Below are the courses that I routinely teach. Typically, I teach two sections of PS103: US Political Systems, one section of PS240: Introduction to Political Science, plus an upper division class every semester. In the Fall, I teach PS390: US Judicial Systems, and in the Spring, I teach PS490: Constitutional Law. The remainder of the classes listed below are squeezed in whenever I can fit them or when student demand is too high to ignore. To access the syllabus for each class, simply click on the highlighted course title, below.
PS103 Honors: Similar in substance to the listing, above, but with an emphasis on critical thinking, intellectual projects, and written/oral communication skills. This class is exclusively for students enrolled in the Honors Program.
PS103/UI100FLT: Law, Politics, and Society: A "Freshman Learning Team" concept course designed to examine the nexus of law, politics, and society. The classes run back-to-back, so we meet as a group during the allocated time periods.
PS240: Introduction to Political Science: An introduction to the scope and methods of political science. Strategies of inquiry and political methodology are introduced to majors and minors. Link to Presentations.
PS241: Data Analysis and Interpretation: {Developing!}. An introduction to empirical data analysis, emphasizing univariate, bivariate, and multivariate techniques.
PS300: Pre-Law/LSAT Preparation: This class is really a seminar on logical- and analytical reasoning. It is designed to sharpen students' minds in general, and to prepare pre-law students in particular for the LSAT. Full length LSAT exams are taken, scored, and reviewed. Specialized advising is offered.
PS310: Government and Politics of the American States: This course examines the structure, function, and operation of state governments. Elections, policy-making, and federalism are the dominant themes.
PS390: US Judicial Systems: An introduction to judicial institutions, the class is taught from a distinctly "political science" perspective. Critical assessments of appointment strategies, decision-making, and judicial impact are emphasized. Click here for information about your final paper.
PS490: Constitutional Law: This course examines individual rights in constitutional law. The purpose of the class is NOT simply to memorize decisions and dates, but to assess the causes and consequences of major judicial decisions. Periodically, the class sponsored a moot-court project.
PS491/691: Special Topics: Ethics and Accountability in Public Administration. As an applied field of political science, public administration is principally concerned with the implementation of public policy, the role of governmental agencies, and the civil servants who occupy them. For organizations to function responsibly, they must operate with integrity. The authority of administrators, the confidence of citizens, and the legitimacy of –and compliance with-- public policy all hinge in many respect on integrity. Importantly, administrative integrity depends in no small part on the manner with which administrators handle ethical concerns. Simply stated, ethics and accountability are the cornerstones of responsible government and effective public administration. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to ethical theory and the role of ethics in public administration. Real world examples will be used throughout the semester to illustrate how and why ethics matters. Link to Presentations
PS595: International Law: Despite the criticism that "International Law is to the law what professional wrestling is to wrestling", the field is worthy of systematic analysis. Case law is studied in the context of international relations, and every year there is a dominant theme. For example, in the Spring of 1998, the theme was human rights. Student research projects explored topics as diverse as genocide in Bosnia, female genital mutilation in Africa, and America's inner cities.
PS425/625: Administrative Law: Cross-listed as an undergraduate/graduate level class, Administrative Law examines the nexus of policy implementation and the law. Administrative discretion, order-making, rule making, judicial review, immunity, and intergovernmental relations, inter alia, are examined.