100-Level Courses
PL SC 101R : Current Events and Political Science.
(1-2:Arr:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| DESCRIPTION:  | An introduction to political science using both national and international current events. Introduces faculty, career opportunities, academic expectations, and campus resources. Appropriate for non-majors. |
PL SC 110 : American Government and Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. Independent Study also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Origin and development of federal Constitution; national, state, and local governments and politics. |
PL SC 150 : Comparative Government and Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Patterns of European, Asian, Latin American, and other political systems. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
PL SC 170 : Introduction to International Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Basic forces, practices, institutions, and foreign policies of major powers; problem areas in international politics. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
200-Level Courses
PL SC 200 : Political Inquiry.
(4:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Methodology of political science, including theory and techniques of qualitative and quantitative research design. |
| NOTE: | Prerequisite to all upper-division courses. |
PL SC 201 : Western Political Heritage 1.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Western civilization from Greek antiquity to Renaissance, primarily from perspective of political philosophy and scriptures; exploring fundamental questions in human experience; examining formative events in history; understanding value of important texts. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
: Honors Western Political Heritage 1.
PL SC 202 : Western Political Heritage 2.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| OFFERED: | Honors also. |
| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Western civilization from Renaissance to present, primarily from perspective of political philosophy; exploring fundamental questions in human experience; examining formative events in history; understanding value of important texts. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
PL SC 297 : Internship Program Preparation.
(1-2:ARR:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Preparatory seminar for students who will be participating in departmental internship programs. |
300-Level Courses
PL SC 300 : Contemporary Political Theory.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 201 & PL SC 202; or PHIL 201 & PHIL 202 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | History of political science, including the moral and ethical dimensions of politics. |
PL SC 307 : Reason, Revelation, and Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| RECOMMENDED: | Pl Sc 201 or 202 or a class in philosophy. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | The fruitful tension between the authority of reason and that of revelation in the Western tradition and in contemporary politics. |
PL SC 310 : Theories of American Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall On Demand; Winter On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 110 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Major theories and approaches used to explain American politics. |
PL SC 311 : State and Local Government and Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 110 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Relation of state and national governments, forms of state governments and politics, types of municipal governments and their operation. |
PL SC 312 : Japanese-American Internment: Topaz Plus.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| RECOMMENDED: | Pl Sc 110. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Japanese-American internment in the context of American democracy. Assessing how this was allowed to happen in our democratic system of government. Focus on the situation at Topaz Relocation Camp (located near Delta, Utah) and the other nine camps; the cause for incarceration of such a sizeable number of citizens. Field trip to Topaz. |
PL SC 313 : Interest Groups.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 110 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Theories on formation and maintenance of interest groups; tactics of groups in legislative, executive, bureaucratic, and court settings; influence of groups on elections and public policy. |
PL SC 314 : The United States Presidency.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 110 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Presidential power in the United States, focusing on major roles of the American presidency. |
PL SC 315 : Congress and the Legislative Process.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 110 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Election process; structure, organization, and procedures of legislative bodies; relations with pressure groups, the president, and executive branch. |
PL SC 316 : American Political Parties.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Electoral and policy-making roles of American political parties today and their future in American politics. |
PL SC 317 : Public Opinion and Voting Behavior.
(3-4:3:Arr.)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| RECOMMENDED: | Pl Sc 328. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Relationship between attitudes, opinion, and voting behavior in American politics and institutions. |
PL SC 318 : Campaigns and Elections.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Analyzes electoral process in the United States, including history, significance in governance, campaign strategy, finance, media role, etc. |
PL SC 320 : American Politics Through Literature.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| DESCRIPTION:  | American politics through the novel and other literary works. Developing political concepts and themes that come from significant political novels. |
PL SC 321 : The Media in American Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | News media's role in processes of American politics, including electoral process, legislative process, and public policy-making. |
PL SC 322 : Early American Political Thought: 1620-1865.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Core principles and seminal texts of American politics from Colonial times through the Lincoln administration. |
PL SC 323 : Modern American Political Thought: 1865-Present.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Core principles and seminal texts of American politics from Reconstruction to the present. |
PL SC 324 : Political Psychology.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| RECOMMENDED: | Pl Sc 328. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Survey of classic and contemporary research in political psychology. Special focus on how citizens think and feel about politics and the ways in which those beliefs shape their interactions with the political world. |
PL SC 330 : Theories of Public Policy.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | ECON 110 & PL SC 110 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Major theories used in assessing public policies, including policy formation, interaction of politics and economics, institutions of policy making, and policy. |
PL SC 333 : Politics of Bureaucracy.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Theory and nature of bureaucracy; sources of power; political executives; staffs and agency personnel; conflicts with elected officials; public interest and bureaucratic control. |
PL SC 336 : Government and Religion.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Christian-Hebraic concepts of state. American experience with church-state relations (First Amendment problems). Policy issues of concern to contemporary religions. |
PL SC 341 : Western European Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| DESCRIPTION:  | Politics and policy in western Europe. State-building, party systems, nationalism, and cooperation among advanced industrial countries in comparative, historical perspective. Social and Christian democracy; European Union. |
PL SC 344 : Comparative Political Economy.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 150 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Overview of political economy from a comparative perspective. Classic theorists (Smith, Marx, Schumpeter, etc.); classic questions (industrialization, national economic policy, property, globalization, law, and economics). |
PL SC 347 : Russia/Former Soviet Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| DESCRIPTION:  | Comparative politics of Russia and Soviet successor states. Development of political systems from common Soviet heritage, emphasizing post-independence politics and institution building. |
PL SC 348 : Government and Politics of Asia.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Winter |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Comparative analysis of political developments of the major countries of Asia not covered in other country-specific classes. |
PL SC 350 : Theories of Comparative Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 150 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Selected issues of comparative politics such as crisis and discontinuity; development; political infrastructure (e.g., political culture and social structure); political institutions. |
PL SC 351 : British Government and Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Examination of the origin and contemporary operation of British political institutions as they relate to British society. |
PL SC 352 : African Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Processes of change and development of nation states; African regionalism and relations with other nations; contemporary political issues. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
PL SC 357 : Middle East: Political Systems.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Social, philosophical, and religious impact on Middle East political institutions in an era of modernization and conflict. |
PL SC 358 : Politics and Society in Latin America.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200; or LT AM 211 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Conceptual and contemporary issues in Latin America's search for political order and economic development. |
PL SC 370 : Theory of International Relations.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 170 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Most influential traditions of thought in international relations; includes realism, idealism, Marxism, neorealism, complex interdependence, etc. |
PL SC 371 : Foreign Policy Analysis.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 & PL SC 370 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Survey of research regarding multiple levels of foreign policy analysis: individual, group, bureaucratic, societal, economic, systemic. |
PL SC 372 : International Political Economy.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Political implications of international trade, investment, and monetary policies within an increasingly interdependent global context; transnationalism. |
PL SC 373 : International Law.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 170 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Nature and function of international law; recognition, succession, jurisdiction rights, and immunities of states; nationality and jurisdiction over nations. |
PL SC 374 : Ethics and International Affairs.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Ethical considerations in study and practice of international politics. Realism, idealism, and other theories of state behavior subjected to ethical standards. |
PL SC 375 : International Organizations.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | International institutions; transnational relations; rise of newer political organizations: League of Nations, United Nations, European communities, world religions, multinational corporations, terrorist groups, global regimes. |
PL SC 378 : International Conflict.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 150 & PL SC 200; or PL SC 170 & PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Causes of war; alliances and empires; military innovation; civil-military relations; fungibility of forces; terrorism; security studies methods; use and misuse of history. |
PL SC 380 : International Relations of Latin America.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200; or LT AM 211 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Factors that affect foreign relations of Latin American countries, including the U.S. role, emphasizing intervention, democracy, development, and trade. |
PL SC 381 : International Relations of the Middle East.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Interregional relations and conflicts, political economics, Arab nationalism, processes of political change, alliances, and superpower relations. |
PL SC 382 : International Relations of North America.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| DESCRIPTION:  | Examination and analysis of factors that affect foreign relations of Canada, U.S., and Mexico, emphasizing trade, security, migration, environment. |
PL SC 385 : International Relations of Asia.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Foreign policies and international relations of China, Japan, and Northeast and Southeast Asia; historical and contemporary review and analysis. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
PL SC 386 : Japanese Foreign Policy.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| DESCRIPTION:  | Process and outcomes of Japan's foreign policy; analysis of its relations with other nations in a historical and contemporary setting. |
PL SC 391 : Advanced Seminar on Current Issues.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | Acceptance to Washington Seminar. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Briefings and lectures from government officials and agencies, as well as directed readings on current issues. |
| NOTE: | For students interning in Washington, D.C. |
PL SC 399R : Academic Internship.
(.5-9:0:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | Acceptance into program. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Work-study on the international, national, state, and local level. |
: Washington DC Internship.
: International Internship.
: Congressional Internship.
: State Government Internship.
: City Government Intership.
: Pre-Law Internship.
: Utah Legislature Internship.
: Campaign Internship.
400-Level Courses
PL SC 400 : Capstone Seminar in Political Theory.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 & PL SC 201 & PL SC 202 & PL SC 300; Political Science major status. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Seminar in political theory for students in their senior year. |
PL SC 405 : Federalist Papers.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | The primary defense of the Constitution of the United States, which also constitutes the major commentary on that document. |
PL SC 408 : Hermeneutics, Deconstruction, and Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Critical political theory, including writers such as Hegel, Nietzsche, Heiddegger, Gadamer, Derrida, and Levinas. |
PL SC 410 : Capstone Seminar in American Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 110 & PL SC 200; Some sections also require Pl Sc 328. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Seminar in American politics and government for students in their senior year. |
| NOTE: | For political science majors only. |
PL SC 430 : Capstone Seminar in Public Policy.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 110 & PL SC 200; Some sections also require Pl Sc 328. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Seminar in public policy for students in their senior year. |
| NOTE: | For political science majors only. |
PL SC 444 : The Political Economy of Development.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| RECOMMENDED: | Econ 110, Pl Sc 200. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Political foundations of growth, providing public goods, and political reform in developing countries. Development and how institutions and culture shape it. |
PL SC 450 : Capstone Seminar in Comparative Politics.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 150 & PL SC 200; Some sections also require Pl Sc 328. Major status. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Seminar in comparative politics and government for students in their senior year. |
PL SC 470 : Capstone Seminar in International Relations.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | Fall; Winter; Spring On Demand; Summer On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 170 & PL SC 200; Some sections also require Pl Sc 328. Political Science major status. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Seminar in international relations and politics for students in their senior year. |
PL SC 471 : Intelligence and National Security.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Relationship between theory and practice of intelligence and national security of states. |
PL SC 472 : International Political Economy of Women.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Effects upon national, international, and developmental policies when women are rendered visible and valued. |
| NOTE: | This course is part of a GE Mosaic. See ge.byu.edu/mosaic-list for more information. |
PL SC 473 : Human Rights.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Causes of human rights violations and societal and state responses; nature, history, and impacts of international human rights norms; ways to define and promote rights. |
PL SC 474 : Arab-Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Emphasizes historical background, current situation, and alternatives leading to conflict resolution. |
PL SC 475 : Civil Wars and Ethnic Violence.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| RECOMMENDED: | Pl Sc 150, 170, 328. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Foundations of ethnic and nationalist identities and how they related to civil wars worldwide, emphasizing theoretical explanations of civil wars and their resolution. Key civil war cases examined. |
PL SC 476 : Terrorism.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| WHEN TAUGHT: | On Demand |
| PREREQUISITE: | PL SC 200 |
| RECOMMENDED: | Pl Sc 150, 170, 328. |
| DESCRIPTION:  | Defining and conceptualizing terrorism; causes and varieties of terrorism; counterterrorism; the future of terrorism. |
500-Level Graduate Courses (available to advanced undergraduates)
PL SC 536 : Environmental Regulation.
(3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)| DESCRIPTION:  | Regulatory programs aimed at air and water pollution, hazardous waste, toxic chemicals, and other environmental problems. Alternative regulatory mechanisms and approaches. |