Help students prepare for such careers as teaching, law, government and politics. 6. Develop such basic skills as reading, listening, and written and oral expression. Student Learning Outcomes: By the end of the course, students will be able to . . . Describe and explain the origins of politics. Define and explain basic political terms. Describe the origins of American government. Distinguish between the formal constitution and informal constitution. Describe the basic features of the formal constitution. Describe the formal methods of amending the constitution. Describe the informal methods of amending the constitution. Describe the basic features of the American federal system of government. Examine the major decisions of the United States Supreme Court relating to the First amendment. Define the basic terms and concepts relating to civil rights and liberties and describe major decisions of the United States Supreme Court relating to civil rights. Describe the nature of political interest groups and their efforts to influence public policy. Define terms and concepts relating to citizenship. Describe the process of naturalization. Examine Supreme Court decision relating to citizenship. Describe the origins and development of American political parties. Explain voter behavior on the basis of economic status, education, sex and race. Describe party organization in the United States. Describe methods used in United States history to nominate candidates. Describe methods of financing political campaign. Contrast the original method of electing the president with the revised method. Describe the methods of nominating presidential candidates and proposed nomination reforms. Describe the method of electing the president and the proposed reforms in electing the president. Describe the organization and composition of Congress. Explain the congressional committee system. Describe the powers of Congress. Describe how a bill becomes a law. Describe the different roles of the president. Describe the constitutional powers of the president. Describe other sources of presidential powers. Describe the expansion of presidential power over our history. Describe restraints on presidential power. Explain the role of the president in foreign affairs. Trace the history of American foreign policy. Describe the functions of the executive departments and the major independent regulatory agencies. Explain the origin of judicial review. Explain judicial review within the American political system. Explain the role of the Supreme Court in the making of public policy. Explain the structure of federal courts. Explain the selection of federal judges.
Help students prepare for such careers as teaching, law, government and politics. 6. Develop such basic skills as reading, listening, and written and oral expression. Student Learning Outcomes: By the end of the course, students will be able to . . . Describe and explain the origins of politics. Define and explain basic political terms. Describe the origins of American government. Distinguish between the formal constitution and informal constitution. Describe the basic features of the formal constitution. Describe the formal methods of amending the constitution. Describe the informal methods of amending the constitution. Describe the basic features of the American federal system of government. Examine the major decisions of the United States Supreme Court relating to the First amendment. Define the basic terms and concepts relating to civil rights and liberties and describe major decisions of the United States Supreme Court relating to civil rights. Describe the nature of political interest groups and their efforts to influence public policy. Define terms and concepts relating to citizenship. Describe the process of naturalization. Examine Supreme Court decision relating to citizenship. Describe the origins and development of American political parties. Explain voter behavior on the basis of economic status, education, sex and race. Describe party organization in the United States. Describe methods used in United States history to nominate candidates. Describe methods of financing political campaign. Contrast the original method of electing the president with the revised method. Describe the methods of nominating presidential candidates and proposed nomination reforms. Describe the method of electing the president and the proposed reforms in electing the president. Describe the organization and composition of Congress. Explain the congressional committee system. Describe the powers of Congress. Describe how a bill becomes a law. Describe the different roles of the president. Describe the constitutional powers of the president. Describe other sources of presidential powers. Describe the expansion of presidential power over our history. Describe restraints on presidential power. Explain the role of the president in foreign affairs. Trace the history of American foreign policy. Describe the functions of the executive departments and the major independent regulatory agencies. Explain the origin of judicial review. Explain judicial review within the American political system. Explain the role of the Supreme Court in the making of public policy. Explain the structure of federal courts. Explain the selection of federal judges.
pols-1030-syllabus.docx