Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Credits from this course qualify for general education purposes at Portland Community College and may be applied toward satisfying Associates Degrees at Portland Community College .
Courses with three digit numbers may be transferable to four year colleges and universities. Students should consult with a PCC Academic Advisor and/or other institutions regarding transferability and application of credit to other institutions.

Upon successful completion students should be able to:

1. Apply an understanding of diversity of human experience and culture in relationship to how we think and interact with others with regards to interest groups, political parties and other political realities in the United States.
2. Employ different methods of inquiry and analytical skills to conceptually organize experiences and discern meaning from ongoing study of U. S. Constitutional traditions involving national political institutions, including the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of U. S. Government.
3. Analyze the roles of individuals and political institutions as these relate to contemporary problems and issues associated with the Bill of Rights, and equal rights under the law, and other political issues.
4. Reason quantitatively and qualitatively in both written and oral communication to address national problems within US national political institutions.
5. Develop and articulate personal value judgments, respecting different points of view, while practicing ethical and social requirements of responsible citizenship by participating in elections, accessing the various government institutions, and engaging in other opportunities for action in a democratic society.

Themes, Concepts, and Issues
 

1. Constitutional government
2. Elitist and pluralist theories
3. How federalism works and its implications for national/state relations
4. Rights and responsibilities associated with the Bill of Rights and the major court decisions that have affected these rights.
5. Current Supreme Court cases related to this portion of the course
6. Equal Rights under the law, Due Process, 14 th Amendment
7. The consequences of the Patriot Act
8. Major elements of American political culture, political socialization
9. The role of interest groups, money and the media in politics
10. Impact of new campaign finance laws, voting problems
11. how political parties are organized and how they operate in the US
12. how public opinion and political participation are manifested in this country
13. the major elements of campaigning and elections
14. Add relevant videos

Competencies and Skills
 

1. Students should develop the following skills:
2. Support generalizations/arguments with examples or evidence
3. Accurately articulates ideas in written and oral presentation
4. Articulates original applications and synthesis of academic theories/frameworks, supporting them by citing valid sources.
5. Demonstrates knowledge of political system in written and oral work
6. Critiques own assumptions and those of others, validating them with substantial thinking and application of appropriate arguments.
7. Use of standard research techniques and acceptable formats in written work and oral presentations

Approved Texts:
Choice of texts is at the discretion of each course instructor. However, successful past offerings of this course and a desire to have some continuity of pedagogy among the faculty has encouraged the adoption of the following text—thereby encouraging students to complete the entire PS 201,202, 203 sequence using the same textbook.
Edwards, Wattenberg, Lineberry . Government In America, People, Politics and Policy, 12 th edition or later. (Pearson/Longman)
Faculty Qualifications:
Minimum of an M.A. in Political Science with graduate coursework, teaching experience, or field work directly related to this specific course. Consultation with full-time continuous contract Political Science SACC faculty regarding part-time faculty hiring decisions is expected as a matter of basic professional courtesy.