Type of Action
 

	Course Deletion		Requisite Change
	Course Revision		Repeatability Change
	Description Change		Diversity Option
	Title Change	X	General Education Option
	Number Change		area: Social Sciences
	Contact Hour Change		Computer Requirement
	Credit Change		Writing Requirement
	Add Cross-listing		Other

 
 

Effective Term: Spring 2001
New/Current Course Number: 820 - 255 /		Crosslist Number: - /
Old Course Number: ________-______/_______

 

N:ew/Current Course Title:	Introduction to Comparative Politics
Old Course Title:
15 Character Abbreviation:	INTRO COMP POL
25 Character Abbreviation	INTRO COMPARATIVE POLITIC
Sponsor(s):	Ann Hamilton
Department(s):	Political Science
College(s):	Letters & Sciences
Other Programs Affected:

Check if course is required in: ____Major/Emphasis (specify):  ____Minor/Emphasis (specify): ____Other (specify):
 
 

I. Detailed explanation of changes:

TO make this course a General Education course in the Social Sciences area.
 

II. Justification for action:

This course complements the core courses in the General Education curriculum very well, in that there is little overlap between the material for this course and the other core courses. Global Perspectives is the only core course that is 100% international in focus, as this course is. Global Perspectives courses may address some of the issues that are covered in this course, e.g., nationalism and the role of religion in politics, but Global Perspectives is primarily about relations between states, whereas this course focuses on domestic politics and societies of important states. In addition, this course envisages incorporating feature films and short novels into the curriculum, an approach that is consistent with the interdisciplinary nature of the core courses.

This course will meet the goals of the General Education Program in the following ways: (1) Students will gain analytic and critical skills and learn to evaluate complex issues (General Education Goal 1); (2) Students will learn about the politics and societies of Western and non-Western countries and learn to appreciate the diversity of institutions outside of the United States (General Education Goal 3); (3) Students will gain an understanding of how different political institutions and patterns of political behavior around the world affect political outcomes in important ways (General Education Goal 4); (4) Students will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the comparative method for generating and testing knowledge about political outcomes (General Education Goal 4); and (5) Students will improve their communication skills through regular discussion and writing assignments (General Education Goal 5).