The course list for Summer and Fall 2021 is shown below. While the list of courses is mostly self-explanatory, a couple of items are noteworthy. Pay attention to the subfield of the course as you create your schedule. All political science majors must take a course in each subfield during their college career. Classes marked with an asterisk have a topic, which are listed below the course list.
If the course that you are attempting to enroll in is at its full capacity, you may request to be waitlisted. Please email Susan Scibilia, Program Assistant for Political Science, at scibilis@tcnj.edu to be placed on the wait list.
For Fall 2021 courses, the modality (i.e., remote, Flex, or in-person sessions) that currently appears in PAWS may change prior to the start of the semester based on CDC guidelines, State of New Jersey guidelines, and/or local health conditions.
Summer 2021 Course List
| Course | Title | Faculty | Session | Dates | Instruction Mode | Subfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POL 130 101 | International Relations | Potter | 1 | 5/24/21 - 6/11/21 | Online | American |
| POL 110 201 | American Government | Dumas | 2 | 6/14/21 - 7/15/21 | Online | International |
Fall 2021 Course List
| Course | Title | Faculty | Day | Time | Room | Subfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POL 110 01 | American Government | M-TH | 9:30 AM - 10:50 AM | SOCI 223 | American | |
| POL 110 02 | American Government | Garlick | M-TH | 11:00 AM - 12:20 PM | SOCI 223 | American |
| POL 110 03 | American Government | Willse | M-TH | 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM | SOCI 225 | American |
| POL 110 04 | American Government | Willse | M-TH | 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM | SOCI 225 | American |
| POL 110 05 | American Government | T-F | 9:30 AM - 10: 50 AM | SOCI 323 | American | |
| POL 130 01 | International Relations | Potter | T-F | 9:30 AM - 10:50 AM | SOCI 225 | International |
| POL 130 02 | International Relations | Potter | T-F | 11:00 AM - 12:20 PM | SOCI 225 | International |
| POL 150 01 | Comparative Politics | Chartock | M-TH | 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM | SOCI 223 | Comparative |
| POL 150 02 | Comparative Politics | Chartock | M-TH | 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM | SOCI 223 | Comparative |
| POL 200 01 | Political Analysis | Willse | M-TH | 9:30 AM - 10:50 AM | BLISS 031 | |
| POL 250 01 | Politics & Society in Developing Countries | Holom-Trundy | T | 5:30 PM - 8:20 PM | SOCI 225 | Comparative |
| POL 270 01 | Topics in Political Science* | T-F | 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM | SOCI 225 | American | |
| POL 270 02 | Topics in Political Science* | M-TH | 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM | SOCI 223 | American | |
| POL 275 01 | Western Political Philosophy | Jovanoski | M-TH | 9:30 AM - 10:50 AM | SOCI 225 | Political Theory |
| POL 307 01 | Environmental Policy | Potter | T-F | 8:00 AM - 9:20 AM | SOCI 223 | American |
| POL 330 01 | US Foreign Policy | Cho | M-TH | 3:30 PM - 4:50 PM | SOCI 225 | International |
| POL 345 01 | Human Rights in International Relations | Holom-Trundy | TH | 5:30 PM - 8:20 PM | SOCI 223 | International |
| POL 350 01 | Politics in Europe | Toloudis | M-TH | 11:00 AM - 12:20 PM | SOCI 225 | Comparative |
| POL 365 01 | Origins of the US Constitution | Brindle | T | 5:30 PM - 8:20 PM | SOCI 223 | Political Theory |
| POL 370 01 | Topics in Political Science* | Arndt | M-TH | 3:30 PM - 4:50 PM | SOCI 223 | International |
| POL 370 02 | Topics in Political Science* | Healey | M | 5:30 PM - 8:20 PM | SOCI 225 | American |
| POL 390 01 | Tutorial In Political Science* | Cho | M-TH | 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM | SOCI 241 | |
| POL 498 01 | Seminar In Political Science* | Garlick | M | 3:30 PM - 6:20 PM | SOCI 241 | |
| POL 498 02 | Seminar In Political Science* | Garlick | T | 9:30 AM - 12:20 PM | SOCI 331 |
Special Topics & Seminars
POL 270-01 & 02: Race and American Democracy
POL 370-01: Intelligence and National Security
Dr. Thomas Arndt
This course examines the role of the U.S. intelligence community in formulating and implementing national security policies. Students will learn how intelligence collection, analysis, and decision-making take place within the chain of command, involving both military and civilian organs of government, to inform policy in a global security context. This includes aspects of how American leaders approach issues such as homeland security, diplomatic engagement with allies, and covert operations carried out against adversaries.
POL 370-02: Lobbying, Government Affairs and Communications Strategies
William Healey
This course examines the role of the lobbyist and the profession of governmental relations in the shaping of our laws and policies. The course will explore specifically the role of the lobbyist in New Jersey, how that role differs in other states and in Washington. This course is intended to give a broad overview of lobbying, its history, the strategies and tools employed, and how the profession will evolve in the future. The instructor is an experienced practitioner who has worked in corporate, non-profit, and governmental settings and specializes in the creation of effective lobbying, communications, and government relations strategies.
POL 390-01: Security in the Asia Pacific
Dr. Hyun-Binn Cho
This tutorial examines the major challenges to security in the Asia-Pacific region. These include U.S.-China relations, North Korea’s nuclear program, the South China Sea disputes, and U.S. alliance relations with South Korea and Japan. By the end of the course, students will develop an independent research paper that employs political science research methods.
POL 498-01 & 02: Political Communications
Dr. Alex Garlick
This Senior research seminar covers political communication. The course will address how the media institutions affect citizen and legislative political behavior in the modern United States and Western Europe. We consider questions about how the evolution of communication technologies, social networks and the journalism industry affect politics. Students will propose and conduct a rigorous independent research project. As a 400-level course, this is a writing-intensive course with a strong oral presentation component.
Course Descriptions
POL 110: American Government
Examines the strengths and weaknesses, problems and promise of representative democracy in the United States. Surveys the relationships of citizens to Congress, the president and the courts through political parties,
elections, interest groups, and the media. Considers the constitutional framework of government and the rights of the individual against governmental intrusion.
POL 130: International Relations
An examination of contemporary patterns of international interaction and their historic roots with attention to competing theoretical perspectives. Topics studied include foreign policy, international law and organization, and international political economy.
POL 150: Comparative Politics
Introduces students to some of the most important concepts, themes and approaches in the comparative study of politics. Comparative Politics is the study of the domestic or internal politics of particular countries. By comparing the processes, institutions and other political phenomena of one country in relation to others, those engaged in the study of comparative politics isolate the primary causes and consequences of these political phenomena and are thus able to create and test theories of politics around the world.
POL 200: Political Analysis
The course familiarizes students with the basic statistical, conceptual, and technical skills needed for research in political science. Topics include research design, hypothesis testing, statistical methodology common in the social sciences, and practical experience examining and analyzing quantitative data. This course provides students hands-on training with Stata, a commonly used statistical software package. Should normally be completed by the end of the sophomore year prior to taking POL 390.
POL 250: Politics and Society in Developing Countries
Examines political trends, patterns, and variations in the developing world, drawing examples from countries throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Primary questions include colonialism’s impact the future political, economic and social development, strong versus weak states and regimes, and role of identity politics in these countries. The latter part of the course examines politics in four specific countries: Brazil, India, Nigeria and South Korea.
POL 275: Western Political Philosophy
Selected political questions that have intrigued Western society from time immemorial and theoretical solutions presented by some of the great political philosophers from classical Greece to the modern era.
POL 307: Environmental Policy
With a focus on environmental issues, the course offers analytical tools and case studies to understand the making of public policy. The course consists of four sections: tools of environmental analysis, the dynamics of environmental policymaking in the United States; some comparisons to other countries; and global environmental policies.
POL 330: US Foreign Policy
Examines the formulation and execution of American foreign policy in the context of American politics and of the United States’ historic role in the world; some themes considered include the domestic sources of foreign policy and the conditions under which the United States uses force abroad.
POL 345: Human Rights in International Relations
Examines the evolution of human rights movements since World War II and their influence on the behavior of nation states and other transnational actors. Includes discussion of human rights in American foreign policy, and the role of non-state actors such as intergovernmental institutions, multinational corporations, and non-governmental organizations, selected regional and current topics such as: women’s rights, terrorism, self-determination, globalization, and humanitarian intervention.
POL 350: Politics in Europe
Examines government, politics, and society in the major European nations including but not necessarily limited to the United Kingdom, France, and the Federal Republic of Germany.
POL 365: Origins of the US Constitution
An examination of the political theories, people, social and economic forces, events, and political context that influenced the framing and ratification of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.