Politics is the study of governments and how they relate to the people. Political Science majors often choose a career in law, government service or teaching.

Political Science Courses

PLSC 115 COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 836.
Comparative treatment of the government and politics of countries of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and developing nations. Transfer credit: UC; CSU (D3).

PLSC 130 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 836.
Survey of the basic elements of international relations, including the factors of sovereignty, nationalism, and national policies; the international struggle for power and order; the role of the United Nations and other supranational organizations. Transfer credit: UC; CSU (D3).

PLSC 150 INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 836.
Introduction to ways of thinking about politics and an exploration of the concepts of political theory. Political problems will be examined along with consideration of such ideas as political culture and ideology. Transfer credit: UC; CSU (D3).

PLSC 200 NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100.
A study of the structure and function of the basic national, state and local government institutions. The course will examine the dynamics of the constitutional power relationship between the respective branches of government and the operational relationship between the national, state and local governments. Students who have received credit for PLSC 210 or PLSC 301 may not receive credit for PLSC 200. Transfer credit: UC; CSU (D2b). (CAN GOVT 2).

PLSC 210 AMERICAN POLITICS (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Partially satisfies the American History and Institutions requirement. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 836.
The study of the historical and constitutional development of the foundations of United States political institutions and the dynamics of the governmental decision-making process from the colonial era to the present. Examination of the various sources of political attitudes, roles and behaviors of political participants and ways political decisions are made by the different units of government. Students who have received credit for PLSC 200 may not receive credit for PLSC 210.ransfer credit: UC; CSU (D1).

PLSC 280 INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY (3)
(Credit/No Credit or letter grade.)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENG 100 or 105 or equivalent.
An introduction to political philosophy. Readings and critical discussion of political philosophies (such as liberalism, conservatism, communitarianism, libertarianism, socialism, feminism, etc.) through readings by influential thinkers (such as Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Mill, Marx, Rawls, and contemporary writers). Topics include theories of human nature, conceptions of justice, the relationship between the individual and the state, the distribution of wealth and power, the significance of ideology, and the role of markets. Also listed as PHIL 280. Transfer credit: CSU (C2, D3).

PLSC 301 CALIFORNIA STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Partially satisfies the American History and Institutions requirement. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 836.
Examination of local and state governments and their relationship to each other from the Spanish era to the present. Students will study the process of planning and decision-making as problem solving devises in the urban/suburban environment. The course will emphasize the dynamics as well as the structural disarray of the metropolitan community. Students who have received credit for PLSC 200 may not receive credit for PLSC 301. Transfer credit: CSU (D2a).

PLSC 315 INTRODUCTION TO REVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or equivalent.
Examination of the major revolutions in history — religious, political, technological, economic and gender based. The goals behind revolution will be identified and the reasons for success or failure will be discussed. Transfer credit: CSU (D3). (NOTE: UC transferability pending; please see the Transfer Opportunity Center for the most up-to-date transfer information.)

PLSC 320 LATIN AMERICA IN THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY (3)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100.
This course explores Latin America’s role in the international political economy. The role of colonialism; different political ideologies such as communism, socialism and Peronism; the availability of natural resources; trade policies of individual states; and relations to markets will be explored. Forecasts of the economic future of the area will be considered. Transfer credit: UC; CSU (D3).

PLSC 330 MIDDLE EAST POLITICS: US AND ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT (3)
(Credit/No Credit or letter grade.)
Three hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or equivalent.
A survey of political, religious, cultural and economic motivations that have resulted in the formation of the modern state of Israel. The role of the U.S. in the formation and the protection of the state of Israel. The Arab-Muslim nations’ opposition to U.S. policies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Transfer credit: CSU (D3). (NOTE: UC transferability pending; please see the Transfer Opportunity Center for the most up-to-date transfer information.)

PLSC 335 HISTORY AND POLITICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST (3)
(Credit/No Credit or letter grade.)
Three lecture hours per week. Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or 105, or equivalent.
Examination of the historical, political, economic and social issues of the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and U.S. foreign policy in the area. Also listed as HIST 335. Transfer credit: CSU (C2, D3).