Rubric:
Online Discussions: 10% Assignments: 20% Essays: 30%
Mid Semester Examination: 20% Final Examination: 20%
Grading details (lettered grades will be awarded reflecting the percentages indicated below):
Assignments (4)(5 % each):20%(representing 20% of the total grade );
Essays (2):15 % each (representing 30% of the total grade);
Examinations (2): 20% each(40% of the total grade)(mid-semester-20% of the total grade),(final examination-20% of the total grade);
Online discussion:10%( representing 10% of the total grade).
Example essay grading score:
Score – Out of 15
Percentage
Letter Grade
15
100%
A
14
93%
A-
13
87%
B+
12
80%
B
11
73%
B-
10
67%
C+
9
60%
C
8
53%
C-
7
47%
D+
6
40%
D
5 or less
33% or less
F
SafeAssign:
Assignments, essays and examination should be submitted using the assignments (SafeAssign) link on webcampus. Assignments, essays and examinations sent submitted using email attachments will not be accepted. You have to submit your assignments, essays and examination on time to be able to use the SafeAssign. There are assignments and essays as specified at the end of each session.
Required Reading:
James N. Danziger (2013 or later), Understanding the Political World: A Comparative Introduction to Political Science (New York: Pearson)
and any reading assignments that will be assigned during the semester.
Themes and Weekly Schedules: (Make sure you check announcements for specific weekly assignments).
Session I (Week I & II): The Political World (08/27-09/08)
What is Political Science?
-Reading Assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapter 1
Sources of Political Knowledge
Discussion Forum
Political Behavior.
Political Beliefs & Political Culture
-Reading Assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapter 2
Political Actions & Influences on Beliefs and Actions
-Reading Assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapters 3-4
Discussion Forum:
Assignment I
Check announcements for Assignments at the end of each session.
Session II: Week III – IV: Political Systems (09/10-09/29)
Political Systems, States and Nations
Political Institutions I: Structures
Political Institutions II: Institutional Arrangements
Democracies and Non-Democracies
Constitutional and Non-Constitutional Regimes
Real Distribution of Power
Executive-Legislative Relations
Political Party Systems
-Reading assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapters 5-7
Essay I
Discussion forum:
Check announcements for Assignments at the end of each session.
And at the end of this session, Essay 1(Note the due dates)
Session III: Week V & VII: Political Economy and Political Processes
(10/1-10/13)
Politics and Economics
Public Policy, Power and Decision
Politics as a Value Allocation Process
Change and Political Development
-Reading Assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapters 8-10
Assignment II
Discussion Forum
Check announcements for Assignments at the end of each session.
Session IV: Weeks VIII-IX: Political Violence & Politics Between States (10/15-10/27)
Political Violence
Politics between States
Perspectives on States Behavior
Violence between States
Reading Assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapters 11-12
Assignment III
Check weekly announcement for assignments and Mid-Semester Examination (and due date)
Session V: Weeks X-XI: Politics Among States(10/29-11/10)
The developed Countries of the Global North
Globalization
-Reading Assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapters 13
Check out the United Nations website: http://www.un.org
Discussion Forum
Essay II
Check out for the announcement for Essay 2(and the due date)
Session VI: Weeks XII-XIV: Politics among Nations (Cont.) (11/12-12/08)
The Developing Countries of the Global South
The Transitional Developed Countries
-Reading Assignments: James N. Danziger: Chapters 14-16
Assignment IV
Discussion Forum
Final Examination (See separate announcement for Assignments and final examination questions and due dates.