Political Science

PSCI 5306 The American Legal System and the Practice of Law (3 semester credit hours) The American legal system will be examined through seminar presentations by speakers experienced in judging and in legal practice. (3-0) Y

PSCI 5307 Legal Reasoning and Writing (3 semester credit hours) The process of reaching legal decisions by relying on precedent, history, policy concerns, and tradition will be studied. Additionally, techniques for researching and citing case law and statures will be examined. (3-0) Y

PSCI 5308 Immigration Law (3 semester credit hours) This course will cover the core body of immigration law and regulation in the United States, with a special emphasis on asylum law. (3-0) T

PSCI 5381 Special Topics in Political Science (3 semester credit hours) Topics vary semester to semester and are designed for students in one of the Master's degree programs. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). (3-0) R

PSCI 5V83 Independent Study (1-9 semester credit hours) Provides faculty supervision of student's individual study of a topic that is directly relevant to the student's Master's degree program and is agreed on by the student and the faculty supervisor. Pass/Fail only. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). Instructor consent required. ([1-9]-0) R

PSCI 6300 Proseminar in Comparative Politics and International Relations (3 semester credit hours) Studies major theories of democracy, democratization, and globalization, relationships between democratization and globalization, and their implications for citizen politics, government performance, and regime legitimacy. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6301 Constitutional Law (3 semester credit hours) This class addresses the evolution of the American Constitution. The course will examine major constitutional concepts that are important to an understanding of American government. Additionally, major interpretations of the Constitution and the role of courts in the American legal system will be explored. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6304 Internship in Constitutional Law Studies (3 semester credit hours) Students will gain practical legal experience by working as an intern in a law office, court, or in the office of a legal organization such as a district attorney's or public defender's office. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6305 Workshop in Constitutional Law Studies (3 semester credit hours) Students will undertake a major research topic on a law-related matter which will develop skills in legal research and writing, quantitative research, or field research. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6306 Human Rights and International Law (3 semester credit hours) This course explores international agreements and their effects on individual rights in a variety of contexts such as international conflicts, civil wars, and oppressive political regimes. (3-0) R

PSCI 6309 International Political Economy (3 semester credit hours) An integration of the insights of international relations and international economics. Explores the politics of international trade and finance, or economic globalization; investigates the simultaneous pursuit of wealth and power in states and other international actors. (3-0) T

PSCI 6311 Proseminar in Law and Courts (3 semester credit hours) The purpose of this graduate seminar is to survey the different areas of empirical/quantitative research in the subfield of judicial politics. The course will assess the courts as political institutions and examine the interactions between the judiciary and other institutions. We will address the core theoretical debates and assess key methodological issues concerning judicial decision-making in the U.S. context. We will also place these debates within the growing body of comparative judicial behavior literature. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6314 Policy Processes, Implementation and Evaluation (3 semester credit hours) Applies models of the policy system to the analysis of legislative, administrative and judicial processes at different points in the policy cycle. Uses case studies, empirical analysis, direct observation, and group projects. Prerequisite: PA 6313 or instructor consent required. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6316 International Organizations (3 semester credit hours) An analysis of international intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Union. Topics include their historical development, internal political processes, and consequences for the international political system. (3-0) T

PSCI 6317 (PA 6317) Intergovernmental/Intersectoral Relations and Management (3 semester credit hours) This course explores the conceptual foundations of federalism that prescribe the relationships among federal and state governments in the U.S. It considers the practice of intergovernmental administration (federal, state, local) and intersectoral management (public, private, nonprofit) including devolution, fiscal federalism, and through a review of current issues in the field. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6318 Judicial Selection (3 semester credit hours) This is a course that focuses on the ways in which political systems place judges on courts. We will focus primarily on American courts, with our time split evenly between the appointive systems used by the federal government and some states and the elective systems used by most other states. We will also discuss the methods used in other countries for the selection of judges. (3-0) R

PSCI 6323 Public Choice (3 semester credit hours) This course covers the application of economic reasoning to non-market decision-making in situations involving collective choice. Topics include market and government failure, collective action, properties of different voting rules, design of constitutions, and the behavior of candidates, elected officials, bureaucrats, and voters. Recommended prerequisites: POEC 7317 or PA 7317 or equivalent. (3-0) R

PSCI 6324 Local and State Government and Politics (3 semester credit hours) Examines public policy institutions and processes at the local and state levels in the United States, with particular attention to developments in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the State of Texas. Addresses issues of policy convergence, divergence, and representation. (3-0) R

PSCI 6325 Decision Theory (3 semester credit hours) Explores the development of decision-making models and theories across organizational and institutional environments. Includes details analysis of decision-making under conditions of certainty, risk and uncertainty. (3-0) T

PSCI 6330 Campaigns and Elections (3 semester credit hours) This course surveys the state of the art research on campaigns and elections in American politics with a focus on Congressional and Presidential elections. (3-0) T

PSCI 6331 Executives, Legislatures and Public Policy (3 semester credit hours) An investigation of the role played by executives and legislatures in shaping public policy in the United States. (3-0) T

PSCI 6332 The U.S. Congress (3 semester credit hours) This course examines the most recent research on the legislative branch of the United States. We examine the role of parties, incumbency, elections, and organized interests on who gets elected to Congress, how Congress organizes itself, and how Congress makes public policy. (3-0) T

PSCI 6333 Political and Civic Organizations (3 semester credit hours) An institutional perspective on political parties, interest groups, and other organizations such as labor unions and nonprofit organizations that are important actors in political and civic affairs. The emphasis is on internal operations of organizations, their strategic behavior, and interactions with government, including both regulation by the state and attempts to influence public decision makers. (3-0) T

PSCI 6335 (PPPE 6335) Institutions and Development (3 semester credit hours) An overview of leading theories, institutional perspectives, issues and policy debates concerning urban, regional, national and global development. Topics may include economic growth, technology and innovation, shifts in industrial structure, spatially imbalanced change, and their welfare consequences. (3-0) T

PSCI 6337 Comparative Institutions (3 semester credit hours) A comparative analysis of political and economic institutions in different settings. Includes a consideration of different theoretical approaches to the comparative study and design of institutions in the United States and elsewhere. (3-0) T

PSCI 6339 Election Law and Electoral Systems (3 semester credit hours) An examination of election law in America from redistricting to ballot access to campaign finance. We also spend time looking at different electoral systems in the U.S. and around the world. (3-0) R

PSCI 6341 Texas Legislative Process (3 semester credit hours) This course examines the legislative process in the Texas Legislature. Students will learn the intricacies of passing legislation by examining the constitutional rules of Texas' lawmaking and the evolution of each chamber's parliamentary rules. Students will have the opportunity to examine specific case studies to illustrate the importance of legislative process in Texas. (3-0) R

PSCI 6342 Comparative Courts and Law (3 semester credit hours) The purpose of this graduate seminar is to survey the growing body of comparative research on courts, law and justice issues. The course will examine a selection of topics within this broadly defined field. The course will examine both qualitative and quantitative work. These examinations will span comparative politics, international relations, and the broader sub-field of public law. (3-0) R

PSCI 6343 Law and the Policy Process (3 semester credit hours) Provides the legal perspective on public policy and emphasizes the role of the judicial system in the recent evolution of public policy in selected problem areas. (3-0) T

PSCI 6347 (PPPE 6347) Proseminar in Political Institutions and American Politics (3 semester credit hours) Surveys the scholarly literature on major institutions associated with policymaking in the United States, including Congress, the Presidency, the bureaucracy, and interest groups. (3-0) Y

PSCI 6350 Logic, Methodology, and Scope of Political Science (3 semester credit hours) Promotes understanding of how and why research projects are conducted, and when and why research programs cease to contribute to knowledge production. Attention also is paid to major modes of analysis in political science, the state of the discipline, and future directions in field-specific, cross-field, and cross-disciplinary research. (3-0) T

PSCI 6352 Empirical Democratic Theory (3 semester credit hours) This course covers major issues in normative democratic theory; seeks to understand how this theory has shaped empirical investigations in contemporary political science; and asks how the empirical realities of democracy in practice have contributed to normative theories and models of democracy. (3-0) T

PSCI 6353 Mathematical Models in Political and Social Science (3 semester credit hours) Introduces students to a variety of models in the Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, including primarily rational choice approaches but also some computational work. The course will allow students to understand and compose rudimentary models, including prisoner's dilemma, assurance games, and strategic voting. (3-0) R

PSCI 6357 (PPPE 6357) Political Economy of Latin America (3 semester credit hours) Addresses historical and contemporary issues in Latin American political economy. Uses case studies and cross-regional comparisons to assess competing explanations. Analyzes the current political and economic situation facing Latin America in its quest for economic growth and development. The emphasis is to understand the broad patterns of development and change in the region and the physical, historical, social and economic constraints which have affected development, broadly understood. (3-0) R

PSCI 6358 Refugee and Migration Policy (3 semester credit hours) This course will examine core policy issues related to refugees, migration, trafficking, forced migration, and internally displaced persons. The course will survey relevant political and social science literature and seek to understand these issues in the context of theories within international relations, comparative politics, and international law. (3-0) T

PSCI 6361 (PPPE 6361) Political Violence and Terrorism (3 semester credit hours) In this discussion-based seminar, we will cover the topics of terrorism, political violence, and civil war. We will examine concepts, causes, and consequences of different types of political violence. Additionally, we will discuss topics relevant to research, including discussions of different approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and formal) and a perusal of different data sources. We will take advantage of literature from multiple disciplines. (3-0) T

PSCI 6362 (PPPE 6362) Political Development (3 semester credit hours) This course will survey different perspectives and theories of political development. Topics covered include the role of the state, democratization, political stability, civil society and environmental concerns, among others. (3-0) R

PSCI 6363 (PPPE 6363) Conflict and Development (3 semester credit hours) This module will explore the nexus between violent intrastate conflict and development. It will examine some of the key conceptual frameworks advanced to understand conflict and will explore specific themes that have occupied researchers and policy practitioners in recent years. In addition to assessing the economic costs of the conflicts, this course will also examine the traditional factors that have been purported to explain the prevalence of insurgency. (3-0) R

PSCI 6364 Public Opinion and Survey Research (3 semester credit hours) Introduces students to the principles and practices of survey research. Topics include the selection of an appropriate survey method, questionnaire design and testing, response problems, interviews and surveys, and the analysis of survey data, including those on political attitudes and public opinion dynamics. Also examines how these data are used in developing successful political campaign strategies (3-0) T

PSCI 6374 (PPPE 6374) U.S. Global Security and Public Opinion (3 semester credit hours) This course focuses on description, explanation and assessment of the sources, distribution, dynamics and consequences of public opinion about economic, political and social security events involving the United States and other countries. Emphasis is placed on how these events and leaders choices about them, including but not limited to economic crisis, poverty, social conflict, terrorism and war, affect public opinion; on how public opinion affects choices and events; and on how survey research can advance description, explanation and assessment of these effects. (3-0) T

PSCI 6V42 Legislative Affairs Internship (1-6 semester credit hours) Students will work with the professor to identify with a relevant government office approved by the professor. Students will be asked to participate in the daily operations of that office and learn the intricacies of staffing from a first-hand perspective. May be repeated for credit (6 semester credit hours maximum). Instructor consent required. ([1-6]-0) S

PSCI 7330 Contemporary International Security (3 semester credit hours) An examination of current research on security and interstate conflict, with emphasis on social-scientific explanations for why wars occur and how they can be prevented. The course begins with theories of war and models of crisis bargaining, then proceeds to empirical analysis of how war-making is affected by such factors as regime type, domestic audiences, economic interdependence, multinational production, balances of power, environmental and demographic pressures, intergovernmental organizations, American hegemony, international hierarchies, and social networks. (3-0) T

PSCI 7335 Theories of International Relations (3 semester credit hours) An examination of major theories of international relations. Includes coverage of the dominant realist, liberal, and constructivist approaches, as well as coverage of more specific topics, such as norms and international society, pluralist theories of foreign policy, theories of sovereignty, political psychology, bargaining and international institutions, and network theories. (3-0) T

PSCI 7340 Intergovernmental and Intersectoral Relations (3 semester credit hours) This course explores the conceptual foundations of federalism that prescribe the relationships among federal and state governments in the U.S. It considers the practice of intergovernmental administration (federal, state, local) and intersectoral management (public, private, nonprofit) including devolution, fiscal federalism, and through a review of current issues in the field. (3-0) R

PSCI 7350 Institutions and Citizen Behavior (3 semester credit hours) Examines the major theories, concepts and models associated with relationships between public institutions and citizen behavior, particularly how such institutions as elections, interest groups, political parties and social movements mobilize behavior and how behavior, in turn, influences institutional processes and outcomes. (3-0) T

PSCI 7352 Choice and Decision Making (3 semester credit hours) This course integrates theories of political choice with models of decision-making in the fields of social cognition, economics, and consumer behavior. (3-0) R

PSCI 7372 Game Theory for Political Scientists (3 semester credit hours) An introduction to formal models with more than one decision-maker, this course will cover basic solution concepts in game theory. The course will pay particular attention to applications in political science, rather than the foundational models in economics. (3-0) R

PSCI 7381 Special Topics in Political Science (3 semester credit hours) Topics vary semester to semester and are rotated typically among the three fields of the program. May be repeated for credit (9 semester credit hours maximum). (3-0) R

PSCI 7V83 Independent Study (1-9 semester credit hours) Provides faculty supervision of student's individual study of a topic that is directly relevant to dissertation or practicum research and is agreed on by the student and the faculty supervisor. Pass/Fail only. May be repeated for credit. Instructor consent required ([1-9]-0) R

PSCI 8381 Research Seminar in Political Science (3 semester credit hours) Promotes faculty-student research collaboration and students' dissertation or practicum and professional development. Pass/Fail only. May be repeated for credit. (3-0) Y

PSCI 8V99 Dissertation or Practicum (1-9 semester credit hours) Provides faculty supervision of a student's dissertation research. Pass/Fail only. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Open to PhD students only and instructor consent required. ([1-9]-0) S