Government (GOVT)

Program Goals:

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Introduced)
• Define, and demonstrate competence in employing, the main concepts of state, nation, and regime, as well as related sub-concepts like state strength, nationalism, democracy, and authoritarianism.
• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Introduced)
• Develop clear thesis statements. Organize empirical evidence to support the central claims of a thesis statement. Follow basic grammar rules and conventions of the written English language. Revise own writing and be able to identify, summarize, and justify revisions.
• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Introduced)
• Explain variation in political outcomes across countries using rational choice, structuralist, and cultural approaches to the study of politics. Design case study comparisons using most different and most similar systems design. Identify the comparative method scholars employ in the texts read for the course.
• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Introduced)
• Deploy evidence and quotations from appropriate, reliable scholarly sources to back up arguments and claims in written work and oral presentations.

Core Goals:

International Perspectives

• Students will reflect on their value systems and way of understanding the world and understand that these are not universal. (Introduced)
• Students will be able to summarize at least two political ideologies that are not predominant in the United States and compare and contrast them with their own ideology. Students will be able to identify their own political rights and activities and compare and contrast them with those of individuals in at least two other political systems.
• Students will analyze the history, arts, politics, language, economy of a non-Western national context using scholarly or creative perspectives from the culture being studied and demonstrate the ability to contrast these with dominant US perspectives. (Introduced)
• Students will be able to identify alternative sources of information about politics in other countries beyond of dominant US news and academic outlets. Students will be able to identify at least four respected scholars from a non-Western country who are writing about comparative politics and identify their main contributions to the field. Students will be able to compare and contrast dominant US academic frameworks with those generated in other countries.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of at least one ethnic or national group and its experiences outside of the United States. (Introduced)
• Students will be able to identify their own political rights and activities and compare and contrast them with those of individuals in at least two other political systems. Students will be able to describe the political system, political debates, and contemporary political challenges facing at least two countries beyond the US.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of intellectual and/or creative contributions from at least one culture, country, or region outside of the United States. (Introduced)
• Students will be able to identify alternative sources of information about politics in other countries beyond of dominant US news and academic outlets. Students will be able to identify at least four respected scholars from a non-Western country who are writing about comparative politics and identify their main contributions to the field. Students will be able to compare and contrast dominant US academic frameworks with those generated in other countries

General Education Goals:

Human Institutions & Behavior

• Understand a model of human behavior, how it departs from the models of related disciplines, and what phenomena it is useful for explaining (Introduced)
• Explain variation in political outcomes across countries using rational choice, structuralist, and cultural approaches to the study of politics.
• Have a command of the basic concepts from one of the disciplines (Introduced)
• Define, and demonstrate competence in employing, the main concepts of state, nation, and regime, as well as related sub-concepts like state strength, nationalism, democracy, and authoritarianism.
• Understand how theories of human behavior are tested scientifically (Introduced)
• Design case study comparisons using most different and most similar systems design.
• Identify the comparative method scholars employ in the texts read for the course.

Program Goals:

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Introduced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by international relations majors will be read by members of the government department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Introduced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Introduced)
• Senior theses written for the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Introduced)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Introduced)
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by government department faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Introduced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Introduced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses in international relations, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Introduced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Introduced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in the field; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship in international relations.
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by faculty in the government department, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Introduced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

Core Goals:

International Perspectives

• Students will reflect on their value systems and way of understanding the world and understand that these are not universal. (Introduced)
• Written work will require students to consider objectives and circumstances of countries in East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Eurasia, thereby exposing them to worldviews foreign to that of the USA.
• Students will analyze the history, arts, politics, language, economy of a non-Western national context using scholarly or creative perspectives from the culture being studied and demonstrate the ability to contrast these with dominant US perspectives. (Introduced)
• Written work will demand that students demonstrate familiarity with scholarship originating in East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Eurasia pertinent to international affairs.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of at least one ethnic or national group and its experiences outside of the United States. (Introduced)
• Written work will require students to present evidence drawn from the history and culture of at least one nationality in East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Eurasia.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of intellectual and/or creative contributions from at least one culture, country, or region outside of the United States. (Introduced)
• Written work will require students to be familiar with scholarship on international relations written by local scholars in East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Eurasia.

Program Goals:

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Practiced)
• Identify the rhetorical style and formal register normally used in a literature review, policy memorandum, formal oral presentation, and Wikipedia entry? Having identified these styles and registers, can you use them in your own communication in each of these media?
• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Draw on existing literature and reputable sources to identify and summarize more than one answer for the question you seek to address in your literature review, oral presentation, and policy memorandum? Summarize competing theories on and interpretations of a particular topic for your Wikipedia entry?
• Describe what differentiates a literature review, policy memorandum, formal oral presentation, and Wikipedia entry? Adapt your own writing and oral communication to meet the expectations of each medium?
• Recognize the range of acceptable voices and styles in literature reviews, policy memorandums, formal oral presentations, and Wikipedia entries? Write and speak in a way that feels true to your personality while respecting the range of acceptable voices and styles for the medium you are using?
• Evaluate peers’ communication and provide helpful, concrete feedback to improve it? Summarize what you need to revise in your own work based on self and peer-evaluation? Actually adapt your own work based on feedback?
• Distinguish the elements of form versus the content of a literature review, policy memorandum, formal oral presentation, and Wikipedia entry? Describe the elements of form you are deploying in your own communication and explain why they are appropriate to for the content you wish to convey?

Core Goals:

Written & Oral Comm II

• Students will develop skills in writing, digital presentation, and oral communication, as complementary and equal parts of college-level communication and literacy. (Practiced)
• See all criteria below.
• Students will be able to move easily and fluently between different rhetorical expectations and formal registers. (Practiced)
• Identify the rhetorical style and formal register normally used in a literature review, policy memorandum, formal oral presentation, and Wikipedia entry? Having identified these styles and registers, can you use them in your own communication in each of these media?
• Students will develop and refine their own voice and sense of style. (Practiced)
• Recognize the range of acceptable voices and styles in literature reviews, policy memorandums, formal oral presentations, and Wikipedia entries? Write and speak in a way that feels true to your personality while respecting the range of acceptable voices and styles for the medium you are using?
• Students will practice and refine different forms of communication that are appropriate for the multiple contexts and disciplines that they engage with. (Practiced)
• Describe what differentiates a literature review, policy memorandum, formal oral presentation, and Wikipedia entry? Adapt your own writing and oral communication to meet the expectations of each medium?
• Students will understand thoroughly the relationship between form and content, (Practiced)
• Distinguish the elements of form versus the content of a literature review, policy memorandum, formal oral presentation, and Wikipedia entry? Describe the elements of form you are deploying in your own communication and explain why they are appropriate to for the content you wish to convey?
• Students will understand the role of drafting, revising, presenting, and receiving, processing and using feedback as important parts of the writing process. (Practiced)
• Evaluate peers’ communication and provide helpful, concrete feedback to improve it? Summarize what you need to revise in your own work based on self and peer-evaluation? Actually adapt your own work based on feedback?

Program Goals:

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Introduced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.
• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.
• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Introduced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.
• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

Program Goals:

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Practiced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by international relations majors will be read by members of the government department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Practiced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Practiced)
• Senior theses written for the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by government department faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses in international relations, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in the field; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship in international relations.
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by faculty in the government department, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Introduced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

General Education Goals:

Written Communication II

• B. Write clearly organized essays with the following characteristics: effective paragraphing, thesis development, transitions, use and interpretation of evidence, evidence of larger structure and organization (Practiced)
• Following an sample structure, write an essay that effectively summarizes and evaluates alternate arguments for a political outcome
• Deploy empirical evidence to support or challenge competing arguments
• Structure individual paragraphs so that each sentence of the paragraph flows logically from the previous sentence
• C. Write essays that incorporate examples from other writers, demonstrate critical thinking and interpretation about the ideas of other writers, and use correct documentation for these examples (Practiced)
• Effectively summarize and paraphrase others’ claims
• Identify and evaluate the relative merit of competing explanations for political outcomes
• Accurately cite scholarly work and develop bibliography using the Author-Date system from the Chicago Manual of Style
• D. Use draft and revision processes, demonstrate understanding of different stages of the writing process, and engage in editing and revision of peer essays (Practiced)
• Revise each section of the research paper twice over the course of the semester, first for structural improvements and second for grammatical, sentence-level improvements
• Identify how she has modified paper to address problems in previous drafts
• Be familiar with and able to use the tools and resources of an academic library in addition to Internet resources (Practiced)
• Use library databases to locate scholarly articles and books, as well as news coverage, which allow her to address specific research question
• Be competent in the use of the citation style appropriate to a discipline (Practiced)
• Accurately cite scholarly work and develop bibliography using the Author-Date system from the Chicago Manual of Style

Program Goals:

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Mastered)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by international relations majors will be read by members of the government department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Mastered)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Mastered)
• Senior theses written for the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Mastered)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Mastered)
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by government department faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Mastered)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Mastered)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses in international relations, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Mastered)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Mastered)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in the field; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship in international relations.
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by faculty in the government department, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Mastered)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

Program Goals:

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Introduced)
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

Public Policy Program Goals

• Understand the relationship between policy, social structures of inequality, and identity dimensions of gender, race, ethnicity and class, and the role of the individual in relation to these larger forces. (Introduced, Practiced)
• Students will be able to make and critique moral arguments about equality, race and gender, and demonstrate their understanding of moral controversies surrounding these issues. These abilities will be assessed in relation to the clarity and logical consistency of their arguments and the strength of the connection of these arguments to policy issues that specifically address equality, race and gender.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Introduced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

Public Policy Program Goals

• Understand the processes of reasoning and argument in ethics and/or law,l and be able to offer, analyze, and critique such arguments. Have a basic awareness of the constitutional framework relevant to public policy decisions. (Introduced, Practiced, Mastered)
• This is the content of the class, and students will demonstrate their understanding of processes of moral argument through their facility in formulating and expressing their own arguments. This facility will be judged by the criteria listed for the mission and program goals described above.

Government Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

Public Policy Program Goals

• Ability to communicate with clarity, conciseness, and coherence in both written and oral reports. The student will be sensitive to the needs of different audiences. (Introduced, Practiced)
• Students will present both oral and written arguments and have them graded on the basis of the ability of the instructor and other students to understand them, as well as their consistency and economy of language, and the sharpness their focus. Students will be expected to apply these same criteria to the evaluation of moral arguments presented by others to a variety of audiences, in settings ranging from social movements, election campaigns, legislative proceedings and courts.

General Education Goals:

Human Institutions & Behavior

• Recognize the difference between empirical, theoretical, and ethical questions regarding human behavior (Practiced)
• Students will be introduced to the differences between normative and empirical reasoning and will learn to recognize the differences between "is" and "ought" statements as premises in arguments. They will be tested on these distinctions and their ability to recognize and formulate arguments of either type.
• Understand a model of human behavior, how it departs from the models of related disciplines, and what phenomena it is useful for explaining (Introduced)
• Students will be introduced to several distinctive models of public policy-making processes that account for the influences of public values and value conflicts on these processes. Students will be tested on their understanding of these models, their analytic strengths and weaknesses, and their ability to use them in assessing the implications of their own moral arguments for policy-making processes and outcomes.
• Recognize that human behavior is affected by factors ranging from the psychological to the global (Introduced)
• Students will be able to identify and describe multiple factors that influence the policy-making process. They will be able to evaluate and critique from a behavioral perspective the practical feasibility of moral arguments ranging from those prescribing invidual practice in political roles to those that assert moral truths about global justice and global ethical imperatives.

Program Goals:

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Practiced)
• Students will be able to explain how at least two marginalized groups have resisted discriminatory state practices and exclusionary nationalism and changed how state power is exercised and shared.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Practiced)
• Students will identify how state policies have contributed to the construction of racial and gender identities in at least two countries.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Practiced)
• Students will identify how state policies have contributed to the construction of racial and gender identities in at least two countries.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Practiced)
• Students will be able to explain how at least two marginalized groups have resisted discriminatory state practices and exclusionary nationalism and changed how state power is exercised and shared.
• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Develop clear thesis statements.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Practiced)
• Develop clear thesis statements.
• Organize empirical evidence to support the central claims of a thesis statement.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Organize empirical evidence to support the central claims of a thesis statement.
• Convey factual material in a clear, concise manner for a non-specialist audience.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Practiced)
• Convey factual material in a clear, concise manner for a non-specialist audience.
• Summarize and synthesis arguments and questions from existing scholarly work on the developing world.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Summarize and synthesis arguments and questions from existing scholarly work on the developing world.
• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Employ at least two different theoretical perspectives to explain the emergence of states and nations around the world.
• Explain the mechanisms through states construct national identities and communities push against these identities and expand state citizenship

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Explain the mechanisms through states construct national identities and communities push against these identities and expand state citizenship
• Employ at least two different theoretical perspectives to explain the emergence of states and nations around the world.
• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Identify at least one point of disagreement among scholars writing on the same trend or problem.
• Reference at least two scholars to support students' argument in any written work.

Government Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Identify at least one point of disagreement among scholars writing on the same trend or problem.
• Reference at least two scholars to support students' argument in any written work.

Core Goals:

Race, Gender & Power

• Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze race and gender as socially constructed, dynamic identity categories related to systems of power and privilege. (Practiced)
• - Explain how governments of at least two countries created and assigned racial categories for the purposes of limiting citizenship and access to state power and explain how excluded racial groups used social movements, civic engagement, and other strategies to challenge these racial categories and limitations.
• - Explain how nationalism and nationalist discourses contribute to the construction of gender categories and norms and how marginalized communities have challenged high gendered nationalism.
• Students will analyze the ways in which race and gender intersect with other identity categories including sexuality, class, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, citizenship and nationality. (Practiced)
• - Explain how governments of at least two countries created and assigned racial categories for the purposes of limiting citizenship and access to state power and explain how excluded racial groups used social movements, civic engagement, and other strategies to challenge these racial categories and limitations.
• - Contrast the citizenship rights states have historically granted to men and women of different racial or ethnic categories and identify the reasons for states’ differential treatment.
• Students will demonstrate familiarity with the ways that marginalized communities have resisted structures of power through social movements, civic engagement, artistic expression, and scholarship. (Practiced)
• - Explain how governments of at least two countries created and assigned racial categories for the purposes of limiting citizenship and access to state power and explain how excluded racial groups used social movements, civic engagement, and other strategies to challenge these racial categories and limitations.
• - Explain how nationalism and nationalist discourses contribute to the construction of gender categories and norms and how marginalized communities have challenged highly gendered nationalism.
• Students will be able to engage with the intellectual and theoretical contributions of marginalized communities, and contrast them with dominant perspectives. (Practiced)
• - Summarize state-sanctioned explanations for racial and gender categorizations and the denial of citizenship rights and contrast these explanations with counter-arguments offered in scholarly works and public spaces (media, speeches, etc.) by members of marginalized communities.
• - Identify the potential costs to those individuals who counter state-sanctioned explanations and dominant perspectives and explain how those vary across states and time.
• Students will communicate effectively across differences with an understanding of their own social location. (Practiced)
• - Formulate a political and historical explanation for one’s own social location that takes into account state policies regarding race, gender, and citizenship.
• - Compare and contrast the political and historical explanation for one’s own social location with that of a seemingly similar individual in another country.
• Actively listen to other students even when in disagreement and frame responses to challenging statements in appropriate forms of nonviolent communication

Program Goals:

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Practiced)
• Describe African countries position in the global economy and global governance and identify the strategies African governments and societies use to change their position.
• Distinguish difference types of governance, economic activity, ethnic relations, gender relations, and international relations across African countries and formulate plausible explanations for this regional diversity.
• Compare and contrast the mechanisms of colonization and colonial governance across Africa and distinguish their differential impact on African countries over time.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Practiced)
• Compare and contrast the mechanisms of colonization and colonial governance across Africa and distinguish their differential impact on African countries over time. Distinguish difference types of governance, economic activity, ethnic relations, gender relations, and international relations across African countries and formulate plausible explanations for this regional diversity. Describe African countries position in the global economy and global governance and identify the strategies African governments and societies use to change their position.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Properly cite a variety of reliable sources and effectively deploy evidence and quotations to to back up claims and arguments in written assignments and oral presentations. Use precise and appropriate vocabulary in written assignments and oral presentations. Present more than one potential explanation when answering questions about political phenomena in Africa.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Practiced)
• Properly cite a variety of reliable sources and effectively deploy evidence and quotations to to back up claims and arguments in written assignments and oral presentations. Use precise and appropriate vocabulary in written assignments and oral presentations. Present more than one potential explanation when answering questions about political phenomena in Africa.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Present more than one potential explanation when answering questions about political phenomena in Africa. Compare and contrast the mechanisms of colonization and colonial governance across Africa and distinguish their differential impact on African countries over time. Distinguish difference types of governance, economic activity, ethnic relations, gender relations, and international relations across African countries and formulate plausible explanations for this regional diversity. Describe African countries position in the global economy and global governance and identify the strategies African governments and societies use to change their position.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Present more than one potential explanation when answering questions about political phenomena in Africa. Compare and contrast the mechanisms of colonization and colonial governance across Africa and distinguish their differential impact on African countries over time. Distinguish difference types of governance, economic activity, ethnic relations, gender relations, and international relations across African countries and formulate plausible explanations for this regional diversity. Describe African countries position in the global economy and global governance and identify the strategies African governments and societies use to change their position.
• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Properly cite a variety of reliable sources and effectively deploy evidence and quotations to to back up claims and arguments in written assignments and oral presentations.

Government Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Properly cite a variety of reliable sources and effectively deploy evidence and quotations to to back up claims and arguments in written assignments and oral presentations.

Core Goals:

International Perspectives

• Students will reflect on their value systems and way of understanding the world and understand that these are not universal. (Practiced)
• Identify one or more strongly-held assumptions about an African society, economy, or political system and collect reliable evidence that counters this assumption. Compare and contrast their own political activity and assumptions with that of citizens in one or more African country. Compare and contrast their power in global politics and economics with that of an African citizen with a relatively similar educational or familial background.
• Students will analyze the history, arts, politics, language, economy of a non-Western national context using scholarly or creative perspectives from the culture being studied and demonstrate the ability to contrast these with dominant US perspectives. (Practiced)
• Summarize the dominant scholarly frameworks for explaining African politics and critique them using at least one alternative framework developed in African academe. Draw on scholarly, literary, and popular sources from the continent to identify how lived experiences in African countries compare with dominant scholarly representations of African realities.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of at least one ethnic or national group and its experiences outside of the United States. (Practiced)
• Draw on scholarly, literary, and popular sources from the continent to identify how lived experiences in African countries compare with dominant scholarly representations of African realities. Compare and contrast their power in global politics and economics with that of an African citizen with a relatively similar educational or familial background.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of intellectual and/or creative contributions from at least one culture, country, or region outside of the United States. (Practiced)
• Draw on scholarly, literary, and popular sources from the continent to identify how lived experiences in African countries compare with dominant scholarly representations of African realities.

Program Goals:

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems. (Introduced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by international relations majors will be read by members of the government department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Introduced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing well-conceived and well-written arguments pertaining to political affairs. (Practiced)
• Senior theses written for the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by government department faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses in international relations, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.

International Relations Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Introduced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory international relations courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in the field; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship in international relations.
• Senior theses submitted by international relations majors will be surveyed by faculty in the government department, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.

Government Program Goals

• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Introduced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

Program Goals:

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Practiced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.
• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Practiced)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.
• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.
• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

Core Goals:

Race, Gender & Power

• Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze race and gender as socially constructed, dynamic identity categories related to systems of power and privilege. (Practiced)
• Students will be assessed with two examinations throughout the semester. These exams include essays responding to prompts that are designed to allow students to show practice critical thought. The first block of the course will discuss theories of representation. Such theories will then be empirically examined by reviewing political science books and articles that test those theories. These essays will allow students to consider theory and empirical evidence to critically evaluate the multiple meanings of representation and how they may or may not cohere with empirical research. Race, gender, and other socially constructed identities become central when understanding whether and how lawmakers represent their constituents and how their own perception(s) of their constituents. As such, many areas of public policy are racialized (or broadly, marginalized). It therefore becomes important to examine under what conditions dominant systems and the individuals within those systems become committed to issues of social justice. The course examinations, discussion leader role, and research term paper will collectively measure a student's continued understanding of the construct of marginal identities and how that impacts the likelihood to access dominant institutions.
• Students will analyze the ways in which race and gender intersect with other identity categories including sexuality, class, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, citizenship and nationality. (Practiced)
• Students will be assessed with two examinations throughout the semester. These exams include essays responding to prompts that are designed to allow students to show practice critical thought. The first block of the course will discuss theories of representation. Such theories will then be empirically examined by reviewing political science books and articles that test those theories. These essays will allow students to consider theory and empirical evidence to critically evaluate the multiple meanings of representation and how they may or may not cohere with empirical research. Race, gender, and other socially constructed identities become central when understanding whether and how lawmakers represent their constituents and how their own perception(s) of their constituents. As such, many areas of public policy are racialized (or broadly, marginalized). It therefore becomes important to examine under what conditions dominant systems and the individuals within those systems become committed to issues of social justice. This will elaborate on what issues actually get represented and how this relates the intersections of multiple identities and secondary forms of marginalization within marginal communities. The course examinations, discussion leader role, and research term paper will collectively measure a student's continued understanding of the construct of marginal identities and how that impacts the likelihood to access dominant institutions.
• Students will demonstrate familiarity with the ways that marginalized communities have resisted structures of power through social movements, civic engagement, artistic expression, and scholarship. (Practiced)
• Students will be assessed with two examinations throughout the semester. These exams include essays responding to prompts that are designed to allow students to show practice critical thought. The first block of the course will discuss theories of representation. Such theories will then be empirically examined by reviewing political science books and articles that test those theories. These essays will allow students to consider theory and empirical evidence to critically evaluate the multiple meanings of representation and how they may or may not cohere with empirical research. Race, gender, and other socially constructed identities become central when understanding whether and how lawmakers represent their constituents and how their own perception(s) of their constituents. As such, many areas of public policy are racialized (or broadly, marginalized). It therefore becomes important to examine under what conditions dominant systems and the individuals within those systems become committed to issues of social justice. This will elaborate on what issues actually get represented and how this relates the intersections of multiple identities and secondary forms of marginalization within marginal communities. The course examinations, discussion leader role, and research term paper will collectively measure a student's continued understanding of the construct of marginal identities and how that impacts the likelihood to access dominant institutions.
• Students will be able to engage with the intellectual and theoretical contributions of marginalized communities, and contrast them with dominant perspectives. (Practiced)
• Students will be assessed with two examinations throughout the semester. These exams include essays responding to prompts that are designed to allow students to show practice critical thought. The first block of the course will discuss theories of representation. Such theories will then be empirically examined by reviewing political science books and articles that test those theories. These essays will allow students to consider theory and empirical evidence to critically evaluate the multiple meanings of representation and how they may or may not cohere with empirical research. Race, gender, and other socially constructed identities become central when understanding whether and how lawmakers represent their constituents and how their own perception(s) of their constituents. As such, many areas of public policy are racialized (or broadly, marginalized). It therefore becomes important to examine under what conditions dominant systems and the individuals within those systems become committed to issues of social justice. This will elaborate on what issues actually get represented and how this relates the intersections of multiple identities and secondary forms of marginalization within marginal communities. The course examinations, discussion leader role, and research term paper will collectively measure a student's continued understanding of the construct of marginal identities and how that impacts the likelihood to access dominant institutions.
• Students will communicate effectively across differences with an understanding of their own social location. (Practiced)
• Students will be assigned the role of discussion leader at least once throughout the course. The role of discussion leader will be to summarize, examine, and critique the assigned readings for that day and to pose questions to other students. This practice will give students the experience of what it is like to teach a course, organize information, and present it in a coherent fashion. Students will be assessed for their preparation, organization, and effective and responsible communication. In personal emails from the faculty member, the students will gain feedback on what was effective, what could have been improved, and also instill encouragement and gratitude. These discussion leader assignments will have students positioned in a role that allows them to elaborate on identities. Students are encouraged to use their own social location to position these ideas in a constructive and critical way.

General Education Goals:

Human Institutions & Behavior

• Recognize the difference between empirical, theoretical, and ethical questions regarding human behavior (Practiced)
• Students will be assessed with two examinations throughout the semester. These exams include essays responding to prompts that are designed to allow students to show practice critical thought. The first block of the course will discuss theories of representation. Such theories will then be empirically examined by reviewing political science books and articles that test those theories. These essays will allow students to consider theory and empirical evidence to critically evaluate the multiple meanings of representation and how they may or may not cohere with empirical research.
• Understand a model of human behavior, how it departs from the models of related disciplines, and what phenomena it is useful for explaining (Practiced)
• Student examination will ask students to elaborate on theories and empirical studies explaining the ways representatives act. These models are models of human behavior and are varied: psychological (social identity theory), economic (rational choice theory), and social psychological (social category theory), etc. So, students will be assessed in their exams their understanding of these different and diverse approaches to understanding why representatives behave the way they do. Students will also write an empirical research paper as the final project for this course. Students will need to rely on one or more theories of representative behavior to develop hypotheses as they relate to a research question. Finally, students will need to empirically test their hypotheses and further discuss how their finding inform such theories.
• Have a command of the basic concepts from one of the disciplines (Practiced)
• Students will write an empirical research paper as the final project for this course. Students will need to rely on one or more theories of representative behavior to develop hypotheses as they relate to a research question. Finally, students will need to empirically test their hypotheses and further discuss how their finding inform such theories.
• Apply basic findings from one of the disciplines (Practiced)
• Students will write an empirical research paper as the final project for this course. Students will need to rely on one or more theories of representative behavior to develop hypotheses as they relate to a research question. Finally, students will need to empirically test their hypotheses and further discuss how their finding inform such theories.
• Understand how theories of human behavior are tested scientifically (Practiced)
• Students will write an empirical research paper as the final project for this course. Students will need to rely on one or more theories of representative behavior to develop hypotheses as they relate to a research question. Finally, students will need to empirically test their hypotheses and further discuss how their finding inform such theories.
• Recognize that human behavior is affected by factors ranging from the psychological to the global (Practiced)
• Student examination will ask students to elaborate on theories and empirical studies explaining the ways representatives act. These models are models of human behavior and are varied: psychological (social identity theory), economic (rational choice theory), and social psychological (social category theory), etc. So, students will be assessed in their exams their understanding of these different and diverse approaches to understanding why representatives behave the way they do

Program Goals:

Government Program Goals

• Students will learn to recognize the diverse forms of power that characterize various political systems and appreciate the factors that affect the exercise of political power. (Practiced)
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their recognition of influential theories of power; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their ability to recognize major theories.
• Senior theses written by government majors will be read by members of the department faculty, who will evaluate the degree to which the papers demonstrate a clear recognition of diverse forms of power.
• Students will learn to communicate responsibly and effectively by constructing and presenting well-conceived and well-written arguments. (Mastered)
• Senior theses written for the department will be surveyed by members of the government faculty, who will determine the extent to which the papers exhibit a coherent flow, and also whether or not they contain fewer than five errors of grammar and syntax.
• Students will learn to think critically by formulating alternative explanations for events and trends in the contemporary world. (Practiced)
• At the conclusion of upper-division courses offered by the government department, students will submit at least two plausible research questions, based on material covered in that course, that can provide the basis for further exploration in subsequent classes.
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by members of the faculty to determine whether or not they offer two or more plausible alternative explanations for the research question at hand.
• Students will become familiar with fundamental scholarship and cutting edge research in political science. (Practiced)
• Senior theses submitted to the government department will be surveyed by the faculty, who will determine whether the papers cite the publications of at least six major scholars, whose work is pertinent to the topic at hand.
• Students will be given a short quiz in introductory government courses that tests their familiarity with fundamental scholarship in political science; they will be given the same test during the first semester of their senior year; note will be taken of improvements (or lack thereof) in their familiarity with classic and cutting-edge scholarship.

Core Goals:

Critical Analysis

• Students will critically analyze information and ideas. (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to think critically. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent.
• Students will examine issues from multiple perspectives. (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to think critically. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent. This further involves utilizing dissenting and concurring opinions that may be more convincing of an argument to the student who may then contend that a more proper understanding of constitutional analysis will be to apply those competing perspectives.
• Students will engage in an exploration of the relationship between past systems of knowledge and present scholarly and creative approaches within and across disciplines. (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to think critically. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent. The historical development of this case history will be integral to understanding the Court's reasoning & reinterpretations of the Court's reasoning with new systems of knowledge (e.g., when scientific & essentialist understandings of race dominated the ideology of the Court versus contemporary social constructionist and critical perspectives of race. Precedent does not go away, but it may be reinterpreted or rejected due to new knowledge systems).
• Students will consider how our understanding of significant questions and ideas is informed by the critical, scholarly, and creative approaches through which we approach those questions and ideas. (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to think critically. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent. Students will further perform case brief assignments to understand significant questions before the Court. These assignments will have students summarize and condense complex decisions in a coherent fashion. These assignments will offer insight into the Court's creativity (at times finding new rights not previously articulated by the Court) and critical approach to law.
• Students will develop discernment, facility and ethical responsibility in using information. (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to think critically. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent. These hypothetical cases and the studied precedent address relevant and important political, constitutional, and ethical questions. Students will be positioned to critically examine these questions and the persons potentially adversely affected or relieved by the Court's decision. This means student will discern the important questions/issues, effective use information to craft an argument, and consider the ethical or moral implications of such reasoning.
• Students will engage as active participants in the College's intellectual community. (Practiced)
• Students in the 4 unit version of the course will actively engage with the intellectual community here at Mills College. The measurable criteria is the student engaging in oral argument before a three judge panel comprised of legal experts, lawyers, and judges. Students will present their argument in a public venue. Members of the campus community are invited to this event and be able to engage with constitutional argumentation and legal analysis.

General Education Goals:

Historical Perspectives

• Evaluate past events and trends from political, economic, artistic, cultural, philosophical, and social perspectives (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to utilize case history to reason through current hypothetical (though potentially very real) social and political problems. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent.
• Recognize both differences and similarities between past eras and the present (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to think critically. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent. Since the course understands the historical development of these doctrines, students will demonstrate their fluency with the distinctions of precedent as they relate to present issues.
• Critique existing analyses of earlier eras (Practiced)
• A midterm and a final examination will measure student's ability to think critically. These exams will be essay in format, which will present students with a hypothetical case in which they must use critical and analytical thought to apply doctrine and precedent to the hypothetical case. Also, a final term paper will more completely evaluate student's abilities to craft a legal argument and how it challenges, extends, or coheres with doctrine and precedent. Students can utilize these assignments to critique past opinions of the Court in order to more fully develop and refine their arguments. This involves reinterpreting precedent (e.g., gay rights issues before the Court have yet to make sexual minorities a suspect a class. But, students could critique this interpretation of precedent and provide an argument as to how the Court has done so.)
• Use critical tools to assess historical source materials (Practiced)
• The core of constitutional legal analysis is using past opinions, federal/state law, and the U.S. Constitution to apply them to new issues and questions. This ultimately means that students must apply critical analysis and logic to reason through facts and justify an end. The exams and legal brief assignments evaluate this core outcome. The reliance on previous opinions is central to this analysis. These historical source materials become the basis for argumentation. Finally, students in the 4 unit version will have to orally defend their positions utilizing these historical source materials to address questions regarding their arguments. Students in class will hear oral arguments before the Court in order to more fully appreciate the use of logic, rhetoric, and doctrinal analysis. This will then be put into practice in the Moot Court event.