Graduate courses [This is not a comprehensive list of all possible
courses.� The list includes only those
courses specifically noted in the Program Description.� The program director maintains a current list
of area and theme concentration classes.]
PSCI 5301 Proseminar
in Democratization, Globalization, and International Relations (3 semester hours)
Studies major theories of democracy, democratization and globalization,
relationships between democratization and globalization, and their implications
for citizen politics, government performance, and regime legitimacy.(3-0) Y
POEC 5307 (PA 5307) Economics for Public Policy (3 semester hours)
Economics for Public Policy is a doctoral-level course designed to introduce
students to the use of economic methods of the analysis of public policy. While
the primary theoretical framework for the course is microeconomics, the course
also includes macroeconomics. A variety of public policy topics is covered in
the course such as education and education reform, employment and the labor
market, taxes and redistribution, health and health care, poverty and
inequality, and public assistance programs. A central theme in the course is
the role of the government.� (3-0) Y
POEC 5310 (CRIM5310) Research
Design I (3 semester hours) This course is the
first in a two-course sequence devoted to the research enterprise and the study
of data development strategies and techniques to facilitate effective
statistical analysis. Topics generally covered include: (1) issues and
techniques in social science research with emphasis on philosophy of science,
theory testing, and hypothesis formulation; (2) measurement and data collection
strategies, reliability and validity of measures and results, sampling,
surveys; and (3) examination of qualitative versus quantitative research
techniques, working with observational data, field research issues, and
triangulation. (3-0) Y
POEC 5313 (CRIM 5313, PA 5313) Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for
the Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (3 semester hours) This course is an introduction to data analysis, statistics,
and regression. The only prerequisite is a sound foundation in algebra. The
heart of the course is a rigorous introduction to statistical inference:
sampling theory, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests. The final section
of the course covers regression analysis, which is developed in a fairly
non-technical way, with an emphasis on interpretation of regression results,
using examples from recent research.�
SOCS 3305 or equivalent recommended. (3-0) Y
POEC 5316 (CRIM 5316) Advanced Regression Analysis for the Economic,
Political and Policy Sciences (3 semester hours) This course provides a
detailed examination of the bivariate and multiple
regression models estimated using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), with an
emphasis on using regression models to test social and economic hypotheses.
Also covered are several special topics in regression analysis, including
violations of OLS assumptions, the use of dummy variables, fixed effects
models, and path analysis. Applications are demonstrated with examples drawn
from economics, political science, public policy and sociology.� POEC 5313 or equivalent recommended. (3-0) Y
PSCI 6309 International Political
Economy and Organizations (3 semester hours) An
overview of important developments in the study of conflict and cooperation
among countries, especially in the economic arena. (3-0) T
POEC 6319 (PSCI 6310) Political Economy of MNCs� (3 semester hours) The Political Economy of Multinational
Corporations will approach the rise of international firms and their behavior
from a social scientific approach, utilizing research in economics, political
science, and other disciplines.� In
addition to the historical rise of international firms, the course covers the
economic theory of the firm, MNCs as political actors, the dynamics of foreign
direct investment, and the relationship of MNCs to developing countries.� The aim of the course is to understand the
causes and effects of the behavior of transnational corporations, particularly
in regard to economic policy.(3-0) T
POEC 6335 (PSCI 6335) Institutions and Development (3 semester hours) An
overview of leading theories, institutional perspectives, issues and policy
debates concerning urban, regional, national and global development. Topics may
include economic growth, technology and innovation, shifts in industrial
structure, spatially imbalanced change, and their welfare consequences. (3-0) T
PSCI 6337 Comparative Institutions (3 semester hours) A comparative
analysis of political and economic institutions in different settings. Includes a consideration of different theoretical approaches to the
comparative study and design of institutions in the
POEC 6352 (SOC 6352 and PA 6352) Evaluation Research Methods in the
Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (3 semester hours) A review of
research methods used in program evaluation, with an emphasis on public and
non-profit social programs. Issues to be addressed include research design,
appropriate performance standards, measurement and selection of indicators,
sampling, data collection, and data analysis. (3-0) T
POEC 6355 Political Economy of the
Middle East� (3 semester hours) Analysis
of the interplay of cultures and conflicts in the Middle East.� The course will examine ancient cultures,
Islam and the Ottoman Empire, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the rise of the
POEC 6357 (PSCI 6357) Political Economy
of Latin America (3 semester hours) Addresses historical and contemporary
issues in Latin American political economy. Uses case studies
and cross-regional comparisons to assess competing explanations. Analyzes the current political and economic situation facing
POEC 6358� Political Economy of South and
Southeast Asia� (3 semester hours)
Political Economy of South and Southeast Asia. �
POEC 6360 World Political Economy (3 semester hours) An overview of the
major social, political, economic, and cultural forces that influence the
nature of international political and economic relations. Same
as ECO 6352. (3-0) T
POEC 6361 (PSCI 6361) Political Violence and Terrorism (3 semester hours) In
this discussion-based seminar, we will cover the topics of terrorism, political
violence, and civil war.� We will examine
concepts, causes, and consequences of different types of political
violence.� Additionally, we will discuss
topics relevant to research, including discussions of different approaches
(quantitative, qualitative, and formal) and a perusal of different data
sources.� We will take advantage of
literature from multiple disciplines.
POEC 6362 (PSCI 6362) Political Development (3 semester hours) This course will survey different perspectives and theories
of political development. Topics covered include the role of the state, democratization,
political stability, civil society and environmental concerns, among others.
(3-0) T
POEC 6363 (PSCI 6363) Conflict and Development (3 semester hours) This module will explore the nexus between
violent intrastate conflict and development. It will examine some of the key
conceptual frameworks advanced to understand conflict and will explore specific
themes which have preoccupied researchers and policy practitioners in recent
years. In addition to assessing the economic costs of the conflicts, this
course will also examine the traditional factors that have been purported to
explain the prevalence of insurgency. (3-0) T
POEC 6366 International Economics (3 semester hours) The
course focuses on international trade theory and the ongoing process of regional
integration in the Americas, with particular emphasis on the North American
Free Trade Agreement. (3-0) T
POEC 6367 Topical Issues in Conflict and Conflict Resolution�� (3
semester hours) This course will examine in detail
three recent international or ethnic conflicts and the national and
international efforts to resolve the conflicts and/or mitigate their
effects.� The course will examine
theories of conflict including ethnic conflict and just war theory.� It will examine the historical sources of the
conflicts, the regional and international dimensions, the precipitating causes
and the intensification of the conflicts.�
Examples of conflicts that could be used include: the former
POEC 6369 National and International Security Strategies and Policies (3
semester hours) With the end of the decades long Cold War, the
U.S. has become the world's only superpower.�
But the problem of national and international security continue to be a
dominant concern of national and international political and economic life,
just as it has been for more than sixty years.�
Many nations continue to maintain high levels of military expenditure as
a mainstay of their security policy.�
Yet, there has been a profound change in the nature of the threats to
security since the Cold War. Some, like the threat of intentional full-scale
global nuclear war, have receded. Others, like the threat posed by nuclear
proliferation and the terrorism of mass destruction, have increased. From acute
hot spots to longer term questions of restructuring power and security
arrangements in a post Cold War world, understanding the deeper issues of
national and international security is critical to understanding what lies
behind the headlines -- and what strategies are likely to be effective in
achieving real security.� Topics include:
the nature and meaning of security; security and military force; terrorism,
accidents and accidental war; nuclear proliferation; the international arms
trade; the experience of war; the economics of security policy; social and
psychological factors; strategies for achieving security by nonmilitary means.
(3-0) T
POEC 6V76 Policy Research Workshop in Development Studies (3-9 semester
hours) Students join a faculty member in a group research project. Topics vary
from semester to semester. However, students may substitute an individual Field
Research Project for this workshop; the project must be approved by the faculty
of the