GOVT 357 - Campaign & Elections

Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 0

Prerequisite(s): GOVT 110 or HIST 100 or HIST 105; and ENGL 100 or ENGL 200

Restriction(s): None

Corequisite(s): None

This course focuses on campaigns and elections. It explores American electoral history, current events and modern issues in politics. Theories related to voter behavior, electoral strategy, political parties, and American political thought are all examined. In addition, current issues related to election reform, voting rights, voter registration, ballot access, and campaign finance are also examined. Students will learn how local, state, and federal elections work, how citizens engage in the electoral process, and the role that parties, candidates, and regulators play.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Course:

Show proficiency in understanding and applying the basic axioms/principles of at least one social science to demonstrate the explanatory power of the respective discipline by demonstrating a critical knowledge of its major concepts, models and issues;(knowledge of major concepts, models and issues in at least one discipline)
Demonstrate a critical knowledge of two or major theories/models of human behavior in one or more of the social sciences. (critical thinking- analyze and evaluate arguments)
Display an appreciation of, and basic competence in, the use of mathematical tools and analyses as these apply to the social sciences.
Exhibit an understanding of the methods used by social scientists, demonstrate an ability to develop a hypothesis related to observable human behavior in at least one discipline, and use data appropriate to the discipline to test a hypothesis. (understanding of data collection, observation, and hypothesis development, interpretive analysis) (critical thinking- develop well-reasoned arguments
Students will be able to analyze and evaluate campaign strategies used to elect different candidates to office.
Students will be able to create a strategy for the passage or defeat of various ballot initiatives.
After completing this course, students will be able to analyze and evaluate how changes in policy may result in different election outcomes.