From the time of Plato and Aristotle, the study of politics has been concerned with how human communities use power to shape the lives of individuals. Students of politics observe the world's political institutions, from local governments to international organizations. They are interested in the quality of political leadership, the values which underlie public affairs, the political and legal processes used to make governmental decisions, and the wisdom of policies. Politics is the continuing dialogue about the best way for communities to govern themselves.
The department offers a varied undergraduate curriculum covering domestic, foreign, and international politics. By meeting requirements outlined below, a student may earn a bachelor degree in political science or in political science-history; a minor in political science; or a bachelor degree in political science with an emphasis in public administration. A Master of Arts degree in political science and a Master of Public Administration degree are also offered. The scope of the faculty's interest and research is wide. They bring special insights gained through study and residence in Canada, England, Western Europe, the Soviet Union, Africa, India, the Far East and Latin America, as well as in Montana and Washington, D.C. All members of the department teach introductory and advanced courses.
Courses offered in the department are designed to: (1) assist students to secure a broad liberal education and to equip them with the foundations for American citizenship; (2) provide undergraduate preparation to allow continued study at the graduate level with the ultimate goal of college teaching and research; (3) offer a broad program of training for those students who plan careers in teaching at both the elementary and secondary levels; (5) provide a sound background for those students who intend to enroll in law and other professional schools. The major fields of political science are (1) American government and politics with national, state and local government, politics, and public law as sub-fields; (2) public administration; (3) political theory; (4) comparative government; (5) international relations, organization and law.
Majors are eligible for membership in Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honorary and are active in student political activities. The Department of Political Science secures a number of legislative and administrative internships in state and local government each year. Internships and other learning opportunities in Washington, D.C., are also available.
Refer to graduation requirements listed previously in the catalog. See index.
Political Science Major: Students majoring in political science must take a minimum of 33 credits of political science, including 100S, 200S, 230E, 250E; one course in comparative government; and one additional 300-400-level course in three of the five major fields listed above. Twenty-one of the 33 hours must be in upper-division courses. No more than 7 credits of independent study (PSc 496) and internship (PSc 398/498) combined may count toward the 33 required credits.
Political Science Major with an Emphasis in Public Administration: A student may earn a major in political science with an emphasis in public administration by completing a minimum of 39 credits in political science, including: 100S, 200S, 230E, 250E, one course in comparative government, one additional 300-400-level course in three of the five major fields of political science listed previously (excluding public administration), 361, 460, and two of the following courses: 360E, 364, 365, 461, 463S, 465.
Major Teaching Field of Political Science (Government): For an endorsement in the major teaching field of Political Science (Government), a student must complete the requirements for the B.A. degree with a major in Political Science. Students also must complete C&I 428, gain admission to Teacher Education and Student Teaching and meet the requirements for certification as a secondary teacher (see the School of Education section of this catalog).
Minor Teaching Field of Political Science (Government): For an endorsement in the minor teaching field of Political Science (Government), a student must complete the requirements for the political science minor as given in the section, Requirements for a Minor. Students also must complete C&I 428, gain admission to Teacher Education and Student Teaching and meet the requirements for certification as a secondary teacher (see the School of Education section of this catalog).
Combined Political Science-History Teaching Major: The B.A. degree with a major in Political Science-History is designed for students seeking an endorsement to teach comprehensive (broadfield) Social Science. Students complete a broad range of courses in political science and history (48 credits) and from 9 to 13 credits of courses from two additional social science disciplines. Students must complete PSc 100S, PSc 200S, PSc 230E and 15 elective credits in upper-division political science courses. In history, students must complete three courses from Hist 104H, 105H, 151H, 152H, Hist 300 and 9 credits in upper-division history courses, including a selection from American and other than American history. No more than 60 credits in Political Science and History may be counted toward the degree. In addition, students must complete Econ 100S, 111S, 112S; Geog 103N, 281 and six additional credits in geography; Psyc 100S and a course emphasizing Native Americans in Montana and North America.
Students also must complete C&I 428, gain admission to Teacher Education and Student Teaching and meet the requirements for certification as a secondary teacher (see the School of Education section of this catalog). Comprehensive Social Science qualifies for a single teaching field endorsement. Students must have an advisor in either political science or history and an advisor from the School of Education for teacher certification. This program qualifies students to teach government, history, economics and geography for grades 5-12.
First Year
Second Year
To earn a minor in political science the student must complete a minimum of 21 credits of political science, including 100S, 200S, 230E, and 250E; one course in comparative government; and one additional 300-400-level course in two of the five major fields of political science listed previously. Nine of the 21 credits must be in 300-400-level courses.
U = for undergraduate credit only, UG = for undergraduate or graduate credit, G = for graduate credit. R after the credit indicates the course may be repeated for credit to the maximum indicated after the R.
U 100S Introduction to American Government 3 cr. Not open to senior level political science majors except with consent of chair. Constitutional principles, structures, and the political process of the national government.
U 195 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
U 200S Public Policy Issues 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S. Introduction to the policy-making process and issues of domestic and foreign policy.
U 230E International Relations 3 cr. Not open to senior level political science majors except with consent of instr. Review of the evolution of the nation-state system and survey of contemporary international actors, issues and forces for stability and change.
U 240H Introduction to Third World Studies 3 cr. Introduction to Third World societies, cultures, political systems, problems, and perspectives. Consideration of Western policies and involvement.
U 250E Political Theory 3 cr. Analysis of the various attempts (from Plato to Marx) to explain, instruct, and justify the distribution of political power in society. Emphasis is placed upon those theories whose primary concern is to define the nature of the "good" society.
UG 320H Politics of the Middle East 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Institutions, political development, and the role of religion in selected Middle Eastern countries with emphasis on Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
UG 321H Politics of Western Europe 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S and junior standing or consent of instr. Comparative analysis of parliamentary forms of government and politics with emphasis on Great Britain, France and West Germany.
UG 322H Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S and junior standing or consent of instr. Culture, ideology and political institutions of the former Soviet Union and its successor states.
UG 323 Politics of Revolution 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Study of the political processes of revolution, its causes and consequences. Analysis of violence as a political technique and of counter measures designed to prevent or control it.
UG 324H Politics of Canada 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S and junior standing or consent of instr. Analysis of cultural, social and economic underpinnings of Canadian politics with emphasis on the interaction among federalism, nationalism and Canada-U.S. relations.
UG 325 Politics of Latin America 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Latin American politics from both historical and contemporary perspectives.
UG 326H Politics of Africa 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Development of the political systems of sub-Saharan Africa. Analysis of the interaction between African and Western social, political, and economic forces. Consideration of African political thought.
UG 327 Politics of Mexico 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. A review of contemporary politics of Mexico from the Revolution to the present.
UG 328H Politics of China 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Institutions and political development in China.
UG 329H Politics of Japan 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Institutions and political development in Japan.
UG 332E International Organizations 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 230E and junior standing or consent of instr. Offered alternate years. A theoretical and political examination of the United Nations (and selected other organizations) as an instrument of international cooperation.
UG 335E American Foreign Policy 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 200S and 230E and junior standing or consent of instr. Offered alternate years. American diplomatic, economic and defense policies since World War II and their significance in international politics.
UG 336 The Causes of War 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. A colloquium to clarify the definitional and philosophical problems besetting the search for the causes (and the prevention) of war.
UG 337 Ending The Cold War in Asia 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Readings, discussions, and writing about recent developments in and relations among the four major powers in Asian-Pacific international relations--the United States, Japan, China and Russia.
UG 341 Political Parties and Elections 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S. Offered alternate years. Political party organization, nominations, campaigns and elections in the United States.
UG 342 Media and Public Opinion 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S. Offered alternate years. Study of the role played by mass media in shaping public opinion, policy agendas, and governmental institutions.
UG 343 Politics of Social Movements 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. The role of social movements in shaping the politics of power, reflected in public policy, electoral politics, relations of class, race, and gender, and people's understanding of the world and their place in it.
UG 352 American Political Thought and Its Antecedents 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 250E or consent of instr. The study of Locke and Rousseau serves as an introduction for an analysis of conflicting themes in American political thought: Utilitarianism vs. Republicanism, Libertarianism vs. Egalitarianism, Elitism vs. Communitarianism.
UG 354 Contemporary Issues in Political Theory 3 cr. (R-6) Prereq., PSc 250E or consent of instr. Offered alternate years. Topics variable. Research and assessment of current political and social issues through the study of a representative text and related literature.
UG 355 Politics and Culture 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 250E or consent of instr. Same as Phil 355. Study of the ways political processes and cultural issues shape and modify one another in contemporary western societies.
UG 360E Ethics in Government 3 cr. Prereq., lower-division course in Perspective 5 or consent of instr. Analysis of the role and scope of ethical issues in public policy and the moral responsibilities of public officials.
U 361 Public Administration 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S. Legal and institutional setting of the administrative system; dynamics of organization and processes of public management.
UG 364 State and Local Government 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S and junior standing. Offered alternate years. Analysis of American state and local government with emphasis on governmental organization, intergovernmental relations, local government powers, and self-government charters. Special attention to Montana.
UG 365 Government and the Economy 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 200S. Offered alternate years. The politics of governmental involvement in the economy, and its role as regulator, promoter, and participant in economic activity.
UG 366 The American Presidency 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S. The constitutional foundation and evolution of the executive branch, the structure of the office, and executive functions and powers.
UG 370 The Supreme Court and Judicial Politics 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S and junior standing. Introduction to the judicial process with emphasis on judicial powers, interpretation of law by judges, and Supreme Court decision making.
UG 387 Legislative Politics 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S. Structure, processes, and politics of U.S. Congress and state legislatures. During legislative years, special emphasis will be devoted to the Montana Legislature.
U 395 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
UG 400 Tribal Government 3 cr. Same as NAS 400. Offered alternate years. An examination of tribal governments from a historical and political perspective. Particular attention devoted to the issues of tribal sovereignty and tribal-state conflicts.
UG 430 Inter-American Relations 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 325 or consent of instr. Examination of problems, issues and concepts in the international relations of nations of the western hemisphere.
UG 433E International Law 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 332E and junior standing or consent of instr. Offered alternate years. Introduction to classical principles and contemporary issues of the law of nations.
UG 460 Public Personnel Administration 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 361 or consent of instr. Study of the essential elements of personnel administration, including analysis and evaluation of work, and the selection, management, and evaluation of public employees.
UG 461 Administrative Law 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 100S and junior standing. Offered alternate years. The legal foundations of public administration with emphasis on legislative delegation, administrative rulemaking and adjudication, judicial review, and public participation.
UG 463S Development Administration 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Offered alternate years. Study of the functions and processes of public administration in the Third World. Focus on alleviating poverty and underdevelopment. Includes project design and development planning activities.
UG 465 Selected Topics in Public Policy 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 200S and junior standing or consent of instr. Offered alternate years. Analysis of the public policy process with special emphasis on selected contemporary issues that illustrate the roles of governmental and non-governmental bodies in the formation of public policy.
UG 471 Constitutional Law I: Federalism and Separation of Powers 3 cr. Prereq., junior standing or consent of instr. Case studies of judicial policy making by interpretation of the United States Constitution.
UG 472 Constitutional Law II: Civil Rights and Liberties 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 471 or consent of instr. Case studies of judicial policy making by interpretation of the United States Constitution.
U 493 Omnibus Variable cr. (R-15) Prereq., consent of instr. Independent work under the University omnibus option. See index.
UG 495 Special Topics in Political Science 1-3 cr. (R-9) Prereq., consent of instr. Experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
UG 496 Independent Study in Political Science 1-3 cr. (R-6) Prereq., nine credits in political science courses numbered at the 300- or 400-level and consent of instr. Research in fields appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.
U 498 Cooperative Education Experience 1-15 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Cooperative Education Office.
G 501 Public Administration 3 cr. Advanced analysis of processes of public management; examination of public administrators' involvement in policy making.
G 502 Research Methods 3 cr. A survey of methods employed in social science research with emphasis on preparing research designs.
G 503 Policy Analysis 3 cr. Prereq., PSc 501 and 502 or consent of instr. The role of public administrators in the policymaking process with emphasis on methods of policy analysis and program evaluation.
G 504 Administration in Complex Organizations 3 cr. Concepts and theories relevant to the administration of complex organizations, including admnistrative structure, behavior, process and functions.
G 505 Public Finance and Budgeting 3 cr. Seminar focusing on principles of public finance and analysis of budgeting as a primary tool of public sector management.
G 521 Ethics in Government 3 cr. Offered every second or third year. Analysis of the role and scope of ethical issues in public policy and the moral responsibilities of public officials.
G 522 Public Personnel Administration 3 cr. Offered every second or third year. Study of the essential elements of personnel administration, including analysis and evaluation of work, and the selection, management and evaluation of public employees.
G 523 Administrative Law 3 cr. Prereq., enrollment in Helena M.P.A. program or Great Falls M.A.S. program. Offered every second or third year. The legal foundations of public administration with emphasis on legislative delegation, administrative rulemaking and adjudication, judicial review, and public participation.
G 531 American Government 3 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Directed readings in the area of American government.
G 532 Comparative Government 3 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Directed readings in the area of comparative government.
G 533 International Relations 3 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Directed readings in the area of international relations.
G 534 Political Theory 3 cr. Prereq., consent of instr. Directed readings in the area of political theory.
G 590 Supervised Internship in Public Administration 1-6 cr. (R-6) Prereq., consent of instr. Offered pass/not pass only.
G 593 Professional Paper 1-3 cr. (R-3)
G 594 Seminar Variable cr. (R-9) Topic varies.
G 595 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-9) Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.
G 596 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-6) Prereq., consent of instr.
G 597 Applied Research Project 1-3 cr. (R-3) Coreq., PSc 503. Offered pass/not pass only.
G 598 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R-6) Prereq., consent of instr. Offered pass/not pass only.
G 599 Thesis Variable cr. (R-6)
Professors
Associate Professor
Assistant Professors