California State University, East Bay Signature Mark

Political Science

Department Information

Department of Political Science
College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Office: Meiklejohn Hall 4092
Phone: (510) 885-3221
Website: http://class.csueastbay.edu/politicalscience/

Professors
Norman A. Bowen, Ph.D. State University of New York at Albany
Kim Geron (Chair), Ph.D. University of California, Riverside
David Sadofsky Baggins, Ph.D. Syracuse University
Michael E. Good, Ph.D. Miami University of Ohio

Assistant Professors
Elizabeth Bergman, Ph.D. Claremont Graduate University
Maria C. Ortuoste, Ph.D. Arizona State University

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Program Description

The political science curriculum helps students to acquire an organized body of knowledge about government and to think analytically about public policy, law, and politics. The political science degree prepares graduates to enter careers in government, public service, public administration, public policy analysis, legislative advocacy, business, international relations, and teaching. Many Cal State East Bay political science graduates continue their academic careers in law school, or in the pursuit of graduate degrees in political science or public policy analysis.

Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a B.A. in Political Science from Cal State East Bay will:

  1. know the techniques for skillfully reading and interpreting different types of writing, such as textbooks, scholarly books and journal articles, case law, newspaper articles, government documents (including those that employ statistics), and original philosophical texts;
  2. be able to assess information, including demonstrating the ability to distinguish between the central and peripheral aspects of a piece of writing, and between well-substantiated arguments and unsupported assertions;
  3. be able to write knowledgeably, correctly, clearly and logically.

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Career Opportunities

  • Administrative Assistant
  • Attorney
  • Campaign Aide/Manager
  • Diplomat
  • FBI/CIA Agent
  • Foreign Service Officer
  • International Relations Specialist
  • Journalist
  • Labor Organizer/Union Representative
  • Law Clerk
  • Legislative Advocate/Lobbyist
  • Legislative Aide
  • Paralegal
  • Legal Assistant
  • Police Officer
  • Politician
  • Polling Specialist
  • Private Investigator
  • Public Administrator
  • Public Information Officer
  • Research Specialist
  • Secret Service Agent
  • Teacher

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Features

The political science major offers a Pre-Law option for students planning a career in law. The Public Affairs and Administration option is designed to meet the needs of students contemplating a career in public administration. The Political Science department offers a major and a minor. Special features of the Political Science major include: the Intercollegiate Model United Nations Club; field trips to Sacramento and to State and Federal courts; guest political speakers; pre-law advising; local, Sacramento, Washington, and political campaign internships; and the Political Science Club.

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Preparation

For Advanced Placement course equivalencies, see Registration chapter.

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Major Requirements (B.A.)

Please consult an advisor in your major department for clarification and interpretation of your major requirements. The regular major consists of 56 units; the Pre-Law option consists of 64 units; the Public Affairs and Administration option consists of 61 units. The B.A. degree requires a total of 180 units.

The Traditional Political Science Major

  1. Lower Division (8-16 units)
    1. POSC 1201 American Political Institutions (4)
    2. POSC 1202 Public Policy/California Politics (4)
    3. Students may take an additional 0-8 units of lower division political science courses.
  2. Upper Division (40-48 units)
    1. POSC 3030 The Study of Political Science (4)
    2. One course in each of the following five fields (20)
      1. American Government and Public Administration (includes courses listed under Public Policy and Administration)
      2. Public Law
      3. Comparative Government and Politics
      4. International Relations
      5. Political Theory
    3. POSC 4910 Political Science Seminar (4)
    4. Twelve (12) to twenty (20) additional units from upper division political science courses

Pre-Law Option

Also see "Pre-Law Students" later in this chapter.

Students taking this option will focus their coursework in legal studies. Completion of this program will lead to a B.A. degree, major in Political Science with an option in Pre-Law. The total required for the major with Pre-Law option is 64 units. The total required for the B.A. degree is 180 units.

Two quarters before you expect to graduate, complete a major check sheet and inquire about other requirements for graduation. The following is an outline indicating specific courses and options necessary for completing the option in pre-law.

  1. Foundation Courses (24 units)
    • POSC 1201 American Political Institutions (4)
    • POSC 1202 Public Policy/California Politics (4)
    • POSC 3030 The Study of Political Science (4)
    • One lower or upper division course in International Relations (4)
    • One lower or upper division course in Comparative Government (4)
    • One upper division course in Political Theory (4)
  2. The Political and Policy Context of the Law (16 units)
    Choose 16 units from the following:
    • H SC 3350 Health Legislation and Government Programs (4)
    • MGMT 4500 Business, Government and Society (4)
    • any Political Science course listed under the headings "American Government and Politics" or "Public Policy and Administration."
  3. Public Law (20 units)

    Any 20 units recognized by the Department as a public law class. These include ACCT 2701 (Legal Environments of Business), POSC 3410 (Law and Society), 3417 (Survey of American Law), 3418 (Immigration Law), 3441 (Constitutional Law), 3442 (Constitutional Rights), 3460 (Environmental Law), 3470 (International Law), 3503 (Philosophy of Law), 4445 (Bureaucratic Politics); any business law class.

  4. Capstone (4 units)
    • POSC 4910 Political Science Seminar (4)

Public Affairs and Administration Option

Students taking this option will concentrate their coursework in American political institutions, public policy, and administrative processes. Completion of this program will lead to a B.A. degree major in Political Science, with an option in Public Affairs and Administration.

Since several courses overlap (ECON 2301, 2302, ACCT 2251, MGMT 4500), the department encourages students who pursue this option to consider combining it with the Minor in Business Administration.

The major with this option consists of 61 units; the B.A. requires a total of 180 units. The course requirements for this option are as follows:

  1. Lower Division (21 units)
    • ECON 2301 (4)
    • ECON 2302 or POSC 1202 (4)
    • POSC 1201 (4)

    One course from each group (9 units)

    • Group I: STAT 1000 or STAT 2010
    • Group II: ACCT 2251
  2. Upper Division (40 units)
    1. Group I: Public Affairs and Administrative Process (at least 12 units)
      • ECON 3370
      • POSC 3800, 3870, 4445
      • PUAD 4800, 4830
    2. Group II: Political Institutions and Processes (at least 8 units)
      Any Political Science courses listed under the heading "American Government and Politics"
    3. Group III: Public Affairs and Public Policy (8 units)
      ECON 3375; HSC 3350; MGMT 4500; POSC 3505; and any Political Science course listed under the heading "Public Policy and Administration," if not used under Group I.
    4. Service Requirement (4 units)
      May be fulfilled by taking POSC 3113, 3898 or another service course approved by the department chair.
    5. Foundation Requirement (4 units)
      • POSC 3030 The Study of Political Science
    6. Capstone Course (4 units)
      • POSC 4910 Political Science Seminar

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Pre-Law Students

The study of law is a postgraduate professional program, requiring three years of full-time study beyond the completion of the bachelor's degree. No specific pre-law undergraduate program is required for admission to law schools. However, students wishing to focus on legal studies at Cal State East Bay, may complete the Pre-Law option in the Political Science major.

Students intending to enter law school commonly complete undergraduate majors in political science, economics, business, or history. The pre-law student's undergraduate plan of study should include among its objectives a facility in the proper use of written and spoken English, a sampling of undergraduate law courses, one or more critical/logical thinking courses, and a basic understanding of government and economics. Some law schools recommend that students take a basic accounting course, particularly if they are interested in business or tax law.

Students planning to enter law school should consult a pre-law advisor. Dr. David Baggins of the Department of Political Science, who is an attorney, serves as the university pre-law advisor. Several other departments also have pre-law advisors.

Most accredited law schools require that applicants complete the Law School Admission Test. The LSAT is typically given in September, December, February, and June at one or more testing centers in the Bay Area. Pre-law students should obtain LSAT registration materials and law school applications early in their senior year. Students can access information on the LSAT by viewing http://www.lsac.org. The Political Science department library has a copy of the Law School Guidebook and many law school catalogs.

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Other Degree Requirements

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University requirements for graduation which are described in the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements chapter in the front of this catalog. These include the General Education-Breadth requirements; the second composition (ENGL 1002) requirement; the cultural groups/women requirement; the performing arts/activities requirement; the U.S. history, U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government requirement; the University Writing Skills Requirement; and the residence, unit, and grade point average requirements.

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Minor Requirements

The minor consists of 24 units of Political Science courses of which at least 16 units must be in upper division. The purpose of the Minor in Political Science is to provide a general background in political science to complement majors in such areas as business administration, environmental studies, science, humanities, and the other social sciences. The student should consult with a Political Science department advisor or the chairperson in selecting courses.

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Undergraduate Courses

Lower Division Courses

Political Science
Lower Division Courses (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
1000 Introduction to Political Science (4)
Introduction to the study of politics and government, surveying the concepts and approaches of political science.
1171 Environmental Politics (4)
The history and present status of the ideologies, interests, movements and understandings that form modern environmental policy and politics.
1201 American Political Institutions (4)
Development of political institutions and ideals in the U.S. Key elements of the political system, including the Constitution, Presidency, Congress, Courts, parties, elections, and bureaucracy. Combined with POSC 1202 meets code requirements in U.S. history, U.S. Constitution and California government.
1202 Public Policy/California Politics (4)
Issues in American public policy, focusing on contemporary controversies (environment, poverty, etc.) California state and local government. Combined with HIST 1101, HIST 3400, HIST 3540, POSC 1201, POSC 3441, or POSC 3442 meets U.S. History, Constitution and Institutions requirement.
1500 Conflict in World Politics (4)
Causes of conflict. Topics include Iraq and Desert Storm, Bosnia, the Middle East, and Third World conflicts. Analysis of foreign aggression, civil war, terrorism, ethnic struggle, nationalism, boundary disputes, military force, sanctions, peacekeeping, mediation, disaster relief, and economic aid.
2002 The Golden State? Modern Politics, Economics and Culture in California (4)
Consideration of the political, cultural and economic forces that are changing California. Focus on statewide elections and initiatives on the ballot. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.

Upper Division Courses

Political Science
American Government and Politics (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
3101 American Government in Simulation (4)
The institutions of the U.S. national government, such as the Congress, the courts and party conventions, studied through the use of simulations, both electronic and classroom, in which all students participate.
3111 The American Presidency (4)
Study of the American Presidency both historically and analytically with an emphasis on roles and powers; the struggle between the President and Congress; the leadership role of the President in government, political parties, and public opinion.
3113 Political Internship (2-4)
Practical experience on a legislative or executive staff or in a campaign organization. May be repeated once for credit with consent of instructor, for a maximum of 8 units.
3115 United States Congress (4)
Development of the modern Congress, including 20th century reforms; Congressional power; leadership and partisanship; inter-branch relations; Congressional elections and campaign finance reform, incumbency and redistricting; the committee system. 
3120 State and Local Politics and Government (4)
The structures, processes, policies, political culture and power distributions of governments of states, cities, suburbs, small towns, metropolitan areas and neighborhoods. Special reference to California and San Francisco Bay Area institutions and problems. Satisfies the California state and local government code requirement.
3130 Urban Politics (4)
Styles and structures of city government; community power studies; community control and metropolitan government; problems of crime, welfare, finance, education, pollution, planning; emphasis on the Bay Area.
3150 Politics of California (4)
Political culture, electoral systems, and public policy in California. Field trip to the California Legislature. Satisfies code requirement in California state and local government.
3300 Voting and Public Opinion (4)
Nature and causes of voter turnout and vote choice. Determinants and effects of public opinion. Methodology used for measurement and analysis of these subjects. Prerequisite: STAT 1000 or 1100.
3310 Political Parties and Campaigning (4)
Party organizations in U.S. and California, historical changes in party operations, political machines and patronage, money in politics, party labels, the differences and similarities between the major parties, minor parties, the new style of campaigns, professional campaign management firms, the prospects for reform.
3330 Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Political Reform (4)
Private power and American public policy; the nature and sources, strategy and tactics of pressure group power in the American political process. Business, labor, agriculture, the professions, minority groups, and religion as organized groups influencing political decision making. 
3333 Ethnic and Minority Politics (4)
Contemporary and historic analysis of ethnic and minority participation in the political process. Voting, elections, interest groups, political machines, office holders, activists, strategies, and common participatory patterns. Cross-listed with E S 3333.
3335 African American Politics (4)
The role of African Americans in state and national politics; political history of African Americans in American politics, public policy issues concerning African Americans, successes and failures of African American empowerment strategies, and electoral impact of African American votes. A-F grading only.
3336 Asian American Politics (4)
The role of Asian Americans in state and national politics; political history of Asian Americans in American politics, public policy issues concerning Asian Americans, successes and failures of Asian American empowerment strategies, and electoral impact of Asian American votes. A-F grading only.
3340 Women and Politics (4)
Public policy relating to American women; impact of the women's movement on public policy and political behavior; women as voters, political activists, political office-holders; the function of sex roles in the political system.
3360 Culture and Politics in the United States (4)
How political personality is formed by cultural experience in the U.S. Influences such as generational effects, gender, region, ethnicity and sexual identity. News reporting, literature, movies and television as sources of the development of political personality.
3375 Practical Politics (4)
Professional skills in winning elections and influencing policy. Reading and practice in framing issues, political strategy, campaign management, advertising, polling, speech writing, media relations, Internet use, fund-raising, litigation, lobbying, building and sustaining support.
Political Science
Public Policy and Administration (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
3170 Public Policy and the Family (4)
The evolution of and current controversies over American government policies on the family, including abortion, family planning, marriage, divorce and custody, child care subsidies, wife battering, child abuse, and welfare. Impact of policies on the poor and minority groups, as well as on middle class whites.
3418 U.S. Immigration Policy and Law (4)
Development of U.S. immigration policy including theories, demographic trends, sources of immigration legislation, case law. Relationship of politics, policy, culture, social and economic status to racial and ethnic groups, women, and workers.
3419 Labor Policy and Law (4)
Historical development and changing fortunes of working class, trade unions, immigrant, and women workers. Growth among government workers and declining numbers in private industry. U.S. Government's labor laws and judicial interpretation for private and public sectors.
3522 The Politics and Law of New Genetic Technologies (4)
The politics and law of new genetic technologies (cloning, stem cell research, genetic engineering, etc.) in global perspective. National and international models for oversight. Comparison of approaches by types of political regime and economic system.
3800 Public Policy Analysis (4)
Surveys the formulation, implementation, and impact of public policy dealing with social and economic problems. Examines and evaluates the causes and content of government policy in various areas such as civil rights, social welfare, urban affairs, crime, education, health, environment, energy, taxation.
3870 Public Personnel Management (4)
Politics, history, values and contemporary issues related to employment in the public sector. Topics include discriminatory practices, affirmative action efforts, training and development programs, comparable worth pay systems, collective bargaining, and constitutional rights of employees.
4171 Public Policy and the Environment (4)
Politics of human-environment relationships. Sustainability, biodiversity, population, consumption, technology, energy, water, resources, recycling, pollution, and urban systems. Cultural values, paradigm change, science, risk analysis, market pricing, competition of networks, and citizen action. Significant written assignment integrates theory and practice.
4445 Bureaucratic Politics and Administrative Law (4)
Politics of bureaucracy, government regulations, administrative law, exploration of the content, and structure of public administration. Public finances, human resource management, workplace discrimination, ethics, regulation within institutions. Cross-listed with PUAD 4445.
Political Science
Comparative Government and Politics (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
3201 Political Systems of Western Europe (4)
The governments and politics of Great Britain, France, Germany, and other Western European nations. Development and expansion of the European Union.
3204 Political Systems of Asia (4)
An analysis of politics in selected Asian countries. The degree of emphasis on particular countries and areas such as China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia varies.
3222 Government and Politics of Eastern and Central Europe (4)
The politics of the formerly communist states of Eastern and Central Europe. Countries covered include Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, the Balkans and others. New democratic institutions and economic development. Links with Western Europe.
3230 Government and Politics in the Middle East (4)
Introduction to the study of contemporary politics in the Middle East. Comparative approach, analyzing the political, social, religious and economic aspects of the area.
3260 Government and Politics of Africa South of the Sahara (4)
The governments of the nations of Africa south of the Sahara, with special reference to comparative colonial policies, nationalist movements, political parties, and the problems of nation building; comparative economic systems and the role of the military.
3280 Political Systems of Latin America (4)
Political development, instability, and revolution in a comparative framework. Case studies of political development in major countries; group conflicts, ideology, administrative problems, and the role of violence.
3290 Comparative Law (4)
Examination of essential features of law and their impact upon society using a comparative method. Incorporation of comparative legal theory of various legal systems, and how legal institutions express diverse civilizations.
Political Science
Public Law (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
3410 Law and Society (4)
Rise of the American legal system and evolution of values in the law. Courts in the political system and the policy impact of modern legal initiatives.
3417 Survey of American Law (4)
The basic elements of the American legal system, its essential values, and its impact on society. Personal injury, contracts, criminal law, regulation, and international law. Emphasis on case law as the basis for exploring the legal system.
3418 U.S. Immigration Policy and Law (4)
Development of U.S. immigration policy including theories, demographic trends, sources of immigration legislation, case law. Relationship of politics, policy, culture, social and economic status to racial and ethnic groups, women, and workers.
3441 American Constitutional Law: Government (4)
The American Constitution as a model of government. The role of democracy, federalism, assumptions regarding human nature, citizenship, separation of powers, capitalism, and issues of empire building.
3442 American Constitutional Law: Rights (4)
The Bill of Rights as interpreted by Court decisions since its adoption. Topics include freedom of speech, religion, equal protection, and personal privacy. Emphasis on the relationship among rights, politics, judicial behavior and public policy.
3460 Environmental Law (4)
Legislative, judicial, and administrative controls over public and private actions impacting on the environment. Examination of statutory, administrative, and judicial decisions relating to the environment and of government actors and agencies making these decisions.
3470 International Law (4)
The rules that govern governments and world bodies. Includes treaties, law of the sea, environmental protection, use of force, terrorism, and markets. Focus on the movement toward global community. Not open to students with credit for POSC 3951.
3503 Philosophy of Law (4)
(See PHIL 3503 for course description.)
4445 Bureaucratic Politics and Administrative Law (4)
(See the "Public Policy and Administration" section for course description.)
Political Science
International Relations (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
3500 World Problems and Global Response (4)
Arms control, human rights, development, debt, women's rights, world population, environmental protection, and technology transfers. Analysis of key actors (United Nations, specialized agencies, national governments, non-governmental organizations) and policy alternatives. Student opportunity to work with local organizations.
3505 American Foreign Policy (4)
National security, economic and development assistance policies since World War II. Current policy choices and the constitutional conflict between Congress and the President. Role of the State Department, the military, the CIA, and non-governmental organizations (labor, business, and veterans).
3508 Politics of Filipino-American Relations (4)
Filipino-American relations within the context of Filipino nationalism and America's rise as a superpower.
3510 War and Peace (4)
Major power security concerns, regional alliances, and Third World countries. Analysis of nuclear, chemical, biological, and conventional arms proliferation and arms control. Military doctrine and weapons systems, conflict resolution, peacekeeping, and peace movements. Student opportunity to work with local organizations.
3520 International Relations (4)
The conduct of relations among states. The international system, national power, sovereignty, nationalism, ideology; use of diplomacy, propaganda, economic influence, military force; problems of neocolonialism, multinational corporations, racial tensions, nuclear deterrence, war, the role of the United Nations.
3521 Politics of the Global Economy (4)
International trade and development assistance. Focus on GATT, the World Trade Organization, the G7 nations, and the International Monetary Fund. Problems of transnational corporations, labor standards, and migration. Global liberalism compared with collectivist economies. Ecological, participatory, regional and nationalist challenges.
3550 The United Nations and World Community (4)
Historical, institutional and theoretical background of the contemporary United Nations and related agencies; focus on participation of selected countries in the UN structure and operations with regard to current international problems and issues. May be repeated once for credit by students participating in Model UN, for a maximum of 8 units.
Political Science
Political Theory (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
3703 American Political Thought (4)
Significant American political ideas and thinkers from the Pilgrims to the present. Includes, among others, Jefferson, Madison, Calhoun, King, and Gingrich.
3704 Marxism in Theory and Practice (4)
The writings of Marx and the characteristics of Marxism in the 20th century.
3711 Greek, Roman and Medieval Political Thought (4)
Major Western political ideas from the Greeks through the 15th century. Emphasis upon major political theorists in the development of classical Greek and Roman, Medieval Christian, and Renaissance political theory.
3713 Contemporary Political Thought (4)
Major Western political ideas in the 19th and 20th centuries. Emphasis upon central figures in the development of Democratic, Marxist, Socialist, and various other contemporary bodies of political theory.
3715 The State and the Family (4)
The relationship between the public and private spheres. The relationship between the state and family as perceived by political theorists. The home as a metaphor for public life; the patriarchal and other modes of government and the family; the interdependence of the family, the economy, and the state; the family as haven of resistance in a hostile political environment. Classical political theory texts and contemporary writings.
3716 Citizenship, Community, and Democratic Theory (4)
The duties and rights of citizenship, personal and ethnic identities, and evolving democratic theory. Specific issues raised by contemporary politics: national service, immigration policy models of citizenship participation, dismantling the welfare state, utopian and contemporary notions of community, and affirmative action. Classical and contemporary texts.
3717 Theories of Empire (4)
Major theories and debates about imperialism, its history, its modern manifestations, and its status and future in the post-Cold War era.
Political Science
General (Course prefix: POSC)
Course Number Course Information
3030 The Study of Political Science (4)
History and assumptions of political science as a field; basic skills and methodology; ethics in politics, administration and law; careers; personal learning goals; portfolios; Library tour.
3898 Cooperative Education (1-4)
Supervised work experience in which student completes academic assignments integrated with off-campus paid or volunteer activities. Prerequisites: at least a 2.0 GPA; departmental approval of activity. May be repeated for credit, for a maximum of 8 units. A maximum of 4 units will be accepted toward the Political Science major; a maximum of 4 units will be accepted toward the Political Science minor.
3999 Issues in Political Science (4)
Readings, discussion, and research on contemporary and/or significant issues in political science. May be repeated once for credit when content varies, for a maximum of 8 units.
4900 Independent Study (1-4)
May be repeated for credit with consent of instructor, for a maximum of 12 units.
4910 Political Science Seminar (4)
Contributions of natural and social science theories, methods, results for political science; scope and method of political science; individual research on selected topics. Registration priority given to political science majors and minors. Prerequisite: POSC 3030. Open to seniors only.

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