POL 295 - Special Topics in American Politics

FDR: SS2
Credits: 3 in fall and winter, 4 in spring

Prerequisites: First-year or sophomore standing or instructor consent. A seminar in political science for students at the introductory or intermediate level. Topic, hour, and instructor are announced prior to registration. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.

Fall 2016, POL 295A-01: Special Topics in American Government: 2016 Elections (3). Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. This course follows the major events in the 2016 U.S. presidential election while providing context and content for critical analysis of the current election cycle. Topics include: the history of presidential selection in the American political regime, the origins and evolution of the primary/caucus nomination system, the role of media in presidential politics, the lessons learned from the presidential election of 2012, the contested issues in 2016 and the future of presidential politics following the unusual events that have occurred in the current presidential selection process. In addition to exams, a series of short paper are assigned throughout the term. Strong.