Political Science Courses
The Department continuously works to offer courses aligned with students' interests; as such, we cannot guarantee all Political Science courses will be offered every quarter or every academic year.
The Department offers a tentative course offerings list for the academic year, which is updated frequently as courses are added or moved around. Check back frequently for any course updates.
For a list of courses offered by the department, you may refer to the UCSD Course Catalog.
Newly updated course information not yet published in the current version of the Course Catalog can be found below:
POLI 100Z. Gender and American Politics (4). This course examines the role of gender in American politics. First, we consider how gender plays a role in political opinions and behavior among citizens. Then, we turn to the elite level and examine whether women legislate differently than their male counterparts and how the broader political context influences patterns of women's representation. We conclude by sorting through explanations for why women are underrepresented in political office and assess implications for American democracy.
POLI 104O. Introduction to Contracts, Drafting, and Negotiations (4). This course will introduce students to the fascinating world of contracts, including contract formation, breach, remedies. Students will also engage in contract drafting and negotiation exercises. Prerequisites: POLI 104J and upper-division standing.
POLI 104Q. Introduction to Intellectual Property Law (4). This course will introduce students to the exciting cases and issues surrounding intellectual property law, and will cover topics including trademark, copyright, and patents, as well as infringement and fair use. Prerequisites: POLI 104J and upper-division standing.
POLI 107. LGBTQ Politics (4). This course is designed to expose students to the study of LGBTQ politics in the American context, focusing specifically on the U.S. LGBTQ movement's formation and evolution, political success, and current political and social challenges. We will also seek to unpack the extent to which the U.S. LGBTQ movement can be seen as a "template" for a broader international LGBTQ movement and its ramifications for LGBTQ movement success outside of the United States.
POLI 110F. Critical Reasoning & Consumption (4). All students will encounter evidence throughout their lives. Some is reliable - some is not. While reports are sometimes diligent & careful, others are poorly conceived or deliberately misleading. As critical consumers, it is our responsibility to distinguish between the two. This course aims to provide the tools needed for this evaluation. Each week covers a particular fallacy. After learning about abstract principles, we will examine their applications to contemporary and historical examples.
POLI 135D. Comparative Politics of Race and Ethnicity (4). This class will consider social science theories of identity politics. We will ask: How do racial and ethnic identities differ from other identities like gender, class, and nation? When do racial and ethnic identities become politicized? What are the effects of their politicization on elections and civil conflict? What are political solutions for managing politicized identities? We will consider cases from around the world, with a particular focus on Africa.
POLI 139. Development in Brazil (4). This course explores political, economic and social development in contemporary Brazil. Various challenges are investigated, including poverty, inequality, health, education, corruption, violence and environmental issues. The roles of Brazil's president, Congress, and judiciary in policy responses are examined.
POLI 145. Theories of Technology and National Security (4). We review the implications of major, technological innovation on national security and international relations. Sometimes we'll focus on the technologies-like nuclear weapons-and explore the implications for state behavior on the world stage. Other times, we'll focus on the innovators-like the CIA-and explore how they invest in research to deliberately gain an edge on rivals. This has important ethical and organizational implications. We will look at states, and non-state actors.
POLI 156. Politics of Non-Governmental Organizations (4). This course is designed to expose students to the politics of NGOs (i.e., non-governmental organizations) by examining their structure, rationale, and involvement within international politics. This course will pay particular attention to how NGOs shape and are shaped by civil society at the national, international, and transnational levels and will examine the context in which NGOs function as well as the roles, tactics, and success of these organizations in shaping local and global outcomes.
POLI 177. Data Analysis for Policy Advice (4). This course is aimed at students interested in using their analytical skills to provide insights to decision-makers primarily in the government and nonprofit sectors. We will study the types of decision-makers that exist, what kinds of questions they typically have, the methods and data that are available to answer them, and how to go about packaging and delivering policy advice. These skills are taught using applied examples from public policy and administrative datasets.
POLI 178. Applied Data Analytics for United States National Security (4). Policymakers want analysts to have X-Men powers: read the minds of others, influence their behavior and predict the future. This course surveys cutting edge technologies and research methods used for data analytics roles in American foreign policy/intelligence. Students will be expected to replicate at least one quantitative study.
For information about Political Science courses planned for Summer Session, students must check the Summer Session website.
Past Course Syllabi
- All of our current and past syllabi are located at Educational Technology Services. If a syllabus you are seeking is not found there, please contact the instructor directly.