Component Type	Contact Hours
Lecture	3.0

Enrollment Component	Per Semester	Per Section	Multiple Sections?	Comments
Lecture	35	35	No	n/a

SIS Program Code	Program Title	Required or Elective?
16PSAM	BA Political Science: American Politics	Required
16PSBA	BA Political Science	Elective
16PSINT	BA Political Science: International Politics	Elective
16PSLJJ	BA Political Science: Law and Justice, Justice Systems	Elective
16PSLJL	BA Political Science: Law and Justice, Law and Theory	Elective
16PSPUB	BA Political Science: Public Policy	Elective
16PSBS	BS Political Science	Elective
16OSM	Political Science Minor	Elective

Catalog Description

Campaigns and elections in the United States with emphasis on presidential and congressional primary and general elections. Development of theoretical propositions concerning how and why people vote, how and why candidates campaign, and behavioral reasons underlying candidates' successes and failures. Special emphasis on the role of the mass media in the electoral process.

Justification for each revision:

Formal GEP review and adding to CourseLeaf system.

Does this course have a fee?

List amount and justification for fee:

Is this a GEP Course?

Yes

GEP Categories

Social Sciences

Humanities Open when gep_category = HUM

Each course in the Humanities category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Engage the human experience through the interpretation of culture.

Measure(s) for the above outcome(s): Describe the assessments that will be used to determine if students have achieved the outcome. Including a relevant example assignment/question/prompt is encouraged for clarity.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 2:
Obj. 2): Become aware of the act of interpretation itself as a critical form of knowing in the humanities.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Humanities Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Make academic arguments about the human experience using reasons and evidence for supporting those reasons that are appropriate to the humanities.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Mathematical Sciences Open when gep_category = MATH

Each course in the Mathematial Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Mathematical Sciences Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Improve and refine mathematical problem-solving abilities.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Mathematical Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Develop logical reasoning skills.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Natural Sciences Open when gep_category = NATSCI

Each course in the Natural Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Natural Sciences Objective 1:
Obj.O 1) Use the methods and processes of science in testing hypotheses, solving problems and making decisions

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Natural Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Make inferences from and articulate, scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories, and apply this knowledge to problem solving.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Social Sciences Open when gep_category = SOCSCI

Each course in the Social Sciences category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Examine at least one of the following: human behavior, culture, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes.

Analyze how psychological and partisan biases influence citizen behavior in elections

Paper assignment prompt: explore your own partisan and ideological history and discuss how it has influenced your behavior in the political realm.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Demonstrate how social scientific methods may be applied to the study of human behavior, culture, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes.

Critically evaluate political science data on campaigns and elections (e.g., public opinion polls, turnout figures, etc.)

Test question: What factors do you think may account for women’s equal participation in turnout, but lower participation in political discussion as reflected in the accompanying chart?

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Social Sciences Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Use theories or concepts of the social sciences to analyze and explain theoretical and or real-world problems, including the underlying origins of such problems.

Apply knowledge about campaigns and elections to critiquing contemporary United States elections

Paper assignment:
Choose a 2014 race for U.S. Congress, from a state other than North Carolina. The race should have been competitive, i.e., the winner received no more than 55% of the vote. Analyze why the race turned out as it did. Who won and why? Was there an incumbent or was it an open-seat race—how did this affect the outcome? What impact did the demographic and ideological make-up of the constituents have? How would you characterize the media coverage of this race? How did national political factors affect this Congressional race?

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Interdisciplinary Perspectives Open when gep_category = INTERDISC

Each course in the Interdisciplinary Perspectives category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Distinguish between the distinct approaches of two or more disciplines.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Identify and apply authentic connections between two or more disciplines.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Interdisciplinary Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Explore and synthesize the approaches or views of two or more disciplines.

To assist CUE in evaluating this course for inclusion on the Interdisciplinary Perspecitves list, please answer these additional questions.
1. Which disciplines will be synthesized, connected, and/or considered in this course?

2. How will the instructor present the material so that these disciplines are addressed in a way that allows the students "to integrate the multiple points of view into a cohesive understanding"?

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Visual & Performing Arts Open when gep_category = VPA

Each course in the Visual and Performing Arts category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Deepen their understanding of aesthetic, cultural, and historical dimensions of artistic traditions.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Strengthen their ability to interpret and make critical judgements about the arts through the analysis of structure, form, and style of specific works.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Visual & Performing Arts Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Strengthen their ability to create, recreate, or evaluate art based upon techniques and standards appropriate to the genre.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Health and Exercise Studies Open when gep_category = HES

Each course in the Health and Exercise Studies category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Acquire the fundamentals of health-related fitness, encompassing cardio-respiratory and cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, muscular flexibility and body composition.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Apply knowledge of the fundamentals of health-related fitness toward developing, maintaining, and sustaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Acquire or enhance the basic motor skills and skill-related competencies, concepts, and strategies used in physical activities and sport.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Health & Exercise Studies Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Gain a thorough working knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of the spirit and rules, history, safety, and etiquette of physical activities and sport.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Global Knowledge Open when gep_category = GLOBAL

Each course in the Global Knowledge category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to achieve objective #1 plus at least one of objectives 2, 3, and 4:

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Identify and examine distinguishing characteristics, including ideas, values, images, cultural artifacts, economic structures, technological or scientific developments, and/or attitudes of people in a society or culture outside the United States.

Please complete at least 1 of the following student objectives.
List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Compare these distinguishing characteristics between the non-U.S. society and at least one other society.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Explain how these distinguishing characteristics relate to their cultural and/or historical contexts in the non-U.S. society.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP Global Knowledge Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Explain how these disinguishing characteristics change in response to internal and external pressures on the non-U.S. society.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

US Diversity Open when gep_category = USDIV

Each course in the US Diversity category of the General Education Program will provide instruction and guidance that help students to achieve at least 2 of the following objectives:
Please complete at least 2 of the following student objectives.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 1:
Obj. 1) Analyze how religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age identities are shaped by cultural and societal influences.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 2:
Obj. 2) Categorize and compare historical, social, political, and/or economic processes producing diversity, equality, and structured inequalities in the U.S.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 3:
Obj. 3) Interpret and evaluate social actions by religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age groups affecting equality and social justice in the U.S.

List the Instructor's student learning outcomes that are relevant to the GEP U.S. Diversity Objective 4:
Obj. 4) Examine interactions between people from different religious, gender, ethnic, racial, class, sexual orientation, disability, and/or age groups in the U.S.

Attach Additional GEP Information if applicable

Requisites and Scheduling

What percentage of the seats offered will be open to all students?

100

a. If seats are restricted, describe the restrictions being applied.

There are no restrictions.

b. Is this restriction listed in the course catalog description for the course?

n/a

List all course pre-requisites, co-requisites, and restrictive statements (ex: Jr standing; Chemistry majors only). If none, state none.

Prerequisite: PS 201

List any discipline specific background or skills that a student is expected to have prior to taking this course. If none, state none. (ex: ability to analyze historical text; prepare a lesson plan)

None.

Additional Information

Complete the following 3 questions or attach a syllabus that includes this information. If a 400-level or dual level course, a syllabus is required.

Title and author of any required text or publications.

Campaigns & Elections (2012 Election Update edition) by John Sides et al.

The Politics of Congressional Elections, 8th edition, by Gary Jacobson

Major topics to be covered and required readings including laboratory and studio topics.

no change

List any required field trips, out of class activities, and/or guest speakers.

no change

Consultation

Instructional Resources Statement

Course is already a regular offering within the PS Department and will continue to be.

Course Objectives/Goals

This course examines the role of elections in the American political system. We will explore elections—what candidates do to get elected and how voters decide for whom to vote—for both president and Congress. We will also examine the role of gender in elections, electoral systems, the polarized electorate, and proposals for improving our democracy. Given the present political context, there will be special focus on elections for Congress. This course is not intended to provide guidance on how to run an election campaign.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. analyze how psychological and partisan biases influence citizen behavior in elections;

2. critically evaluate political science data on campaigns and elections (e.g., public opinion polls, turnout figures, etc.);

3. apply knowledge about campaigns and elections to critiquing contemporary United States elections.

Student Evaluation Methods

Evaluation Method	Weighting/Points for Each	Details
Other	100	no change

Topical Outline/Course Schedule

Topic	Time Devoted to Each Topic	Activity
see attached weekly topics

Syllabus

Additional Documentation

PS302 Weekly Schedule.docx

Additional Comments

Justification for this request

History

Viewing: PS 302 : Campaigns and Elections in the US Political System

Last approved: Tue, 26 Apr 2016 08:19:05 GMT

Last edit: Tue, 22 Mar 2016 14:49:46 GMT