All information in this guide is tentative and subject to change. Check with the Political Science Department Office for updates. The Real-time online schedule of classes is accessible through MySlice - Syracuse University

PSC 600 m001 ASPI Research Seminar

Instructor: Baobao Zhang

Class # 20946

Offered: W 9:30am-12:15 pm

Course Description

PSC 600 m003 Global Environmental Governance

Instructor: Takumi Shibaike

Class # 13314

Offered: W 3:45 pm-6:30 pm

Course Description

Economic globalization involves the internationalization of markets. This course examines the need for governance of the global marketplace: the rules and institutions that both guide and restrain the international economic policies of states. Our primary focus will be on the governance of the key economic sectors of trade and finance. We will work to answer several fundamental questions about global economic governance: What explains the emergence of specific rules and institutions? Once created, how do these governance structures help resolve conflicts and collective action problems among states? How do different institutional designs bias governance outcomes in ways that benefit some states at the expense of others? How and why do existing governance structures change? Throughout the semester, we will explore a broad range of scholarly work that will begin to provide answers to these questions. These works draw from a variety of theoretical perspectives and employ a broad range of methodological approaches. Finally, using a pedagogical technique known as student directed learning (SDL), students will craft their own course of study for the final two sessions.

PSC 651 m001 Theories of International Relations

Instructor: Audie Klotz

Class # 20948

Offered: T 9:30 am-12:15 pm

Course Description

PSC 651 serves primarily as the foundation for the Political Science PhD field exam in International Relations and secondarily for anyone (not limited to PSC) as a gateway to complementary coursework or dissertation research. We will cover basic theoretical vocabulary and sample major debates. Since we cannot possibly cover all topics, assignments will point you to related literatures. Readings will concentrate on contemporary writings, by both established and early-career scholars. You will learn to employ theories to differentiate key features of the international system; assess analytical claims about power in the international system and diversify the historical and geographical scope of your knowledge about the international system.

PSC 691 m001 Logic of Political Inquiry

Instructor: Lamis Abdelaaty

Class # 12042

Offered: TH 9:30 am-12:15 pm

Course Description

This seminar introduces students to the principles of research design in mainstream political science. We will begin with some questions in the philosophy of science as they apply to the social sciences. We will review the purpose of theories, as well as different approaches to generating and evaluating them. We will investigate concept formation and operationalization. We will discuss how different research designs (including the construction of counterfactuals, comparative case studies, large-N regression analysis, and experiments) may be used to help researchers make valid causal inferences.

PSC 693 m001 Intro to Quantitative Political Analysis

Instructor: Jessie Trudeau

Class # 11279

Offered: Tu 12:30 pm-2:30 pm; F 10:35 am-11:30 am Lab

Course Description

This course introduces students to the basic statistical methods used in the study of political science. In the seminars and labs, you will learn to describe and analyze social science data, such as national election surveys. Throughout the course, you will also learn to understand the importance of randomness in statistical research, conduct statistical tests, present your results, and evaluate the implications of quantitative analysis. You will learn to compute most of the techniques both ‘by hand’ and with Stata, a statistical software program commonly used in political science. Contemporary political science research in all subfields utilizes statistical techniques and, consequently, a basic understanding of these methods is crucial. The goal is this course to provide students with the statistical tools necessary to become a sophisticated consumer and producer of quantitative research.

PSC 700 m101 Ethics in International Relations

Instructor: Glyn Morgan

Class # 12761

Offered: W 6:45 pm-9:30 pm

Course Description

International Relations (IR) is a field of study that focuses on the behavior of international actors (typically states and international organizations). Ethics as a field of study focuses on the rights and wrongs of actions, policies, and institutions. The ethics of international relations focuses on the rights and wrongs of international actions, policies, and institutions. This class will read some of the classic works in International Political Theory (including works by Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Kant, Morgenthau, Walzer, Habermas, and Rawls).  We will discuss the pros and cons of the realist tradition.  And we will examine a number of current ethical dilemmas, including terrorism, torture, global inequality, immigration, and climate change.

PSC 700 m103 Political Behavior

Instructor: Johanna Dunaway

Class # 20950

Offered: Th 9:30 am – 12:15 pm

Course Description

This course is primarily designed for students of American and Comparative Politics. In it, we will examine forms of mass political behavior (and the analytical frameworks used to understand them) that are relevant to all subfields. The topics will include, but not be limited to: public opinion, vote choice, turnout, campaign contributions, and participation in social movements and/or insurgencies.

PSC 712 m001 Public Opinion and Communication

Instructor: Emily Thorson

Class # 20951

Offered: Tu 9:30 am-12:15 pm

Course Description

This course explores the processes by which citizens form their opinions, attitudes, and beliefs and the extent to which those opinions do (or do not) affect policymaking. We will examine a wide range of factors that shape public opinion, including (but not limited to) social identity, the mass media, new technology, and self-interest. The course will also include discussion of some of the major methodological components involved in the construction of surveys as well as approaches to drawing inferences about how individuals form opinions (including experiments). In the end, students will understand the challenges citizens face in forming public opinions and the hurdles to accurately measuring and understanding those opinions.

PSC 785 m001 Politics of the Developing World

Instructor: Erin Hern

Class # 20952

Offered: M 9:30 am-12:15 pm

Course Description

This course considers the specific challenges of governing in poorer countries. The course begins by interrogating whether “developing world” is a useful concept. It continues by considering questions related to the shared history and prospects of poorer countries, including the legacies of colonialism, development of nationalism, theory and practice of democracy, persistence of authoritarianism, strategies for economic growth, resource curses, the politics of foreign aid, and political violence. 

PSC 792 m001 Research Design

Instructor: Dimitar Gueorguiev

Class # 11874

Offered: Tu 12:30 pm – 3:15 pm

Course Description

PSC 792 is required for Ph.D. students and should ideally be taken at the beginning of your third year, the same semester you are taking qualifying examinations. The primary goal of this course is to have each student produce a working draft of a dissertation proposal. Topics to be covered include: what makes for a good dissertation, what a prospectus should look like, how to situate your project in the existing literature, field research, funding, writing tips, and professional development. Each student will write and present several drafts of their proposal, and provide feedback to their colleagues.  The course also will include discussions with junior faculty and current ABDs about their experiences, and meetings with university experts on human subjects research and external funding. In addition to the proposal, students will complete short assignments about different aspects of the dissertation process and professional development. Another important goal of the course is to develop the skills of providing feedback to your peers, and accepting constructive criticism from them. You should prepare to submit a 5-page description of your research area and the problem(s) you intend to address in your dissertation at the beginning of the semester. (Instructor consent required.)

PSC 804 m001 Advanced Topics in Qualitative Methods

Instructor: Jenn M. Jackson

Class #: 12603

Offered: Th 12:30 pm – 3:15 pm

Course Description

This class covers a range of theoretical and practical issues related to conducting qualitative historical research in political science. Topics will include differences between historical research in political science and political history; historiography and selection bias when working with secondary sources; and planning and conducting archival research. We will also look at examples of different types of historical research to see best practices in action, including process tracing and the use of historical narratives to develop new concepts or hypotheses. Other topics might include using historical research as part of a mixed methods approach; points of tension and overlap with quantitative historical work; and debates about what transparency should look like for qualitative researchers.

PSC 997 m001 Master’s Thesis

Register for class # 12193, PSC 997 m001, 6 credit hours –or-

Register for class # 12194, PSC 997 m002, 0 credit hours

PSC 999 m001 Dissertation Credits

Register for class # 10484, for 1 to 15 credits

GRD 998 Degree in Progress (Zero Hour Registration)

Register for:

GRD 998m001, register for class # 16528

GRD 998m002, register for class # 16529

GRD 998m003, register for class # 16531

If you have completed your political science coursework and dissertation credits, you should register for GRD 998 “Degree in Progress” each semester until you graduate.

Along with your GRD 998 registration, please remember to complete a Full Time Certification form each semester you are registered for zero credit hours to continue your Full-Time student status. You can find the form on the graduate school link below.

https://su-jsm.atlassian.net/wiki/display/GS/Forms

Your student status will be discontinued if you are not registered before the last day to add a class:

Please see Candy Brooks if you have any questions about your credits or registration.