POLI 102 State and Local Government

This course is an introduction to state and local government and the study of political science. Students who complete this course will be able to critically analyze state and local government and politics including state constitutions, federalism, institutions of state government, state politics, forms of local government, city and county politics, and state and local issues.

Credits

3

Prerequisite

Eligible to enroll in ENGL 121

Hours Weekly

3 hours weekly

Course Objectives

1. Identify and organize information and ideas about the institutions of state and local government, and their policies.
2. Generate ideas, explore possibilities, and consider alternatives about the different ways of organizing or carrying out the functions of state and local government.
3. Analyze and evaluate ideas and theories about politics and government on a state and local level.
4. Apply information, ideas, and policies used in one state or locality to other states or other governments.
5. Evaluate one's own beliefs and alternative perspectives in relation to the ethical issues facing citizens and political representatives in operation of state and local governments.
6. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of state constitutions and their impact on the effectiveness of state government.
7. Analyze the evolving role of state governors as heads of government, chief executives, and political leaders.
8. Investigate the role states play as “laboratories of democracy,” experimenting with new governmental programs and approaches.
9. Evaluate the various forms of city and county governing structures.
10. Write clearly and effectively using appropriate, relevant, and properly attributed content that demonstrates the writer’s understanding of state and local government.

Course Objectives

1. Identify and organize information and ideas about the institutions of state and local government, and their policies.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT1
2. Generate ideas, explore possibilities, and consider alternatives about the different ways of organizing or carrying out the functions of state and local government.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT2
3. Analyze and evaluate ideas and theories about politics and government on a state and local level.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT3
4. Apply information, ideas, and policies used in one state or locality to other states or other governments.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT4
5. Evaluate one's own beliefs and alternative perspectives in relation to the ethical issues facing citizens and political representatives in operation of state and local governments.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Ethics Rubric
   • Course assignment rubric

   Ethics Goals

   • ET1
   • ET2
   • ET3
6. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of state constitutions and their impact on the effectiveness of state government.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Course assignment rubric
7. Analyze the evolving role of state governors as heads of government, chief executives, and political leaders.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments
8. Investigate the role states play as “laboratories of democracy,” experimenting with new governmental programs and approaches.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Course assignment rubric.
9. Evaluate the various forms of city and county governing structures.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Writing Assignments

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Course assignment rubric
10. Write clearly and effectively using appropriate, relevant, and properly attributed content that demonstrates the writer’s understanding of state and local government.

    This objective is a course Goal Only

    Learning Activity Artifact

    • Writing Assignments

    Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

    • Other (please fill out box below)
    • Course writing rubric