12/21/2024 5:23:14 PM	POLS 1 Course Outline as of Spring 2002	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  POLS 1	Title:  INTRO TO U S GOVT
Full Title:  Introduction to United States Government
Last Reviewed:10/28/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Principles and problems of government with emphasis on national, state and local government in the United States.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Completion of ENGL 100 or ESL 100.

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Principles & problems of national, state & local government in the United States.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Completion of ENGL 100 or ESL 100.
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
Area:	D F	Social and Behavioral Sciences American Institutions
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	D	Social Science		Fall 2011
	D8	Political Science, Govt, Legal Instutns
	X2	Constitution and American Ideals
	D	Social Science		Fall 2010	Fall 2011
	D2	Economics
	D4	Gender Studies
	D8	Political Science, Govt, Legal Instutns
	X2	Constitution and American Ideals
	D	Social Science		Fall 1981	Fall 2010
	D2	Economics
	D4	Gender Studies
	X2	Constitution and American Ideals
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	4	Social and Behavioral Science		Fall 1981
	4H	Political Science:Govt and Legal Instutn
	XB	Constitution and American Ideals
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:	Fall 2025
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:
CID Descriptor: POLS 110	Introduction to American Government and Politics	SRJC Equivalent Course(s): POLSC1000

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

The students will:

1.  Record lecture material and relate the material to the textbook

   content.

2.  Define terms, identify political institutions, and recognize the

   names of current and past political leaders.

3.  Recognize political problems and discuss current issues using

   political analysis to explain their reasoning.

4.  Express their points of view during class discussion.

5.  Apply their knowledge of political principles and institutions

   not only within the academic settings but in their everyday lives.

6.  Practice the application of the political process in their everyday

   lives.

7.  Be able to calculate the influence of political institutions on the

   American population.

8.  Demonstrate communication and analytical skill levels on exam

   and inclass discussion.

9.  Question their own values and popular myth as related to the

   American political system.

10. Synthesize the ideas of past and current political problems and

   formulate their own perceptions of how to meet the challenge faced

   by they government today.

11. Assess the nation's political problems and evaluate the efficiency

   of the nation's political process and how certain political goals

   may be achieved.

12. Discuss and evaluate California state and local government issues and

   politics.

13. Describe the values, themes, methods and history of the discipline

   and identify realistic career objectives related to a course of

   study in the major.

Topics and Scope

1.  Foundations of U.S. Government.

     A. The British influence.

     B. Philosophical concepts of John Locke and Montesquieu.

     C. The articles of confederation.

     D. The constitutional convention.

2.  The basic features of the American Constitutional System.

     A. The congress.

     B. Executive office.

     C. The judiciary.

     D. Federalism.

     E. Civil liberties and civil rights.

     F. Federal and state court structure.

3.  Public opinion and socialization.

     A. Public opinion polls.

     B. Elections and voting behavior.

     C. Pressure groups.

     D. Political parties and politics.

     E. The presidential nomination process.

4.  Congress.

     A. Function of your legislature.

     B. Recent changes in House procedure and power.

     C. The senate of the United States.

          1. Senate rules and procedures.

          2. Senate leadership.

          3. Conference committees.

     D. Influences of congressional staff.

     E. Tactics and strategy of the legislative process.

     F. the Executive-Legislative conflict.

5.  The Presidency.

     A. Roles of the president.

          1. Constitutional duties.

          2. Non-constitutional duties.

     B. The U.S. decision making process.

          1. The electorate.

          2. Communication elites.

          3. The congress.

          4. The executive branch.

               a. the cabinet.

               b. the executive office of the president.

               c. the future of the American President.

6.  Constitution of the State of California

   A. Relationship of State and local government with the Federal

     government.

   B. Political process of the state.

7.  Orientation to the values, themes, methods and history of the

   discipline and identification of realistic career objectives related

   to a course of study in the major.

Assignments:

1.  Read and study appropriate chapters in the texts.

2.  Keep up with current events in the local newspaper and weekly

   news magazines.

3.  Regular attendance and extensive note-taking in class is expected

   and assumed.

4.  Preparation for in-class, closed book, no-notes examinations.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 20%
Written homework, Essay exams
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 40 - 50%
Homework problems, Quizzes, Exams
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 40 - 50%
Multiple choice
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

R. Greenberg and F. Page, THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY, 5th ed.,

  Longman Publishing, 2001.

Larry Berman and Bruce Allen Murphy, APPROACHING DEMOCRACY, 3rd ed.,

  Prentice Hall 2001.

Larry N. Gertson & Terry Christiansen, CALIFORNIA POLITICS &

 GOVERNMENT: A PRACTICAL APPROACH, 6th ed., Harcourt College

 Publishers, 2001.

Walt Huber, CALIFORNIA:  STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CRISIS,

 4th ed., Educational Textbook Company, 2000.

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