Political Science Section 2 Program Summary

Political Science Section 2.
Program Summary (printable version)

A. Degree overview:

Consistent with the State of Michigan’s conception of political science, EMU trains students to have a broad training in the discipline, including U.S. and international politics, as well as a range of research methodologies. This training involves extensive research and inquiry component, often involving real world data and electronic resources, that then student can apply in their own classrooms.

Overall Social Studies knowledge base and philosophy

Within the larger EMU teacher preparation program, political science education has a specific focus on preparing students to meet the needs of both our local and national communities for effective instruction in government and civics. In order to improve this preparation, the following have been accomplished:

First, the Social Studies methods class has been retooled to reflect both national and state standards in political science and social studies. Extensive consultation by social studies methods faculty with local teachers and administrators has resulted in a focus on ensuring that students graduate with a firm foundation in standards, assessment, lesson and unit design, and the use of technology in the social studies classroom.

Second, involvement in the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Quality Grant has enhanced the program’s attention to students’ understanding of the importance of contextual factors in geography and social studies teaching. This program has also focused on the need for students to be able to accurately assess and evaluate student learning in the social studies classroom.

Finally, the program has sought to build ties to local schools and districts in order to better understand what is expected of our graduates. These outreach efforts have helped build greater field opportunities for our students, and have also enabled us to gain feedback on how our student teachers and graduates are performing in the classroom.

B. Sequence of Classes. Candidate preparation involves four phases of coursework and field experience – General studies classes, classes in the major, a professional education sequence, and field experiences that correspond to the professional education sequence.

General Studies Courses
All university students must successfully complete a series of General Studies courses. These include
• 5 courses in Symbolics and Communication
• 3 courses in Science and Technology
• 4 courses in Social Science
• 4 courses in Arts and Humanities.

These classes are designed to give all students an introduction to a broad range of disciplines. All students must also complete one class with a multi-cultural/cross-cultural focus from among the general studies classes. The four courses in the social science area provide a broad range of disciplinary perspectives for future teachers.

Political Science Major
HIST 102 Europe, 1648 – World War I
HIST 103 Twentieth Century World
GEOG 107 Introduction to Geography or GEOG 110 World Regions
One course in Economics
PLSC 112/PLSC 113 American Government (3)
One course from the following:
PLSC 210 Introduction to Political Analysis
PLSC 310 Methods of Political Research
Two courses from the following: .
PLSC 211 Introduction to Comparative Government (3)
PLSC 212 Introduction to International Politics (3)
PLSC 213 Introduction to Political Thought (3)
Seven courses from the three groups listed below, including at least one
course from each group
Group I—American politics, public law, and administration
PLSC 202 State and Local Government (3)
PLSC 216 Municipal Government (3)
PLSC 270 Public Administration (3)
PLSC 301 The American Legal System (3)
PLSC 312 American Constitutional Law I (3)
PLSC 313 American Constitutional Law II (3)
PLSC 330 Urban Politics (3)
PLSC 332 Intergovernmental Relations and Federalism (3)
PLSC 335 Labor in American Politics (3)
PLSC 352 Politics of Government Budgeting (3)
PLSC 358 Parties, Elections, and Interest Groups (3)
PLSC 364 The Legislative Process (3)
PLSC 365 Women and Politics (3)
PLSC 380 The American Presidency (3)
PLSC 381 Public Policy Analysis (3)
PLSC 385 Judicial Process and Behavior (3)
Group II—Comparative politics and international relations
PLSC 221 Vietnam (3)
PLSC 222 War and Peace in the Nuclear Age (3)
PLSC 311 Third World Politics (3)
PLSC 327 American Foreign Policy Process (3)
PLSC 341 International Law (3)
PLSC 342 International Organizations (3)
PLSC 354 Government and Politics of Canada (3)
PLSC 361 Russian Politics in Transition (3)
PLSC 367 Contemporary Political Systems of Latin America (3)
PLSC 371 Government and Politics of the Middle East (3)
PLSC 372 Government and Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa (3)
PLSC 374 Asian Political Systems (3)
PLSC 462 Russian Foreign Relations (3)
PLSC 467 Advanced International Relations (3)
Group III—Political theory and methods
PLSC 308 Political Violence and Revolution (3)
PLSC 359 Public Opinion and Political Learning (3)
PLSC 382 Politics and the 21st Century (3)
PLSC 410 Political Science in Fiction (3)
PLSC 418 20th-Century Political Theory (3)
PLSC 420 Democracy and Power (3)
PLSC 422 American Political Theory (3)

The Political Science Major is designed to give students a broad background in each of the major areas of political science, and as tested by the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification. This includes extensive work in inquiry methods in political science.

Professional Studies
Pre-admission Phase: The Learner and the Community
EDPS 322 Human Development and Learning
FETE 202 Field Experience I
SPGN 251 Education of Exceptional Children
Phase I: Curriculum and Assessment and the Social Context
SOFD 328 Schools in a Multicultural Society
CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods, Secondary
EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation
FETE 302 Field Experience II Secondary
Phase II: Content Methods, Literacy, and Technology
EDMT 330 Instructional Applications of Media and Technology
HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies
RDNG 311 Teaching Reading in the Secondary School
FETE 402 Field Experience III: Secondary

Phase III: Capstone Experience
EDUC 492 Student teaching

Political Science Minor

PLSC 112/PLSC 113 American Government
Two core courses from the following:
PLSC 210 Introduction to Political Analysis (3)
PLSC 211 Introduction to Comparative Government (3)
PLSC 212 Introduction to International Politics (3)
PLSC 213 Introduction to Political Thought (3)
PLSC 310 Methods of Political Research (3)
Five courses from two of the three following areas of concentration:
Group I—American politics, public law, and administration
PLSC 202 State and Local Government (3)
PLSC 216 Municipal Government (3)
PLSC 270 Public Administration (3)
PLSC 301 The American Legal System (3)
PLSC 312 American Constitutional Law I (3)
PLSC 313 American Constitutional Law II (3)
PLSC 330 Urban Politics (3)
PLSC 332 Intergovernmental Relations and Federalism (3)
PLSC 335 Labor in American Politics (3)
PLSC 352 Politics of Government Budgeting (3)
PLSC 358 Parties, Elections, and Interest Groups (3)
PLSC 364 The Legislative Process (3)
PLSC 365 Women and Politics (3)
PLSC 380 The American Presidency (3)
PLSC 381 Public Policy Analysis (3)
PLSC 385 Judicial Process and Behavior (3)
Group II—Comparative politics and international relations
PLSC 221 Vietnam (3)
PLSC 222 War and Peace in the Nuclear Age (3)
PLSC 311 Third World Politics (3)
PLSC 327 American Foreign Policy Process (3)
PLSC 341 International Law (3)
PLSC 342 International Organizations (3)
PLSC 354 Government and Politics of Canada (3)
PLSC 361 Russian Politics in Transition (3)
PLSC 367 Contemporary Political Systems of Latin America (3)
PLSC 371 Government and Politics of the Middle East (3)
PLSC 372 Government and Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa (3)
PLSC 374 Asian Political Systems (3)
PLSC 462 Russian Foreign Relations (3)
PLSC 467 Advanced International Relations (3)
Group III—Political theory and methods
PLSC 308 Political Violence and Revolution (3)
PLSC 359 Public Opinion and Political Learning (3)
PLSC 382 Politics and the 21st Century (3)
PLSC 410 Political Science in Fiction (3)
PLSC 418 20th-Century Political Theory (3)
PLSC 420 Democracy and Power (3)
PLSC 422 American Political Theory (3)

The Political Science Minor is designed to give students a broad background in each of the major areas of political science, as called for in the Michigan Curriculum Framework, and as tested by the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification.

Field Experience

All students must complete 100 field experience hours before student teaching. Sixty of the hours are completed in structured Field Experience (FETE) courses, 55 of these hours in the major. The remaining 40 hours are completed independently in a variety of learning environments.

FETE (Field Experience in Teacher Education) courses are developmental field experiences completed at three points in the students' professional education sequence. FETE courses are taken as co-requisites to core courses in the professional education sequence. Instructors for all FETE courses are practicing educators from area schools.

The structure of FETE courses is as follows: After an initial orientation, all interactions with the instructors are electronic. Students have coursepacks of readings and field assignments. They also have weekly discussions through web caucus. Students are able to discuss their field experiences with both their FETE instructor in the online format and the instructor of the co-requisite course. This combination of practicing professional and teacher education professor feedback provides multiple points of view for reflection.

Student Teaching:

All students take EDUC 492 for 12 hours. This is a full semester of full-time student teaching. It includes writing and teaching a curriculum unit, a reflective journal, and an analysis demonstrating student learning.

c. In HIST 481, Teaching Social Studies, CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods – Secondary and EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation, students learn a variety of instructional strategies, and are given in depth instruction in utilizing different teaching techniques to match student learning styles in the classroom.

d. Not applicable.

e. The following classes have a significant component of multi-cultural and gender equity:
EDPS 322 Human Development and Learning, FETE 202 Field Experience I, SPGN 251 Education of Exceptional Children, SOFD 328 Schools in a Multicultural Society, CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods, Secondary, EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation, HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies, READ 311, Teaching Reading in the Secondary School and FETE 402 Field Experience III: Secondary.

All political science students are required to take with PLSC 211 or 212, and one course focused on International Content. Classes such as His 103 help students make connections across the globe in political science as well as see the international aspects of economics. All EMU are required to take at least one Cross-cultural/Multicultural class as part of their general studies requirement.

f. In EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation and HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies student learn how to apply different evaluation and assessment techniques (traditional and authentic) to their own classroom.

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