Course Description: PLS 113, Introduction to Politics, is a survey of the discipline of political science designed to introduce students to important theories, concepts, and issues in the study of political behavior, phenomena, and processes.  The course will cover the major subfields of political science: including political theory, research methods, American government, comparative politics, public administration, public policy and international relations.

Course Goals:  At the conclusion of the semester, the student should be able to demonstrate an adequate knowledge of the various subfields of political science and how political scientists conduct their work.

Textbooks:  Understanding Politics:Ideas, Institutions and Issues by Thomas Magstadt and Points of View:  Readings in American Government and Politics by Robert Diclerico and Allan Hammock

PCCUA CORE COMPETENCIES

The six PCCUA core competencies are incorporated within the context of the subject being taught.  The competencies address skills the College has committed to developing in all students.

1)     Critical Thinking

2)     Communication

3)     Social and Civic Responsibility

4)     Cultural Awareness

5)     Mathematical Reasoning

6)     Technology Utilization

Grading Scale

90-100= A

80-89=   B

70-79=   C

60-69=   D

Below 60= F

Grading Distribution

Class Participation- 10%

Chapter Quizzes- 20%

Exams- 20%

Issue Papers- 20%

Final Exam- 20%

Blogging- 10%

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes punctually.  Students will be warned of the danger of becoming “excessively absent” if the following number of classes is missed.

            CLASSES WHICH MEET THREE TIMES PER WEEK – 4 Absences

CLASSES WHICH MEET TWO TIMES PER WEEK     – 3 Absences

CLASSES WHICH MEET ONE TIME PER WEEK        – 2 Absences

 Excessively Absent is defined in the following manner:

            CLASSES WHICH MEET THREE TIMES PER WEEK – 6 Absences

CLASSES WHICH MEET TWO TIMES PER WEEK     – 5 Absences

CLASSES WHICH MEET ONE TIME PER WEEK        – 3 Absences

Students who become “excessively absent” may be dropped from the class      and awarded a grade of “EW”. 

In addition, your advisor will be notified of all absences in accordance with the college’s Early Alert System policies.  Note that the class participation component of your grade will be adversely affected by any absence.  If you have a legitimate emergency, I need to be notified in advance of the class either by phone or email detailing the circumstances. 

Tardy Policy

Due to the growing problem with students being late for class, the following policy will be observed.  A student will be considered tardy if he/she is not present when his/her name is called during roll call.  Any student who is late for class three times will be assessed one full absence that will count toward the total number of absences considered for an early withdrawal from the course.  Each subsequent tardy will count as an absence.  Students are expected to be on time.  Tardies will also adversely affect the grade for the class participation component of the course.  Students who have emergencies or other extenuating circumstances must discuss these with the instructor in advance.  The instructor will evaluate these on a case-by-case basis.

Class Participation

All students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the readings and any current events that are related to the topic on the course schedule.  It is important for students to be able to articulate thoughts about what they have read and apply the knowledge gained in class to real-world situations.  Ten percent of the grade will come from this component.

Issue Papers

Each student in the course will be assigned readings from an assigned supplemental textbook.  These readings will consist of works covering various issues in the field of political science detailing more than one perspective.  Each student will write a 1-3 page paper for each of the issues assigned.  The paper will consist of a brief synopsis of the works and an assessment from the student detailing their reaction to the content, the strengths and weaknesses of the work and their opinion on the issue.  These papers are to be submitted by email to nbagley@pccua.edu.

Exams

There will be three exams during the course.  Two will be given during the term.  The other will be the final exam.  All exams will have an objective and a subjective component.  Students can, but are not required to, purchase blue books at the bookstore.  The exams will come from material in the classroom lectures and the assigned readings.  Students are strongly encouraged to take copious notes and to have all assigned readings done on schedule.

Quizzes

A quiz will be given over the readings each chapter.  They will consist of 5-10 objective questions.  The quizzes will be administered at the beginning of class.  They will be graded immediately after all students have completed them and will serve as the starting point for the class discussion.

Blogging

In today's modern era of internet communications, blogging has become a significant part of the political landscape.  In an effort to acquaint you with this technology, you will be required to read and post to a class blog.  I will be the blog administrator and will post topics weekly.  You will have to respond to my blog at least twice per week.  Credit for this portion will be given as long as the minimum posting requirements have been met.  Hopefully, you will have a spirited discussion amongst yourselves on the blog.

Missed or Late Assignments and Exams

If you miss an exam or quiz, you must make arrangements with me to make it up outside of class during my office hours.  Exceptions will be made only in emergency circumstances.  The responsibility for arranging the makeup lies with the student.  If you fail to arrange a time, a grade of zero will be assessed at the end of the semester when your grade is calculated.

Student Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the student to come to class on time, be prepared by having read all assignments prior to class, participating in a meaningful way during class discussion, completing all assignments on time, and by giving an excellent effort. 

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.  Plagiarism can be defined as unintentionally or deliberately using another person’s writing or ideas as though they are one’s own.  Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying another individual’s work and taking credit for it, paraphrasing information from a source without proper documentation, mixing one’s own words with those of another author without attribution, and buying or downloading a paper from the Internet.

The penalty for academic dishonesty in this course is a "0" for the assignment with notification of the infraction to the Dean of Instruction. A second instance of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade for the course and may also result in disciplinary sanctions including probation or suspension from the college.

CAMPUS SUPPORT SERVICES

        Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas provides student support services that assist students in achieving their educational objective.  Those services include advising, financial aid, counseling and guidance, and safety and security. 

ADA POLICY

Lynn Boone, the Vice Chancellor for Student Services serves as the ADA Compliance Officer. If you reside in Arkansas County you may contact Vice Chancellors Carolyn Turner (DeWitt) or Dr. Susan Luebke (Stuttgart). The process of student referral under the Americans with Disabilities Act can be found in the Student Handbook.

FERPA POLICY

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. A student has the right to inspect and review all of his/her records that meet the definition of educational records. No third party has the right to review student records. Directory information can be provided unless the student request that it be withheld.

Insurance

 PCCUA does not provide insurance for its students.  The college encourages all students to acquire and maintain their own insurance policies and, for that reason, the college has contacted United Healthcare Student Resources.  Forms for this insurance are available in the Registrar’s office.

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

Electronic devices, such as cell phones and pagers, are not permitted and must be turned off during class.  Violation of these policies may result in disciplinary action.  Additionally, students are not permitted to bring food or drink into classrooms or to bring children to class.

The syllabus and the policies, guidelines, and dates included are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.

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nbagley@pccua.edu
This page was last modified January 23, 2008