After being introduced to the key elements of the Scientific Method, students conduct a research project selecting an appropriate research design, collecting data, employing basic statistical tools in analyzing the data, and writing the research report. The organization, major functions, and state supervision of local government and the problems of administration and finance are studied. Students are introduced to issues of interstate relations, relationships between national and state governments, the history of state and local government reform, and state and local governmental structures. Selected policy issues, such as crime, welfare, and education expose students to the kinds of problems facing state and local government today and to some of the proposed solutions. POLS 1101 Students study the historical and currently evolving constitutional and legal rights of women in areas such as marriage, divorce, and property ownership.
Students become familiar with some of the basic tenets of major feminist political theories.
The effects of public policy on women and women's role in the formation of public policy are examined. Global comparisons are made. POLS 1101 Students examine selected governments of modern and newly developed nations. The historical and political developments of these nations are analyzed critically. As applicable, the impact of Western colonialism, imperialism, or constitutionalism on the development of a given nation is examined.