ASIA (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the political cultures, institutions, processes, policies and other characteristics of Japan and neighboring states, with reference to other major powers engaged in the region. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3660)

PSCI 8685  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF LATIN AMERICA (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the political institutions, processes, and public policies of the states of Latin America. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3680, LLS 3680, LLS 8685)

PSCI 8705  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST (3 credits)

This course introduces students to government and politics in the contemporary Middle East, including considerations of state formation, authoritarianism and democratization, state-society relations, religion, culture, gender, and economy. (Cross-listed with PSCI 3700)

PSCI 8716  COMPARATIVE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION (3 credits)

Comparative International Development and Innovation will analyze the rise and fall of civilizations from a historical and theoretical perspective in a comparative manner. The course will address issues concerning political, social, economic, and environmental change in national, and international contexts. Among its major emphases are state institutions, economic growth, entrepreneurship, and the transformation of social structure and culture. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4710, ENTR 4710, ENTR 8716).

PSCI 8776  POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY (3 credits)

This course explores political sociology, focusing on political processes and power. Political sociologists investigate relationships between political institutions and various other institutions, including but not limited to the economy, education, media, and religion, and the impacts that these relationships have on society and the individuals that comprise the society. This course will explore the concepts, theories, and knowledge that comprise this field such as power, legitimacy, the state, networks, stratification, and collective action. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4770, SOC 4770, SOC 8776).

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing

PSCI 8826  POLITICS AND FILM (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the analysis of politics and film, focusing on how politics is portrayed in film and the politics of film making. (Cross-listed with JMC 4820, JMC 8826, PSCI 4820)

PSCI 8900  READINGS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (1-3 credits)

This course provides students an opportunity to study an advanced and specialized subject matter in the field of political science not covered in existing courses. The student must be capable of pursuing a highly independent course of study, which must be approved in consultation with the instructor in advance. This course may be repeated for different topics up to a maximum of six credit hours.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of graduate adviser

PSCI 8910  POLITICAL SCIENCE INTERNSHIP (3 credits)

This course offers students an opportunity to experience the resolution of public issues through direct involvement in career-oriented policy organizations. The host organization must be approved in advance in consultation with the internship coordinator. This course may be repeated for a maximum of six credit hours.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.

PSCI 8920  SEMINAR IN SPECIAL TOPICS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (1-3 credits)

This course introduces students to an advanced and specialized subject matter in the field of political science not covered in existing courses. This course may be repeated for different topics up to a maximum of twelve credit hours.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of graduate advisor.

PSCI 8926  ADVANCED SPECIAL TOPICS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (1-3 credits)

This course introduces students to an advanced and specialized subject matter in the field of political science not covered in existing courses. This course may be repeated for different topics up to a maximum of six credit hours. (Cross-listed with PSCI 4920)

PSCI 8950  GRADUATE PROGRAM COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT (0 credits)

This zero-credit-hour course is used to assess the knowledge and skills that are imparted by the Political Science Graduate Program to its students. Graduating must enroll in the class and take the comprehensive exam. The exam will test how students can synthesize knowledge in three subfields of Political Science. The students will get pass/fail grades for the course.

Prerequisite(s): At least 21 credit hours taken, at least 3 subfield seminars taken, and permission of Graduate Program Chair. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8980  RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (3 credits)

This course provides students an opportunity to conduct research in a specialized subject matter in the field of political science. The student must be capable of pursuing a highly independent course of study, which must be approved in consultation with the instructor in advance. This course may be repeated for different topics up to a maximum of six credit hours.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of graduate advisor, not open to non-degree graduate students.

PSCI 8990  THESIS (3-6 credits)

A research project, written under the supervision of a graduate adviser in the Department of Political Science, in which the students establish their capacity to design, conduct and complete an original, independent, scholarly investigation of a high order. The research topic and the completed project must be approved by the student's departmental committee.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of graduate program chair. Not open to non-degree graduate students.