Technology and Political Analysis

Rationale

Political Science and Public Administration are disciplines that seek to understand and provide skills that enhance the democratic quality of life. Both are concerned with balancing the competing political demands for efficiency, responsiveness to political leadership, representation of all segments of society, and protection of individual rights and liberties. In the future, information technology will play an increasingly important role in enabling government officials and political leaders to respond effectively to each of those demands. Specifically, policy analysis, e-government applications, community development, and the modeling of political behavior and international relations will benefit from people with solid grounding in Information Technology and Political Science.

For more information contact Dr. Karen McCurdy in the Department of Political Science at kmccurdy@georgiasouthern.edu or (912) 478-0066.

Course Descriptions

Course Number	Course Title	Course Description
Area F
POLS 2101	Introduction to Political Science (3 hours)	An introduction to the concepts that are considered in the systematic study of politics, such as justice, equity, regimes, and democracy. This course will examine the means by which political scientists explore politics theoretically and in applied settings. Required of majors and minors in political science. Prerequisite: POLS 1101.
Required Courses
POLS 3230	Modern Political Thought (3 hours)	The course in modern political thought is concerned with the differentiation of politics as an activity distinct from, and independent of, religion. Political thinkers in the modern period are distinguished by their turn to scientific and other modern modes of rationality as foundations for the analysis of politics. Central concerns include delineating the rights and powers of the individual and establishing a secular basis for a just society.
POLS 4139	Contemporary Political Thought (3 hours)	Theorists since the onset of the twentieth century have questioned the scientific foundations of modern political ideas and institutions. Issues to be discussed may include the nature and limits of liberalism, the rise of mass politics, the benefits and dangers of modern technology, and the emergence of multiculturalism and feminism
Select three sourses from the following
POLS 3135	Legislative Behavior (3 hours)	The ability of elected bodies whether they are local, state, regional, or national to represent the preferences of their constituents is linked to the ability of the elected officials, their staffs, and the executive agency administrators to manage change in an arena of inadequate information. This course will examine decision making, agenda setting, elections, and institutional arrangements with a particular concern for the mechanisms legislatures have for processing information. Students will become familiar with the three contemporary approaches to the study of legislatures: historical, behavioral, and formal.
POLS 3236	International Relations (3 hours)	Introduces students to the basic concepts of international relations, including those of war and peace, power, foreign policy, international organizations, markets, demography, ecology, and the impact of information technology. Students will be provided with the necessary concepts, theories, and methods used in the discipline including quantitative analysis in order to gain a better understanding of the nature and problems of international relations.
POLS 3331	Public Administration (3 hours)	An examination of how local, state, and federal governments make use of human resources, financial resources, and information resources to assist in policy-making, provide services to citizens, and exercise the regulatory power of government.
POLS 3332	Electoral Behavior (3 hours)	A comprehensive overview of the institutions and processes that connect the public to government institutions. Course emphasis is given to the history and structure of political parties in the U.S. and the electoral process. The impact of new technologies on campaigning, citizen participation, and voting will also be examined.
POLS 4131	Public Policy (3 hours)	A study of the process in the American political system, focusing on the analysis, formulation, implementation, and evaluation of public policies. Specific public policy areas, such as welfare, information technology, education, health, and foreign policy will be examined.