Course Descriptions
Course
Descriptions
PolS 500 - Research Methods - 3 credits
Prerequisite: A statistics course or consent of instructor. This course will
first focus on various approaches to analyzing political phenomena with the
goal of developing students' ability to think analytically and to distinguish
between empirical and normative analysis. The course will then introduce techniques
of empirical research including research design, measurement, data gathering,
and data analysis.
PolS 501 - Political and Public Policy Analysis
- 3 credits
Prerequisite: Political Science 500 or consent of instructor. This course focuses
on the use of empirical data both to develop empirical theory and to make policy
choices. Topics to be discussed include hypothesis testing, public choice,
and policy evaluation. Students will be required to complete an original research
project.
PolS 502 - Seminar: Problems in State and Local
Governments - 3 credits
Directed in-depth inquiry into contemporary structural and policy problems
of state and local governments. During the course, each student will prepare
a research paper relevant to a current problem suitable for publication and
distribution to an identifiable body of public officials and citizens for problem-solving
purposes.
PolS 532 - Public Policy - 3 credits
A discussion of the initiation, formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation
of American public policy. Various policy areas such as agriculture, education,
environment, and welfare will be analyzed.
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