Course Details
Course Code: IRLS501 Course ID: 3549 Credit Hours: 3 Level: Graduate
This course examines a broad range of governments utilizing the comparative method of analysis. Students will study democracies, monarchies, dictatorships and authoritarian forms of government. Students will participate in various class projects emphasizing contemporary problems of the various forms of governments of nation states today. This will take into consideration cultural differences and similarities, human nature, and the approaches of individual governments different from that of the American norm in carrying out their basic responsibility to maintain and strengthen society by equal justice for all of its citizens.
Course Schedule
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/30/20 - 04/30/21 | 05/03/21 - 06/27/21 | Spring 2021 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 01/25/21 - 07/02/21 | 07/05/21 - 08/29/21 | Summer 2021 Session B | 8 Week session |
| 03/29/21 - 09/03/21 | 09/06/21 - 10/31/21 | Summer 2021 Session D | 8 Week session |
| 05/21/21 - 10/29/21 | 11/01/21 - 12/26/21 | Fall 2021 Session I | 8 Week session |
Current Syllabi
CO1: Evaluate theories, approaches, and methods in comparative politics.
CO2: Appraise the efficacy of various systems of government.
CO3: Analyze the impact of cultural and historical experiences on a governance system.
CO4: Construct an interpretation of executive, judicial, and legislative structures within selected states.
CO5: Distinguish processes of public policymaking from a comparative theory perspective.
The course grade is based on the following assessments:
Discussion Forums – 20 percent
Each week, a discussion question is provided and posts should reflect an assimilation of the readings. Students are required to provide a substantive initial post by Thursday at 11:55 pm ET and respond to 2 or more classmates by Sunday 11:55 pm ET. Initial posts should be no fewer than 500 words; follow-up posts should be no fewer than 150 words. Forum posts are graded on timeliness, relevance, knowledge of the weekly readings, and the quality of original ideas.
Progress Assignment – 15 percent
Students will compose a short essay paper (5 pages in length) that addresses the following questions: What is the primary subject matter of comparative politics, and what are some of the fundamental problems of comparative research?
Research Paper – 35 percent
This paper takes the form of a political risk analysis of 10 – 16 pages.
Final Assignment – 30 percent
This assignment is a take-home essay assignment of 4 questions, 2-3 pages each, to test knowledge and assimilation of the course objectives. The exclusive use of required texts and readings from this course is mandatory.
| Name | Grade % |
|---|---|
| Forum Discussions | 20.00 % |
| Week One | 2.50 % |
| Week Two | 2.50 % |
| Week Three | 2.50 % |
| Week Four | 2.50 % |
| Week Five | 2.50 % |
| Week Six | 2.50 % |
| Week Seven | 2.50 % |
| Week Eight | 2.50 % |
| Progress Assignment | 15.00 % |
| Progress Assignment | 15.00 % |
| Research Paper | 35.00 % |
| Research Paper | 35.00 % |
| Final Assignment | 30.00 % |
| Final Assignment | 30.00 % |
| Book Title: | Various resources from the APUS Library & the Open Web are used. Please visit http://apus.libguides.com/er.php to locate the course eReserve.* |
| ISBN: | ERESERVE NOTE |