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 6300 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 6301 Political-Economic Theories (3 semester hours) A critical analysis of theories of politics and economy. Focuses on such thinkers as Smith, Marx, and Keynes, and on bodies of theory about political and economic systems. Explores the controversies that have shaped the development of political economy and their implications for interdisciplinary policy analysis. (3-0) Y
EPPS 6304 Advanced Analytic Techniques (3 semester hours) This course prepares students to use advanced methods in economic and policy analysis. Topics include matrices and matrix operations, input-output analysis, the Cobb-Douglas production function and linear programming. (3-0) R
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 6312 (SOC 6312) Social-Economic Theories (3 semester hours) A critical analysis of theories of society and economy. These include class, culture, solidarity, rational choice, transaction cost theory, principal agent theory, ideology and hegemony, network theory, collective action, bureaucracy, and American exceptionalism. (3-0) Y
EPPS 6310 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
EPPS 6313 Introduction to Quantitative Methods (3 semester hours) This introductory graduate-level statistics course is geared to the consumption of statistical methods commonly used in social science research. Topics include creating and interpreting graphical and tabular summaries of data, descriptive statistics, basic probability theory, sampling distributions, basic hypothesis testing (t-tests, chi-square tests, and analysis of variance), estimation of population parameters, confidence intervals and correlation. An introduction to regression analysis will also be provided. Topics are supported by computer-supported data analyses. (3 semester hours) (3-0) Y
EPPS 6316 Applied Regression (3 semester hours) This course provides a survey 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. This application-focused course presents examples drawn from economics, political science, public policy and sociology, introduces the basic concepts and interpretation of regression models, and basic methods of inference. Topics are supported by computer-supported data analyses. Prerequisite: EPPS 6313. (3-0) Y
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 United States and elsewhere. (3-0) T
PA 6351 Introduction to Homeland Security (3 semester hours) This course provides a comprehensive overview of the structure of Homeland Security, its origins and developing trends and challenges. Selected material from Congress, FEMA, Department of Justice, local, state, and other government and non-government agencies will be studied. Examines both historical and contemporary Homeland Defense and Security issues. (3-0) Y
EPPS 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
PA 6371 Pre-emptive Strategies and Tactics (3 semester hours) Provides a comprehensive study of formulating pre-emptive strategies and tactics related to terrorist attacks and certain man-made disasters, such as a chemical plant explosions. This course is a field-based application. Explores current published pre-emptive strategies and tactics, means and methods for improving current plans and explores new pre-emptive strategies and tactics driven by new intelligence assessments. (3-0) Y
PA 6380 (SOC 6380) Non-Profit Organizations (3 semester hours) This course examines issues related to the rise, scope, development and impact of non-profit organizations. The course explores both the unique missions of non-profit organizations and the management challenges posed by this expanding sector of the organizational environment.  (3-0) T
PA 6381 (SOC 6381) Non-profit Management (3 semester hours) This course examines issues, strategies, and techniques related to executive leadership and management in non-profit organizations.
EPPS 7313 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics (3 semester hours) This course is designed to prepare students for the advanced quantitative methodology courses required of advanced degree students. The fundamentals of sampling design and measurement will be covered. Students will then develop an understanding of the principles by which a variety of statistical methodologies function, from simple, two-sample tests to more complex non-parametric and asymmetric methods. The course closes with an introduction to multiple regression. While the only pre-requisite is a sound foundation in algebra, some familiarity with the fundamentals of calculus and linear algebra will provide a stronger foundation for learning. Topics are supported by computer-supported data analyses using application-specific software.
EPPS 7316 Regression and Multivariate Analysis (3 semester hours) This course provides a detailed examination of the 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, and fixed effects models. The course ends with an introduction to advanced topics in regression analysis, qualitative response models, and non-OLS approaches to estimation. Topics are supported by computer-supported data analyses using application-specific software. PREREQUISITE: EPPS 7313. (3-0) Y
POEC 7381 Special Topics in Political Economy (3 semester hours) Topics vary from semester to semester. (May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 hours.) (3-0) R
PA 7307 Information Sharing and Communication (3 semester hours) Provides a comprehensive overview of the structure of network, organizational and group information sharing and communication. Focuses include new theories and applications to information sharing and communication and intelligence gathering techniques of state and local fusion centers. (3-0) Y
PA 7308 Social Networks and Intelligence Led Policing (3 semester hours) Provides a comprehensive study of concepts and methods for adopting intelligence as a foundation of law enforcement business operations for sound decision-making. Exploiting social networks is a primary means for preventing terrorism and crime. The course explores how intelligence led policing depends on creating strong community social networks to enhance policing of criminal networks. (3-0) Y
PA 7309 Protecting Critical Resources and Infrastructure (3 semester hours) Includes a comprehensive study of the current plans and policies in place for protecting critical resources and infrastructure, both public and private. The class will consist of a thorough review of the current literature pertaining to critical infrastructure protection policies, methods, plans, and identify new technology driven critical infrastructures. (3-0) Y
POEC 7317 Economics for Public Policy (3 semester hours) Economics for Public Policy is 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.
EPPS 7318 Structural Equation and Multilevel (Hierarchical) Modeling (3 semester hours) An introduction to structural equation modeling (SEM) and multilevel modeling (MLM), sometimes called hierarchical linear or mixed modeling. SEM represents a general approach to the statistical examination of the fit of a theoretical model to empirical data. Topics include observed variable (path) analysis, latent variable models (e.g., confirmatory factor analysis), and latent variable SEM analyses. MLM represents a general approach to handling data that are nested within each other or have random components. Topics include dealing with two-level data that may be cross-sectional, such as students within classes, or longitudinal, such as repeated observations on individuals, firms or countries.  POEC 5316 or equivalent recommended. Prerequisite: ECON 5311 or ECON 6309 or POEC 5316 or permission of instructor.
POEC 6354 Theories and Issues of Development (3 semester hours) In approaching development, there is an important interaction between theories and issues, each to some extent defining the other.  This course will review a number of prominent instances in which we see this interaction-where theory has shaped the way people defined and approached practical problems and also where pressing practical problems have sometimes demanded new theoretical developments.  Specific theories and issues discussed vary.  Possible theories of interest include arguments for and against slavery, mercantilism, the idea of economic "takeoff," central planning versus pluralism, and the role of democracy and human rights.  Issues include labor conditions, urban living conditions, population growth and population quality, environmental pollution and sustainability, and governmental ineffectiveness and corruption. (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 Oil Kingdoms, the Kurds, the Gulf wars, and terrorism in the name of Islam. The course will also focus on U.S. relations with a number of Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel. (3-0) T
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 Latin America in its quest for economic growth and development. The emphasis is to understand the broad patterns of development and change in the region and the physical, historical, social and economic constraints which have affected development, broadly understood. (3-0) T
POEC 6358  Political Economy of South and Southeast Asia  (3 semester hours) Political Economy of South and Southeast Asia.  South Asia is the Indian peninsula. Southeast Asia is the great swath of countries from Burma and Thailand through Malaysia to Indonesia and Australia.  This is a region of great cultural, political, economic, religious, and historical diversity.  This course surveys the political economy of the region by selectively examining key countries and their mutual interactions.  The major countries, all of which are rising military and economic powers, are Pakistan, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia. Additional countries which will be included according to interest and available material, include Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and New Zealand. (3-0) T
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 Yugoslavia, India/Pakistan, Iraq and Kuwait, North Korea, Israel/Palestine and Sudan. (3-0) T
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 6379 Special Topics in Development Studies (3 semester hours) Topics vary from semester to semester. (May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 hours. However, MPA or doctoral students may not take more than 3 hours of their concentration requirement from POEC 6379 and POEC 6376.) (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. (May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 12 hours. However, MPA or doctoral students may not take more than 3 hours of their concentration requirement from POEC 6376 and POEC 6379 ([3-9]-0) T
EPPS 7304 Cost-Benefit Analysis (3 semester hours) Examines methods for measuring costs and benefits of public projects and policies, and the application of cost-benefit analysis to areas such as economic development, water resources, recreation, transportation, regulation, and the environment.
POEC 7320 (PSCI 7320) International Negotiations (3 semester hours) This course examines both the substance and the process of international negotiations. Students study the theory and analysis of negotiations and identify issues, interests and positions of the parties. The course covers the substantive areas of arms control, trade, and environmental negotiations. The course moves from the analysis of simple, bilateral negotiations with only a few issues in contention to complex multilateral negotiations.
POEC 7321 Seminar on Business and Government (3 semester hours) Examines the interactions between markets and the state from a comparative and public policy perspective. Special emphasis will be placed on issues involving industry regulation/deregulation, antitrust/competition, innovation/industrial policy, infrastructure investment, intellectual property, social regulation, and global trade/investment. (3-0)
POEC 7323 (ECON 6343) Economic Regulation of Business (3 semester hours) Studies the rationale for, and the history and political-economic results of, government intervention in markets in the form of (1) direct regulation of prices, quantity, entry and exit, and product quality in industries (utility, communication, and transportation), and (2) indirect intervention through antitrust laws and the regulation of advertising. Government deregulation and changes in antitrust institutions also are explored. Prerequisite: ECON 5321 or ECON 5301 or POEC 5307. (3-0) T
EPPS 7370 Time Series Analysis (3 semester hours) The course considers several important topics in applied time series analysis including the specification and testing Box-Jenkins transfer function/intervention models. Other topics include pooled cross-sectional time series models, VAR, the LSE Approach, unit-roots, cointegration, error correction models, encompassing and exogeneity tests, and ARFIMA models. Students also learn how to use programs such as Eviews and RATS. (3-0) R
POEC 8V01 Independent Study (1-9 semester hours) Provides faculty supervision for student’s individual study of a topic agreed upon by the student and the faculty supervisor. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. (May be repeated for credit.) ([1-9]-0) R
POEC 8V97 Internship (1-9 semester hours) Provides faculty supervision for a student’s internship.  Internships must be related to the student’s coursework. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. ([1-9]-0) R