Courses

The following courses are offered in political science. Core seminars provide students with an overview of a particular field of study, involve extensive reading, and are necessary preparation for comprehensive examinations. Research seminars typically involve students in a major research project. As the content in any particular research seminar can vary among the sub fields in political science, students may take a research seminar more than once. 400/800 level courses, listed in both the UNL Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletins, do not offer credit toward a degree, but may be taken to supplement one's background in an area or makeup a deficiency. Specific semester offerings of graduate and 400/800 courses are listed in UNL's Schedule of Classes available on the web. Students may also take courses from other disciplines with the approval of their supervisory committee.

Required Courses

POLS 800. Research Methods (3 cr)
Introduces students to the basic statistical techniques used in quantitative political science research, with a focus on the general linear model. Topics include basic probability theory, ordinary least squares regression, and strategies for solving problems associated with quantitative data analysis.

POLS 801. Scope and Methods (3 cr)
Considers the character of political science as a form of inquiry - what it seeks to know and how it seeks to know it. Topics include: the discipline of political science as a science; the meaning of concepts, generalizations, laws, theories, and explanations; and concept formation and theory building as embodied in major studies of politics. Alternative understandings of the character and possibility of a science of politics are also addressed.

POLS 802. Professional Development in Political Science (3 cr)
Covers a variety of professional development topics including methods of teaching, publishing, and grant writing . Required course for Ph.D. students only.

POLS 901. Dissertation Prospectus (3 cr)
Focuses on producing a dissertation prospectus which is reviewed and critiqued by the instructor and students in the course. Required course for Ph.D. students.

Electives

American

POLS 820. Core Seminar in American Government (3 cr)
Treats the field of American government including national, state, and local political institutions and processes, and political behavior.

POLS 920. Research Seminar in American Government (3 cr maximum 12)
Content varies among the following topics: national institutions and processes, state and local institutions and processes, legal institutions and processes, and political behavior.

Comparative Politics

POLS 879. Core Seminar in Comparative Politics (3 cr)
Covers the principal theories and methodologies of the comparative study of politics, including issues related to functional analysis such as culture, socialization, and political participation. Problems unique to the area specialist are also addressed.

POLS 975. Research Seminar in Comparative Politics (3 cr maximum 9)
Content varies among the following topics: developing counties, former communist countries, and advanced industrial societies. Topics include democratization, economic development, institutional change, and systemic transformation.

Historical and Normative Theory

POLS 880. Core Seminar in Political Theory (3 cr)
Surveys of the history of political thought. Authors covered usually include Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Mill and Nietzsche.

POLS 980. Seminar in Political Theory (3 cr maximum 9)
Topics include: nationalism, cultural rights, feminism, theories of justice and democratic theory.

International Relations

POLS 965. Seminar in Human Rights (3 cr)
Content varies among the following topics: foreign policy and national security, international law and organizations, and international political economy.

POLS 960. Seminar in International Relations (2-3 cr maximum 9 cr)

Public Policy

POLS 831. Core Seminar in Public Policy 831 (3 cr)
Focuses on the field of public policy including the following: theoretical frameworks, the role of institutions in the policy process, and the motivations of policy actors.

POLS 836. Seminar in Policy Analysis (3 cr)
Explores both qualitative and quantitative approaches to public policy analysis. Topics include the nature of politics and policy, the formation of public policy, the analysis of policy content, methodological triangulation, participatory policy making designs, and the role of the policy analyst.

POLS 931. Seminar in Public Policy (3 cr maximum 12)
Topics include, but are not limited to, agriculture, cities, education, environment, health, and rural communities.

Other

POLS 941. Seminar in Methods (3 cr maximum 9)
Topics include game theory, mathematics for social sciences, advanced regression analysis, etc.

Special Topics

POLS 891. Individual Readings (1-3 cr for MA and 1-9 cr for Ph.D. )
Students must contract with an instructor to supervise this course.

POLS 899. Masters Thesis (6-10 cr)

POLS 991. Minor Research Problems (1-3 cr for MA and 1-9 cr for Ph.D. )
Students must contract with an instructor to supervise this course.

POLS 999. Doctoral Dissertation (1-24 cr)

Research Tool Requirement

Courses from a number of disciplines can satisfy the Ph.D. tool requirement including economics, educational psychology, mathematics, political science, sociology, psychology, etc.