Political Science Courses
Graduate Course Catalog
Required Courses:
PSCI 5115: RESEARCH METHODS I
An introduction to the purposes, problems, and strategies of political research, including principles of scientific inquiry, the rules and problems of measurement, research design, concept formation, the development of testable hypotheses and theories, and an overview of data collection and processing techniques. (3 hours)PSCI 5116: RESEARCH METHODS II
Basic tools and strategies of data analysis used in political science including multivariate statistics for discovering relationships. Topics might include multiple regression, factor analysis, scaling, and causal analysis. Students are trained in computer usage and packaged data analysis programs. (3 hours)PSCI 5214: CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL THEORY
Selected topics in contemporary political theory, including different models of social science inquiry and the use of basic concepts like power, ideology, rationality, and the state in the study of politics. (3 hours)PSCI 5994: RESEARCH AND THESIS
Individual research under the guidance of a three-member faculty committee leading to completion of a master’s thesis. (at least 9 hours).
Elective Courses:
PSCI 5124: ADVANCED RESEARCH ISSUES
Advanced work in research methods including the conceptual issues underlying causal inference measurement and data analysis. Covers appropriate design and analysis techniques for addressing those issues. (3 hours)PSCI 5224: ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES IN POLITICAL THEORY
Analysis of selected perspectives on politics including: rational choice theory, critical theory, neo-marxism, neo-conservatism, post-industrialism and post-structuralism. (3 hours)PSCI 5254: GLOBAL CONFLICTS
Examines the theoretical and empirical dynamics of contemporary conflicts. Examines nationalism and other forms of identity, state structures and the exercise of power, territoriality and the control of space. Concludes by reviewing debates over the causes of global conflicts. (3 hours)PSCI 5274: COMPARATIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
Investigate the forms of public protest that occur all over the world, with special attention to activism in poor nations and to the recent emergence of transnational movements. Examines why and when governments repress social movements. Explores movements that are grounded in collective identities based in class, race/ethnicity, gender, religion, and culture. (3 hours)PSCI 5284: TRANSNATIONAL MIGRATION
Overview of the dynamics, policies, governance, and citizenship regimes associated with the phenomenon of transnational migration. Emphasizes cross-national and supranational examples and comparisons to explore these themes. (3 hours)PSCI 5314: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The legislative process in American state and federal governments including recruitment of members, organization and functioning of legislative systems, and relations with both constituents and other branches. (3 hours)PSCI 5324: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The executive office and bureaucracy of American state and federal governments including recruitment, organization of executive branches, decision making, leadership styles, and relations with other branches. (3 hours)PSCI 5334: THE JUDICIAL BRANCH
The American judicial system including recruitment of personnel, uses of the courts, judicial policy, relations with other branches, judicial behavior, and the impact of court decisions. (3 hours)PSCI 5344: POLITICAL BEHAVIOR
Approaches to the study of political behavior including political psychology, rational choice, biopolitics, socialization, communication, public opinion and political participation. (3 hours)PSCI 5354: PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
Approaches to policy analysis and program evaluation including an overview of the policy process and of analytic techniques appropriate to various stages of the policy process. (3 hours)PSCI 5364: PUBLIC ECOLOGY
Explores theory and cases of non-governmental organizations in international development. Analyzes various role of NGOs, and their interactions with local communities, government agencies, international organizations, and private businesses. Examines tensions and collaborations between NGOs and other development actors, drawing from cases in environmental, health, and policy domains. (3 hours)PSCI 5374: E-GOVERNANCE
Introduction to the practices and policies of online governance. Study domestic and international applications of e-government techniques. Students also will learn essential on-line research practices as well as how to use electronic government archives. (3 hours)PSCI 5414: INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACIES
Political patterns and processes of development in selected democracies in Europe, North America, and Asia emphasizing the political problems of contemporary industrial societies and their likely evolution in a "post-industrial" era. (3 hours)PSCI 5424: COMMUNIST AND POST-COMMUNIST SYSTEMS
Political processes and developmental trends in communist and post-communist systems in the CIS, Eastern Europe, the People's Republic of China, and the Third World. Current economic, political, and social issues in communist systems of government and their likely development. (3 hours)PSCI 5434: POLITICS OF DEVELOPING AREAS
Political structures, economic growth, and cultural frameworks of developing nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America emphasizing the political and economic challenges of industrial development in a global economy. (3 hours)PSCI 5444: INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
Theories of international organizations and relations among nations focusing on research in foreign policy formulation and implementation, international integration, conflict resolution and global political economy. (3 hours)PSCI 5454: ADVANCED TOPICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & PUBLIC POLICY
In-depth study and critical evaluation of selected complex issues related to information technology, society, governance, and public policy. Focused attention given to theoretical and methodological foundations of the area of inquiry and to specify domains of policy making and implementation. Topics selected for IT-related issues in such areas of concern as: cities, local communities, nonprofit organizations, governments, and global networks. (3 hours)PSCI 5474: GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
Surveys the norms, institutions and practices developed by the international community to address systemic global scale problems: economic development and war, refugees and displaced persons, environmental degradation, human trafficking, transnational corruption, global terrorism and weapons proliferation. The search for public policy solutions through regimes, conventions, treaties and organizations at the global scale. (3 hours)PSCI 5484: AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
Covers U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, the stalemate with the Soviet Union, armament and arms control, containment and deterrence, détente and Reaganism, and the end of the Cold War. Events between 1989 to 9/11 will be discussed. The course is designed for students with an interest in foreign policy and global affairs. (3 hours)PSCI 5514: GLOBAL SECURITY
Considers the broadening and deepening of the concept of security in contemporary international affairs. Contextualizes security within advanced technoscientific modernity (risk society) and reviews competing conceptualizations. Surveys debates in various domains of global security. Considers human security and the politics of dominant and marginalized understandings of global security. (3 hours)PSCI 5534: REGIONALISM AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
Provides a systematic review of regional organizations, the theories and factors that explain their recent emergence and an analytical framework for studying regional policy objectives such as peace and security, economic growth, environmental protection and the pursuit of human rights. Regional variations between Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East are examined. (3 hours)PSCI 5555: CULTURE, POLITICS & SOCIETY IN NETWORK ENVIRONMENTS
Historical origins, institutional foundations, and theoretical interpretations of cultural, political, and social interaction through computer-mediated communication are examined. Particular attention is given to new types of discourse, sources of power, and structures of society at all geographical levels in global computer and communications networks. (3 hours)PSCI 5574: ARTS, CULTURE AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Considers the role of the arts in society, including architecture, music companies, or theater productions to heritage sites, science museums, and art galleries. Effective arts policy in revitalizing urban economies also examined. Graduate standing. (3 hours)PSCI 5584: ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY
Provides a broad introduction to the key ideas, actors and institutions related to environmental politics and policy primarily in the United States, but with some reference to global issues. Places basic factual knowledge about environmental conditions in an intellectual framework for understanding and thinking critically about the policy issues they raise. Students will experience the complexity of environmental policy-making through the conduct of independent research on specific issues. (3 hours)PSCI 5984: SPECIAL STUDY
Selected topics in political science designed each year to coincide with faculty research interests and expertise and to address current academic issues. (3 hours)
THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
In a move to leverage the individual strengths of several strong programs in different colleges, Virginia Tech created the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) first in 1996. By allying the Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences with the programs on Government and International Affairs, Urban Affairs and Planning and the Center for Public Administration and Policy in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, SPIA provides a rich array of additional graduate courses to students in the Department of Political Science. The following classes are all available as elective courses to complete requirements for the M.A. in Political Science:
| PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY: |
| PAPA 5014: Concepts and Approaches to Public Administration |
| PAPA 5315: Government Administration |
| PAPA 5316: Government Administration |
| PAPA 5604: Organizations in Society |
| PAPA 5614: Introduction to Science and Technology Policy |
| PAPA 6014: Public Administration Theory |
| PAPA 6024: The Context of Public Administration |
| PAPA 6114: Complex Public Organizations |
| PAPA 6124: Behavior and Change in Public Organizations |
| PAPA 6154: Concepts and Approaches to Public Administration |
| PAPA 6214: Public Policy Processes and Analytical Approaches |
| PAPA 6224: Design Implementation, Evaluation of Public Policy and Programs |
| PAPA 6254: Advanced Topics in Public Policy |
| PAPA 6264: Advanced Topics in Policy Systems Management |
| PAPA 6414: Normative Foundations of Public Administration |
| PAPA 6454: Advanced Topics in Ethics and the Public Sector |
| PAPA 6514: Public Administration and Policy Inquiry |
| PAPA 6664: Advanced Topics in Science and Technology Policy |
| URBAN AFFAIRS AND PLANNING: |
| UAP 5104: Urban and Regional Development Theory |
| UAP 5144: Urban Policy Analysis and Implementation |
| UAP 5164: Collaborative Governance & Civil Society |
| UAP 5174: Theory and Practice of Urban and Regional Planning |
| UAP 5184: Local Planning Administration |
| UAP 5194: Urban Growth Management |
| UAP 5204: The Geography of Third World Development |
| UAP 5234: Urban Economy and Public Policy |
| UAP 5264: Global Change and Local Impacts |
| UAP 5304: Land Use Planning |
| UAP 5314: Social Analysis of Land Use Planning |
| UAP 5364: Non-Governmental Organizations in International Development |
| UAP 5374: Plan Implementation in Developing Countries |
| UAP 5394: Nature, Society and the Global Economy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives |
| UAP 5404: Strategies for Urban Development in the Third World |
| UAP 5414: Natural Resources Planning |
| UAP 5514: Public Budget and Management |
| UAP 5524: International Development |
| UAP 5564: Information Technology, Society & Public Policy |
| SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: |
| GIA 5034: Democratic Governance in the Economy |
| GIA 5464: Qualitative Methods in Global Studies |
| GIA 5504: Discourse Analysis |
| GIA 5654: Environmental Risk Analysis |
| GIA 6114: Critical Geopolitics |
In addition to courses from other SPIA units, students also can take a wide variety of graduate courses in the Departments of Economics, Geography, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Science and Technology in Society, and Sociology.