Political Science (POLS)
Subject-area course lists indicate courses currently active for offering at the University of Louisville. Not all courses are scheduled in any given academic term. For class offerings in a specific semester, refer to the Schedule of Classes.
500-level courses generally are included in both the undergraduate- and graduate-level course listings; however, specific course/section offerings may vary between semesters. Students are responsible for ensuring that they enroll in courses that are applicable to their particular academic programs.
Course Fees
Some courses may carry fees beyond the standard tuition costs to cover additional support or materials. Program-, subject- and course-specific fee information can be found on the Office of the Bursar website.
POLS 501. Topics in American Politics3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered
Description: An examination of one or more issues in the field of American politics.
Note: Topics to be varied from year to year.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 502. Topics in Comparative Politics3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered
Description: An examination of one or more issues in the field of comparative politics. May focus on a particular region or country.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 504. Topics in Political Theory - WR3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing or faculty consent.
Description: An examination of one or more selected topics in the study of political philosophy. Individual research projects and reports are required.
Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 505. Topics in Urban and Public Policy3 Units
Description: An interdisciplinary study of metropolitan problems, providing an opportunity to probe into basic long-range trends and human factors.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 506. Topics in International Relations3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
Description: An advanced focus on one or more selected topics in world politics. Research projects, reports and simulations will likely be required.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 507. Topics in Digital Politics3 Units
Description: Investigation of the role of information technology in politics and policy-making with a focus on real-world applications. Topics may include political campaigns, interest group advocacy, and e-government.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 510. Louisville Metro Council Internship3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall Only
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
Description: Practical internship in government.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 511. Internship II3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
Description: Practical internship in government, nonprofit, or private sector.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 512. Frankfort Legislative Internship3 Units
Description: This course offers students the opportunity to experience working in the office of an elected member of Kentucky General Assembly. Interns work an average of 16 hours per week during the legislative session. Intern responsibilities may vary, depending on the intern's experience and interests as well as the needs of the office. The primary objectives of the intern program include: providing students the opportunity to gain first-hand experience working in government and politics, generating insight into the realities of the political process and how it relates to traditional theoretical perspectives of political science, and educating students about the possibilities of public service and politics as a career choice.
Course Attribute(s): CBL - This course includes Community-Based Learning (CBL). Students will engage in a community experience or project with an external partner in order to enhance understanding and application of academic content.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 520. Coping with Conflict3 Units
Fee: An additional $100.00 is charged for this course.
Description: This active-learning course involves students negotiating and then analyzing realistic hypothetical cases related to local, national, and international issues found within the North American countries.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 530. International Negotiation3 Units
Fee: An additional $115.00 is charged for this course.
Description: An examination of the politics of interstate bargaining. Various theoretical perspectives are examined as well as several real world examples. Students will participate in role-playing exercises.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 552. Politics through Film2-3 Units
Description: An examination of authority patterns, political change, using cinematic portrayals as the primary literature base for investigation.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 563. Women in Developing Countries - WR3 Units
Description: Follows the progress of the international women's movement by focusing on the emergence of women leaders and their work in developing countries since the First World Conference on Women, 1975 to the present.
Note: Cross-listed with WGST 558.
Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in Written Communication (WR).
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 568. Feminist Theory - WR3 Units
Description: Survey of the history and scope of the feminist tradition with emphasis upon liberal, radical, Marxist, socialist, psychoanalytic, and postmodern approaches to feminist theory.
Note: Cross-listed with WGST 556.
Note: Approved for the Arts and Sciences upper-level requirement in written communication (WR).
Note: Credit may not be earned for both WGST 556/POLS 568 and WGST 656/POLS 668.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 602. Urban Political Economy3 Units
Description: Examines the role of public/private sectors in shaping policy in community and consequences for urban growth and quality of life.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 603. Economic Development3 Units
Description: The use and application of static and dynamic models for urban community development. Includes economic base industry and firm location models, and community growth. Topics include transportation, energy, pollution, income distribution, and employment.
Note: Cross-listed with PADM 645, UPA 640 and PLAN 626.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 605. Management of Nonprofit Organizations3 Units
Description: Management of nonprofit organizations is a graduate seminar in the Masters of Public Administration program. Its purpose is to apply management theories and concepts to nonprofit organizations. As such, the emphasis of this seminar will be relating how non-profits are managed in a time of scarce resources. Furthermore, students will understand challenges faced by managers as they seek to meet mission objectives, attract public and private support, work with and motivate volunteers, collaborate with other sectors, and meet the challenges of meeting performance objectives.
Note: Cross-listed with PADM 609.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 609. Seminar in Urban Problems3 Units
Description: Exploration of field of urban politics/government with focus on urban institutions, governance and selected urban problems and policies.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 615. Administrative Law and Process3 Units
Description: Study of processes of law-making and application by governmental executive departments. Encompasses substantive issues facing agencies in designing and implementing effective regulation and court efforts to interpret and control agencies' activities.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 619. Seminar in Public Policy3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Description: Survey of major theories of the policy process and the methodology of policy analysis.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 620. Topics in Public Policy3 Units
Description: An examination of one or more selected topics in the study of public policy.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 625. Foundations of Public Administration3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall Only
Description: Using the classic writings in the field of public administration for the past 150 years, the course explores the theoretical foundations of public administration and applies the theories to current practice in public administration.
Note: Cross-listed with URBS 651.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 627. Environmental Policy3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Spring Only
Description: Survey of environmental issues and policies designed to address these issues.
Note: Cross-listed with URBS 615.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 628. Mediation and Dispute Resolution3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered
Description: Designed principally for incipient practitioners of the mediation process. Class participation, serving as a mediator in cases presented to the class, and a short paper depicting mediating in process are the course requirements.
Note: Cross-listed with URBS 672.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 629. Seminar in American Politics3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall Odd Years
Description: Survey of major theories and research on American political institutions and political behavior.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 630. Topics in American Politics3 Units
Description: An examination of the research in one or more selected topics in the field of American politics.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 638. Seminar in American Foreign Policy3 Units
Description: Issues and perspectives in American foreign policy topics include theories of American foreign policy, historical epochs in the Cold War era, alternative strategies in nuclear deterrence, America's responses to the post-Cold War environment.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 639. Seminar in International Relations3 Units
Description: Study of world politics, focusing on central theoretical perspectives and substantive issues affecting interstate conflict and cooperation.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 640. Topics in International Relations3 Units
Description: Study of selected substantive or theoretical issues involving world politics.
Note: Topics will vary from semester to semester.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 641. Clash of Civilizations in the 21st Century3 Units
Description: This course examines three major civilizations (Western, Islam, and Chinese) and their roles in international relations in the 21st century.
Note: Cross-listed with AST 641.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 644. Law, Diplomacy and Power: The Foreign Relations of the U.S.3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
Description: This course explores the evolution of U.S. foreign relations from the founding to the present-day, focusing on the interplay of legal, diplomatic, and power-driven motives and themes. It analyzes the records of prominent U.S. foreign policy makers, appraising their objectives and strategies, their errors and accomplishments, within changing international contexts.
Note: Cross-listed with POLS 444.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 647. Seminar in Latin America3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Occasionally Offered
Description: A survey of major theories and research on Latin American political institutions, political behavior, socioeconomic processes, and critical public policy issues across the region.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 649. Seminar in Comparative Politics3 Units
Description: Survey of major theories, concepts, approaches of comparative politics, development of the field and methodology of comparative political analysis.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 650. Topics in Comparative Politics3 Units
Description: Study of politics and government in selected countries/regions, or study of processes, institutions or policies from a cross-national perspective.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 668. Feminist Theory3 Units
Description: Survey of the history and scope of the feminist tradition with emphasis upon liberal, radical, Marxist, socialist, psychoanalytic, and postmodern approaches to feminist theory.
Note: Cross-listed with WGST 656.
Note: Credit may not be earned for both WGST 556/POLS 568 and WGST 656/POLS 668.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 670. Research Design3 Units
Description: This course addresses how the scientific method applies to studying social and political phenomena. It offers a survey of the various qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods used in social and political research.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 671. Introduction to Data Analysis3 Units
Description: This course is an introduction to quantitative statistical methods.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 672. Qualitative Research3 Units
Term Typically Offered: Spring Even Years
Prerequisite(s): No Prerequisites or corequisites: No Corequisite: No This course introduces students to the principles and tools used to design and conduct qualitative research in political science.
Description: We will examine the nature of inference and explanation, research design, and conceptualization. Then, we will examine qualitative data generation techniques such as archival research and comparative historical analysis; process tracing; interviewing and focus groups; ethnographic and participant observation; and discourse and content analysis. Throughout the course we will examine scholarship from both the positivist and interpretivist approaches to qualitative research and devote time to examining research ethnics and researcher responsibilities. The course is designed to assist students to think about how to use qualitative research methods to answer their own questions about politics.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 691. Independent Study I1-12 Units
Description: Individualized study in a selected subject area with approval of and supervision by a faculty member. Credit according to achievement.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 692. Independent Study II1-12 Units
Description: Individualized study in a selected subject area with approval of and supervision by a faculty member. Credit according to achievement.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 695. Directed Research3 Units
Prerequisite(s): Student must be in last semester of his/her course work.
Description: An intensive independent research project directed by a department faculty member. Intended for students completing the non-thesis degree option.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
POLS 699. Thesis Guidance1-6 Units
Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Description: This course provides an opportunity for students to conduct their thesis research under the supervision of a faculty advisor, complete the writing, and defend it before a faculty committee.
For class offerings for a specific term, refer to the Schedule of Classes
