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.