Political Science Courses
Find course information and syllabi for courses offered through 老司机福利网's Department of Political Science.
- Spring 2022 Political Science Classes (PDF)
- Spring 2023 Political Science Classes (PDF)
- Spring 2024 Political Science Classes (PDF)
- Fall 2022 Political Science Classes (PDF)
- Fall 2023 Political Science Classes (PDF)
Course Syllabi
Undergraduate Classes
- ISTD 4800-01 Capstone: Seminar in International Studies, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- ISTD 4961-01 Capstone: Ethnic Politics, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- ISTD 4910: Internship in International Studies, Spring 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- ISTD 4962: Comparative Revolution, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1100-01 Introduction to American Government, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1100-01/H01 Introduction to American Government, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1100-01 Introduction to American Government, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1100-01/H01 Introduction to American Government, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1150-01 American Political Systems, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1150-01 American Political Systems, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1150-01 American Political Systems, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1150-02 American Political Systems, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1150-02 American Political Systems, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1510-02 Politics of the Developing World, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1510-02 Politics of the Developing World, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1510-03 Politics of the Developing World, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1510-01 Politics of the Developing World, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1510-02 Politics of the Developing World, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1510-L01 Politics of the Developing World, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1600-01 Introduction in International Politics, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1600-01/H01 Introduction to International Politics, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1600-03/H03 Introduction to International Politics, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1600-01/H01 Introduction to International Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1600-02 Introduction to International Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1700-01/H01 Foundations of Political Theory, Fall 2023 (see instructor for syllabus)
- POLS 2000-02 Methods in Political Science, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2000-01 Methods in Political Science, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2000-01 Methods in Political Science, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2000-02 Methods in Political Science, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2000-03 Methods in Political Science, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2000-04 Methods in Political Science, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2010-01 Ethics and Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2100-01 The American Constitution, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2160-01 Campaigns and Elections, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2200-01 U.S. State and Urban Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2220-01 Urban Politics, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2300-01 Public Administration, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2510-01 European Politics, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2520-01 Introduction to African Politics, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2520-01 Introduction to African Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2530-01 Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2560-01 The Politics of Asia, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2590-01 Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, Spring 2024 (PDF)
- POLS 2600-01 Introduction to International Political Economy, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2700-01/H01 Fundamental Issues in Political Philosophy, Spring 2024 (PDF)
- POLS 2700-01/H01 Fundamental Issues in Political Philosophy, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2710-01 Theories of Justice, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2710-01 Theories of Justice, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2820-01 American Foreign Policy, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2930-01 Special Topics: American Metropolis, Spring 2024 - Please see course instructor for syllabus.
- POLS 2930-01 The Politics of Jesus, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3100-01 Judicial Politics, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3130-01 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3150-01 American Presidential Elections, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3520-01 Communism, Capitalism, and Social Justice, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3530-01 Comparative Revolution, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3620-01 International Organization and the Management of World Problems, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3640-01/H01 International Law, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3640-01/H01 International Law, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3720-01 Renaissance and Modern Political Theories, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3740-01 Capitalism, Racism, Patriarchy: Theorizing Structural Power, Spring 2023 - Please see course instructor for syllabus.
- POLS 3760-01 The Politics of Pope Francis, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3770-01 Feminist Theory: Gender Justice, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3800-01 The Structure of Poverty: Globally and Locally, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3800-01 The Structure of Poverty: Globally and Locally, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3810-01 Latin American-U.S. Relations, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3850-01 Feminism in Action, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3850-01 Feminism in Action, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3850-01 Feminism in Action, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3880-01 Violence Against Women, Fall 2023 (PDF)
- POLS 3880-01 Violence Against Women, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3930-01 Special Topics: Introduction to Chinese Politics, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3930-19 U.S. Constitutional Law and Religion, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3930-20 Peace Studies, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3930-21 Radical Art/Work: Art and Politics in the U.S. with Political Science, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3930-01 Special Topics: Global Politics of Climate Change, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4120-01 Civil Rights: A Moot Court Seminar, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4171-18 Law, Policy, Society, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4300-01 Law, Politics, and Regulatory Policy, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4300-01 Law, Politics, and Regulatory Policy, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4340-06 Issues in Public Policy, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4500-01 Russian Political Culture, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4510-01 Democratization, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4530-01 Authoritarian Politics, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4530-01 Authoritarian Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4650-01 War, Peace, and Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4670-08 Politics of International Trade and Finance, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4692-01 Theories of World Politics, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4730-01 Seminar: Contemporary Political Ideologies, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4740-01 Marx's Capital, Spring 2023 - Please see course instructor for syllabus.
- POLS 4750-01 American Political Thought, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4840-01 Global Health Politics and Policy, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4840-01 Global Health Politics and Policy, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930-01 Special Topics: 20th Century Political Thought, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1000: Introduction to Politics, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1100-01/H01 Introduction to American Government, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1150-01 American Political Systems, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1300: Introduction to Law, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1510: Politics of the Development World, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1540: Special Topics: Blood and Money, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1600-01/H01 Introduction to International Politics, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1600-02 Introduction to International Politics, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 1700-01/H01 Foundations of Political Theory, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2000-01 Research Methods in Political Science, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2000-02 Research Methods in Political Science, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2010: Ethics and Politics, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2100: The American Constitution, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2120: The American Congress, Spring 2015 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2140-01/01H: The American Presidency, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2160: Campaigns and Elections, Fall 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2200: U.S. State and Urban Politics, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2220-01/H01 Urban Politics, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2230: Mass Incarceration, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2300: Public Administration, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2510: West European Politics, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2520-01/01H: Introduction to African Politics, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2520-01/H01 Introduction to African Politics, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2530-01/H01 Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2560-01/H01 The Politics of Asia, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2570-01/H01 Introduction to Latin American Politics, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2590: Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2600: Introduction to International Political Economy, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2640: International Terrorism, Spring 2020 syllabus PDF
- POLS 2700-01/H01 Issues in Political Philosophy, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2710-01/H01 Theories of Justice, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2800: Men and Masculinities, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2820: American Foreign Policy, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 2930: The Politics of Pope Francis, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3100-01/H01 Judicial Politics, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3130-01/H01 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3140: Public Opinion and Mass Communication, Fall 2015 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3150: American Presidential Elections, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3300-01/01H U.S. Public Policy, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3300: Metropolitan Environment, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3340: Foundations of Law, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3520-01/H01 Communism, Capitalism, and Social Justice, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3530: Comparative Revolution, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3620: International Organization and the Management of World Problems Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3640-01/H01 International Law, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3650-01/01H International Relations of Africa, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 372: The Renaissance and Modern Political Thought, Fall 2014 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3710-01/H01 Ancient & Medieval Classics in Political Thought, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3740: Capitalism, Racism, Patriarchy: Theorizing Structural Power, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3770: Feminist Theory: Gender Justice, Fall 2020 syllabus, (PDF)
- POLS 3800: The Structure of Poverty: Globally and Locally, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3810: Latin America-U.S. Relations, Spring 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3850: Feminism in Action, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3880: Violence Against Women, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3914: Foreign Service Internship, Spring 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3915: Legal Internship, Spring 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3930-01/H01 American Political Movements, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3930-01/01H Special Topics: Radical Political Thought, Spring 2020 (see instructor for syllabus)
- POLS 3930-02: Political Communication, Fall 2016 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 3960: U.S. Strategy in Asia, Spring 2016 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4120: Seminar: Civil Rights: A Moot Court Seminar, Spring 2017 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4126: Sexuality and the Law, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4140: Political Parties, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4171: Law, Policy, Society, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4300: Law, Politics, and Regulatory Policy, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4325: Public Sector Budgeting, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4340: Issues in Public Policy, Spring 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4360: Urban Economic Development, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4500: Russian Political Culture, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4510: Seminar: Democratization, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4520: Political Change, Fall 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4530: Authoritarianism, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4650: War, Peace, and Politics, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4692: Theories of World Politics, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4730 Seminar: Contemporary Political Ideologies, Spring 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4740 Marx's Capital, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4750: Seminar in American Political Thought, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4840: Global Health Politics and Policy, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930-01 Friendship Among Citizens, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930 Special Topics: Race, Class, and Punishment, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930: Peace, Politics, and Religion, Fall 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930-02 Special Topics: Politics of International Trade and Finance, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930: Politics of Economic Development, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930 Special Topics: Democratic Erosion, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 4930: Public Sector Economics, Spring 2017 syllabus (PDF)
Graduate Classes
- POLS 5020-01 Advanced Topics in Research Methods, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5020-01 Advanced Topics in Research Methods, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5300-01 Law, Politics, and Regulatory Policy, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5530-01 Authoritarian Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5650-01 War, Peace, and Politics, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5730-01 Contemporary Political Ideologies, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 6310-01 Policy Process, Fall 2022 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5020: Advanced Topics in Research Methods, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5100: Seminar in American Politics, Spring 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5130: American Race Relations, Fall 2015 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5140: Political Parties, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5171-01 Law, Policy, Society, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5171: Law, Policy, Society, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 520: Seminar in American State Politics, Spring 2014 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5300-01 Law and Regulatory Policy, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5300: Law and Regulatory Policy, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5310: Issues in U.S. Public Administration, Fall 2016 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5325: Public Sector Budgeting, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5330: Public Sector Economics, Spring 2017 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5350-01 Issues in Public Policy, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5350: Issues in Public Policy, Fall 2016 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5360: Urban Economic Development, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5500-01 Russian Political Culture, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5500: Russian Political Culture, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5510-01 Democratization, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5510: Democratization, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5520: Political Change, Fall 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5530-01 Authoritarian Politics, Fall 2023 syllabus PDF)
- POLS 5530: Authoritarianism, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5550: Politics of Economic Development, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5650: War, Peace, and Politics, Fall 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5670-01 Politics of International Trade and Finance, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5690-01 Theories of World Politics, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5690: Theories of World Politics, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5740-01 Marx's Capital, Spring 2023 - Please see course instructor for syllabus.
- POLS 5740: Marx's Capital, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5750-01 American Political Thought: Meanings of Citizenship, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5750: Seminar in American Political Thought, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5760-01 Feminist Theories, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5760: Feminist Theories, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5770-01 Feminist Epistemologies, Spring 2023
- POLS 5770: Feminist Epistemologies, Fall 2016 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5840-01 Global Health Politics and Policy, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5840-01 Global Health Politics and Policy, Spring 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5840: Global Health Politics and Policy, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5850: Policy Evaluation and Assessment, Spring 2017 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5930-01 Special Topics: 20th Century Political Thought, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5930-02 Friendship Among Citizens, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5930-01 Sexuality and the Law, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5930-02 Special Topics: Democratic Erosion, Spring 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5930-02 Special Topics: Politics of International Trade and Finance, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5930 Special Topics: Race, Class, and Punishment, Fall 2019 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 5930: Peace, Politics, and Religion, Fall 2018 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 6310: The Policy Process, Spring 2021 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 6320-01 Organizational Theory and Behavior, Fall 2023 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 6320: Organizational Theory and Behavior, Spring 2020 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 6330-01 Public Finance Theory, Spring 2024 syllabus (PDF)
- POLS 6330: Public Finance Theory, Fall 2021 syllabus (PDF)
Undergraduate Rules for Picking Classes
Take at least one class in each subfield before you explore more classes in a single subfield. SLU鈥檚 Department of Political Science鈥檚 four main subfields are American politics, comparative politics, international relations and political thought.
Classes in American politics have a "1," "2," or "3" as the second digit from the left of the course number: e.g., 1100, 2100, 2200, 3300.
Comparative politics classes have a "5" as the second digit from the left of the course number: e.g.,1510, 2530, 3570.
Classes in international relations have a "6" as the second digit from the left of the course number: e.g., 1600, 2610, 3610, 4620.
Political thought classes have a "7" as the second digit from the left of the course number: e.g., 1700, 3710, 3720, 4750.
Classes with designations of 2930, 3930, 4930 or 5930 are "special topics" numbers. Ask your department mentor to find out which subfield these courses belong to. Courses with an "8" as the second digit from the left may fulfill more than one subfield, though only one will count for the major distribution requirements. Again, you'll need to ask your department mentor.
1000 and 2000-level classes are appropriate for beginning political science students. For most people, it is better not to take 3000-level or higher courses until after you have taken two or three 1000- and 2000-level courses.
Take two or three introductory classes in a variety of subfields before taking methods. Try to take methods in your sophomore year. If that doesn't work out, you should take methods in the first semester of your junior year.
If you take four or five upper-level political science classes in one semester, prepare for a lot of reading. You could also try to rearrange your schedule.
Before taking a 4000-level seminar, you must take a methods course and another course within the same subfield as the seminar. Ideally, you would take the introductory course in the subfield and one or two others related to the seminar topic.
Internships do not count as seminars.
If you choose to do an honors thesis, you must first take a methods class and a few classes relevant to the area you want to research. You may not start an honors thesis on a topic in which you have little background.