Omicron Group Govt. 370 Syllabus

C O U R S E D E S C R I P T I O N return to top

Upon completion of this course students should attain a better understanding of global issues and the dominant theories accounting for international relations. Emphasis will be placed on conflict and cooperation, and the increasing importance of economic, environmental, and a variety of other cross-border transactions in the contemporary world. The course will include a critical examination of a variety of analytic concepts concerning types of international systems and political behavior.

For Students with Disabilities: If you have a specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disability and require accommodations, please let me know early in the quarter so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. By law, it is your responsibility to provide documentation of your disability to the Office of Disability Services, located in the Student Success Center , Massie Hall, (Ph) 351-3594, PRIOR to receiving services.

Attendance and Make-Up Policy: Attendance is essential to the student’s understanding of the material upon which they will be examined and rewarded with a better grade. Students have up to two days from the time a missed exam is scheduled to take a make-up exam. An Excused Absence Form obtained from the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs must be provided in order to be able to take the make-up exam. Make-ups may be granted only for documented personal health or other care giver emergencies. The make-up exam may differ from that given to the rest of the class.

Warning on Academic Dishonesty: There is no acceptance under any condition for academic dishonesty, whether it is plagiarism or other forms of cheating. Plagiarism is defined, according to Webster’s College Dictionary, as “the unauthorized use of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own.” To avoid plagiarism it is necessary to place anything that is not yours in quotation marks and provide a citation for its source. Students caught plagiarizing or cheating will receive an F in the course. They will also face disciplinary action which could lead to probation, suspension, or dismissal from the university. For details on SSU’s academic misconduct policies consult your student handbook at http://www.shawnee.edu/pub/sah/StudentHandbook.pdf

I N S T R U C T I O N A L O B J E C T I V E return to top

Click here to view chapter by chapter summaries and detailed learning objectives

T O P I C A L O U T L I N E return to top

Click here to view the entire course's outline in Power Point Presentation

A T T I T U D E S / V A L U E S return to top

Students who successfully finish this course will, at minimum, be able to:

Describe and critically analyze the major contending theories of international relations, and how each theory interprets differently the actions of nation-states in the international system
Demonstrate an understanding of key historical events which shaped the international system in the 20th century, the basic structures of the contemporary international system, and the actions of a variety of important entities within this system
Identify and critically analyze the many important issues and challenges facing the international system (e.g. global asymmetries of power and wealth, nuclear proliferation, population trends, environmental issues, and the process of globalization)
Become more fully aware of their role and responsibilities as global citizens, and of the consequences of their lifestyle choices on world resources and the environment
Gain an improved practical comprehension of the analytical tools and relevant resources (including Internet-based) that will enable them to better understand current events in the international realm

I N S T R U C T I O N A L A C T I V I T I E S return to top

The pedagogy includes text readings, class lectures and discussions, news media content analysis, in-class book review presentations, and, for extra credit, written reviews of recommended motion pictures viewed at home.

E V A L U A T I O N O F S T U D E N T S return to top

Students will be evaluated by two in-class essay exams (each worth 30% of the total grade), a book review (worth 20%), an in-class oral presentation of the review (10%), and by class attendance, scholarly behavior, and participation in discussions (10%). Students are encouraged to: 1) read assigned material in advance of the class; 2) evince grammatically correct writing; 3) voice questions and participate in discussions in and out of class; 4) attend on a regular basis; and 5) visit, peruse, interact, and contribute to the course’s cyber pages. The grading scale would be: 90-100= A; 80-89= B; 70-79= C; and 60-69= D

R E Q U I R E D T E X T return to top

IR: The New World of International Relations (7th Edition) -- Michael G. Roskin and Nicholas O. Berry

R E A D I N G O U T L I N E return to top

We will read the text in two parts: the first 10 chapters will be read during the first half of the semester weeks and the remaining 10 chapters during the second part. An exam will follow the conclusion of each period.

Also, during the first two weeks each student will pick an additional book on any subject related to and relevant to the course’s theme, to read and then write a book review and orally present info about the book in class. The book requires the professor's approval. The review is due week 12, day 1. No late work will be accepted. The book review should contain a critical evaluation of themes, approaches, and/or conclusions in addition to containing a descriptive summary of the book. Click here for general instructions for a successful book review. The short and informal oral presentations will occur during week 12.

M A P S O F W O R L D R E G I O N S return to top