PS 121 (3) Arguing Political Rights. This course is designed for first year students and political science majors. Advanced are the concepts, documents and argumentation needed to understand politics, political freedom and the evolution of modern citizenship.
PS 134 (3) Introduction to Political Science. An introduction to the discipline of political science, its concepts and methods of analysis.
PS 135 (3) American Government. Prerequisite: 134. Survey of the constitutional basis, organization, and functioning of the American national government; the principles underlying constitutional government, citizenship, civil rights and political institutions.
PS 136 (3) State and Local Government. Prerequisite: 134. The role of the state and local governments in the federal system: political institutions, elections, the organization, functions and problems of state and local government, with special emphasis on Mississippi government.
PS 236 (3) Political Statistics. An examination of a set of techniques for describing groups of data and for making decisions related to the allocation of political resources.
PS 238 (3) Introduction to Comparative Politics. Prerequisite: PS 134. An introduction to the basic concepts and approaches in comparative politics and the application of these concepts and approaches to major regions of the world.
PS 320 (3) Legal Research and Writing. Introduction to the basic research and writing techniques in law. Special emphasis will be placed upon the use of legal reference materials such as reporters, legal encyclopedias, digests and periodicals, and Lexis-Nexis.
PS 332 (3) Asian Governments. Prerequisite: PS 238. A study of Asian political systems with special emphasis on China and Japan.
PS 337 (3) American Political Theory. Prerequisite: PS 135. A background analysis of political ideas stemming from various intellectuals who have contributed toward the development of American political ideas prior to the American Revolution through the American Civil War period.
PS 338 (3) American Political Theory. Prerequisite: PS 134, 135. An analysis of political ideas stemming from various intellectuals who have contributed toward the development of American political ideas from the Civil War to the present.
PS 339 (3) Black Political Thought. Prerequisite: PS 135. An analysis of Black political ideas in America on justice, freedom, equality, individuality, electoral politics and other values and means utilized to strengthen Black political power in the United States.
PS 340 (3) Comparative Government. Prerequisite: PS 238. A critical analysis and evaluation of the institutions, functions and techniques with which modern governments face the social and economic problems of the contemporary period.
PS 341 (3) Blacks and the American Political System. Prerequisite: PS 135. A study of the role of black people in the American political process. Consideration will be given to the impact of American institutions upon black people in America and the diaspora.
PS 342 (3) Political Philosophy. Prerequisite: PS 135. An introductory analysis of the major works in political thought from Plato to John Locke with special attention placed on relevance of the political tracts in examining recent political problems. Open to juniors and seniors only.
PS 343 (3) Political Philosophy. Prerequisite: PS 135. An introductory analysis of the major works in political thought from Montesquieu to Mao Tse-Tung with special attention placed on the relevance of the political tracts in examining recent political problems. Open to juniors and seniors only.
PS 346 (3) Civil Rights and Liberties. Prerequisite: PS 135. A study of development in the field of civil rights under the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and under federal and state legislation.
PS 347 (3) Judicial Process. Prerequisite: PS 135. An analysis of the structure and functions of judicial systems emphasizing the organization, administration and politics of judicial bureaucracies and roles of judges, juries, counsel, litigants and interest groups in the adjudication process.
PS 348 (3) Minority Group Politics. Prerequisite: PS 135. Analysis of the directions, concerns, problems and progress of African-Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian-Americans, Native Americans and the rights of women; also analyzes the various methods and strategies employed by these groups to solve their problems.
PS 349 (3) The Political Economic Relations of Asian Countries. To examine the foreign and economic relations of major Asian countries vis-a-vis the western industrialized and global community developments.
PS 350 (3) American Political Parties and Pressure Groups. Prerequisite: PS 135. The nature and functions of political parties; nominations; elections and the role of interest groups in the political process.
PS 351 (3) The American Presidency. Prerequisite: PS 135. A consideration of the nature, powers, and functions of the American presidency with emphasis on executive-congressional relations and presidential leadership in foreign and domestic affairs.
PS 352 (3) Modernization and Political Change. Prerequisite: PS 238. An analysis of political and social problems associated with modernization in the non-western world. Empirical focus is placed on two or more developing regions.
PS 353 (3) Government and Politics in Latin America. Prerequisite: PS 238. An analysis of the political systems of contemporary Latin America and an examination of the relationship of the political process to social structure and national diversity.
PS 354 (3) Ethnicity, Ideology and Politics of the New Governments. Prerequisite: 238. An examination of the critical roles of ethnicity and ideology in the politics of the new governments of Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
PS 355 (3) Contemporary Eastern Europe. Prerequisite: 135. Comparative analysis of the governments of Russia and the Eastern European countries since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The examination of their political process, constitution and economic arrangements.
PS 362 (3) Politics of Russia. Prerequisite: 238. An analysis of the major trends in Russian policy vis-a-vis the western industrialized nations, the democratization of the political and economic systems.
PS 363 (3) United States-Russia Relations. An examination of the origins of the Cold War, the struggle for influence in the Third World, efforts toward arms reduction, perestroika and the post-Cold War period.
PS 366 (3) Principles of Public Administration. Prerequisite: PS 135. Theory and practice involved in executing and administering governmental policy of the different levels of American government with special emphasis on the federal level.
PS 368 (3) Public Personnel Administration. Prerequiste: PS 371. The process of formulating and administering public personnel policies; concepts and principles utilized in selected governmental personnel systems.
PS 369 (3) Personnel and Human Relations. Prerequisite: PS 366. An analysis of the policies, processes, organizations and interrelationships involved in administration of service.
PS 370 (3) Public Planning, Programming and Budgeting. Prerequiste: PS 371. A survey of governmental financial procedures including processes of current and capital budgeting, the administration of public borrowing, the techniques of public purchasing and the machinery of control through pre-audit and post-audit.
PS 371 (3) Introduction to Public Administration. Prerequisite: PS 135. An analysis of the basic principles and practices of public administration in the United States. Problems of structure and organization, administrative powers, authority, status and leadership. Identification of major factors in the struggle to control the bureaucracy.
PS 372 (3) State Administrative Systems. Prerequisite: PS 371. An analysis of state administrative systems, their local sub-systems and their outputs.
PS 373 (3) Municipal Administration. Prerequisite: PS 366. Municipal administration in the United States; administrative organization, personnel problems, financial problems, city planning and housing.
PS 374 (3) Administration of National and International Agencies. PS 371. An examination of the administrative patterns and practices of the United Nations, agencies and overseas department programs including distinctive characteristics of organization and management selection of personnel and methods of financing.
PS 375 (3) Seminar in Practical Politics. An analytical approach to the study of practical versus theoretical perspectives of politics emphasizing seminars on current issues and practical involvement in political activities.
PS 376 (3) LSAT Survey. An analysis and survey of the mechanics, techniques and content of the Law School Admission Test.
PS 390 (3) Internship in Political Science. Prerequisite: PS 330. Supervised field work with public related agencies. Students receive three (3) semester hours for halftime work for one semester. No student may receive more than a total of fifteen (15) semester hours in political science from the internship program.
PS 400 (3) General Seminar in Urban Problems. Prerequiste: PS 135. An analysis of the major problems confronting urban centers including housing, crime, drugs, education, health, poverty and transportation.
PS 403 (3) The Middle East Politics. The Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process and the US role, the Gulf War, Islamism and oil politics in the global system.
PS 409 (3) Public Opinion and Voting Behavior. Prerequisite: PS 135. This course will study attitude and opinion formation and the socialization processes in the American electoral system.
PS 410 (3) Social Legislation (Political Science and Social Work). Prerequisite: PS 135. Description and analysis of laws and court decisions relating to social, economic and legal problems of the poor in American society; examines strategies for helping the poor to overcome poverty.
PS 411 (3) Politics and Education. Prerequisite: PS 135. This course will explicitly attempt to analyze the educational issues being debated within the framework of the American political system.
PS 415 (3) Consumer Law. Prerequisite: PS 431. A study of the law as it affects the rights of creditors and debtors with special emphasis on the problems of the poor.
PS 423 (3) Constitutional Law. This is the first of a two semester course which will examine the philosophy and constitutional growth of Supreme Court decisions. Emphasis in this portion is on the limitations imposed upon governmental interferences with individual rights.
PS 424 (3) Constitutional Law II. This is the second part of a two semester course which examines the limitations placed upon the federal and state government.
PS 425 (3) Environmental Law. Prerequisite: PS 432. Primary emphasis upon the regulation of air and water pollution at the national, state and regional levels and the political, social and economic considerations behind these laws.
PS 426 (3) Contemporary Topics. Prerequisites: PS 134, PS 337. An in-depth examination of current topics in either law, politics, ethics and/or public policy.
PS 428 (3) Foreign Policy. Prerequisite: PS 135. The examination of the foreign policy of the major powers in the international political system. The focus will be on the foreign policy of the United States, Russia, China, Japan and the major countries in Europe.
PS 429 (3) African Governments and Politics. Prerequisite: PS 238. This is a survey course. It will analyze African traditional political institutions, the cause of the demise of those institutions, colonialism, independence, and the past independent governments and politics of African countries.
PS 430 (3) African Political Thought. Prerequisite: PS 429. The role of African intellectuals and leaders in the movement for independence and in the politics and ideology of African states.
PS 431 (3) Africa in Global Politics. This course is designed to study and analyze the role of African countries and organizations in the global system.
PS 432 (3) Introduction to Law I. Prerequisite: PS 135. This is the first part of a two semester course which examines the role of law in society. Emphasis is on the nature of law and the variety of legal mechanisms that exist in society.
PS 433 (3) Introduction to Law II. Prerequisite: PS 135. This is the second part of a two semester course which examines the processes of how law functions to meet the political, social and economic needs of society.
PS 437 (3) International Relations. Prerequisite: PS 428. Nature of international relations, problems of national power, the state system, diplomacy, war and peace.
PS 438 (3) International Organization. Prerequisite: PS 437. Growth of international organization and administration, analysis of the United Nations with major emphasis on the latter.
PS 440 (3) International Law. Prerequisite: PS 437. Course covers: (1) fundamentals of international law relation to international organizations and international political processes, (2) character and rule of international law in the world community, concept of international public interest as it relates to international law.
PS 444 (3) Politics of Southern Africa. Prerequisite: PS 429. This course is designed to examine the post-apartheid South Africa and the role of South Africa in the New World Order. The focus is on the new government and South Africa’s race relations after apartheid. South Africa’s relations with the neighboring states, other African countries, the United States and the global community will be analyzed.
PS 446 (3) Scope and Methods. Prerequisite: PS 236. This course is designed to introduce students of political science to critical epistemological and methodological issues, to the philosophy of science and to the scientific and intellectual issues that characterize major trends in the disciplines.
PS 447 (3) Senior Research Seminar in Political Science. Prerequisite: PS 446. This course is designed for students of political science. It is an attempt to integrate research methods with the substance of politics. Statistical techniques and illustrative computer applications will be utilized focusing on political research.
PS 449 (3) Mississippi Legislative Internship Program. Prerequisite: PS 134, PS 136. Students become acquainted with legislative functions by working as interns for a legislator during regular legislative session. Students will observe, participate in the writing of bills and perform other tasks germane to the operation of the legislature.
PS 450 (3) Urban Politics. This course will examine the concept of community and the political process in a variety of American localities. An examination of the black community with special emphasis upon political problems will be examined.
PS 451 (3) Administrative Law. Prerequisites: PS 423, PS 424. This course is designed to examine the law governing the organization, powers and procedures of administrative bodies. Emphasis is on state and municipal administrative agencies.
PS 453 (3) Independent Study and/or Directed Readings. Prerequisites: Senior standing, 2.0 grade point average in major courses and consent of instructor (a specialist in the area of study).
PS 455 (3) Community Politics. Prerequisite: PS 400. A study of community politics and theories underlying effective delivery of community services for human welfare, neighborhood organizations and the principle involved in organizing active community groups.
PS 456 (3) Seminar on China. Prerequisite: PS 332. The current political situation in China will be the area of study in an effort to determine the views of the leadership and the future probabilities following the change of command and assertion of new leadership.
PS 467 (3) Administration of Health Agencies. Prerequisite: PS 366. Administrative problems associated with the operation of health institutions and the administrator’s relations with lay-boards, health specialists and clientele in public and non-profit institutions.
PS 470 (3) Comnparative Public Administration. Prerequisite: PS 371. An introduction to the study of governmental administrative systems viewed from the standpoint of comparative topologies and theoretical schemes useful in cross-national comparisons and empirical studies of the politics of the administrative process in several nations.
PS 472 (3) Political Socialization. Prerequisites: PS 135, PS 446. Study of the primary and secondary socialization of children and adults into political attitudes and roles; examines the hierarchical distribution of authority and channels of recruitment as a means of refining politics and of understanding social change.
PS 473 (3) The American Legislative Process. Prerequisites: PS 135, PS 409. Analytical treatment of the law-making functions of the national and state legislatures and their place in the political system. Emphasis on such areas as patterns of recruitment, internal leadership structure and role of parties.
PS 484 (3) Intergovernmental Relations. Prerequisite: PS 371. Evolution of the American federal system; consideration of inter-unit cooperation and conflict; review of administrative issues like revenue sharing, federal grants and regulations.
PS 506 (3) Methods and Approaches to Political Science. A review of traditional, behavioral and post-behavioral approaches to political science, methods of research and explanation. A required course.
PS 507 (3) Political Inquiry and Research. An inquiry into concepts and methods of social science in general and of political science in particular; the philosophy of science; presuppositions, aims and history of procedures and methods, research technioques, sources, bibliography and the presentation and publication of investigative results. A required course.
PS 508 (3) Politics of African Independence Movements. Examination of the motivations, methods, philosophies and politics of the Africa independence movements including the influences of Pan-Africanism, the role of political parties, the challenges of nation-building and the impact of external actors (i.e. colonial powers, United Nations, Organization of African Union, US and USSR).
PS 509 (3) African Political Systems. This course includes traditional African political systems and their development; the impact of colonialism on the systems, African nationalism and the politics of independent Africa.
PS 510 (3) Third World Ideologies. Analysis of the ideologies generated among the political theorists of the new nations of the post-colonial period with attention devoted to ideologies of revolution, national independence, national development, international alignment with an evaluation of the validity of third world ideas in international political theory.
PS 511 (3) Asian Political Theory. An examination of the foundation and development of non-European political thought with special attention to Asian political ideas and the impact of these ideas on contemporary politics of liberation.
PS 512 (3) Black Political Theory. A study of Black political theory that has developed since the end of the civil rights period with an evaluation of new concepts in Black political theory and the links between these concepts and the historical problems considered in Afro-American political theory.
PS 513 (3) History of Political Philosophy. An examination of the foundation of political philosophy with emphasis on the ancient philosophers through the Middle Ages such as given in the works of Plato, Aristotle, Polybius, Cicero, Epictetus, Marsilio of Padua and Machiavelli.
PS 514 (3) History of Political Philosophy. An examination of political philosophy with emphasis on concepts of secular and temporal authority, tyrannical government, social contract, revolution and the principal of utilitarian political philosophy. Attention will be given to the works of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Stephen Julius Brutus, Jean Bodin, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Edmund Burke and Jeremy Bentham.
PS 515 (3) Modern Political Philosophy. A history of political philosophy with attention given to the dilemma of democracy with emphasis on liberty and equality, liberalism–old and new, revolutionary communism, democratic socialism, the welfare state and psychoanalysis-based theory with attention given to the works of Tocqueville, Mill, Hegel, Mussolini, Spencer, Keynes, Marx, Engels, Lenin, Attlee, Lord Lindsay, Gaitskill, Myrdal, Freud and Einstein.
PS 516 (3) The Adminstrative State. Prerequisite: PS 336. Political effects of taxes, public debt and public expenditures on resource allocation, employment and income distribution, fiscal and monetary policy; economic stabilization.
PS 517 (3) Seminar in State Politics. Prerequisite: PS 336. Investigation of organization, function, politcal dynamics and policy outputs of state governmental systems focusing on the specific features of Mississippi governmental structure and political institutions.
PS 520 (3) Civil Rights Laws and Affirmative Action. Prerequisite: PS 371. An extensive study of the Civil Rights Law of 1964 (as amended), the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (as amended), the Civil Rights Act of 1969 (as amended) as well as affirmative action procedures designed to bring about equal opportunity.
PS 521 (3) Black Perspectives in Public Administration. Public policy problems, perceptions and experiences of Blacks are examined along with the policy process. Broader questions concerning systematic change, structural transformation and historically built-in dilemmas are examined. Clarification of the relationship between bureaucracy and the Black client is explored.
PS 522 (3) Urban Management and Management Services. Prerequisite: PS 371. This course examines and analyzes the methods by which local public services are designed, delivered and evaluated.
PS 525 (3) Urban Politics. Prerequisite: PS 450. Focus on community power and decision-making, political leadership; the relationship of citizens to their government; the urban bureaucracy, citizen participation and delivery of services.
PS 530 (3) Seminar on the American Presidency and Civil Rights. Basic concepts of jurisprudence, study of the American legal system, an analysis of federal, state and local judicial processes and decision-making, actors, and their roles in the judicial process with materials and research in public law.
PS 532 (3) Blacks and the American Political System. An assessment of the position of Blacks in the political system of the United States, both historical and contemporary, with special attention to alternative political strategies for the present political epoch. Special emphasis will be placed on urban political systems. A required course.
PS 533 (3) Constitutional Law and Politics. The role of courts in American society with respect to such questions as legitimacy, conflict resolution, and representation, also a study of courts as political institutions, as reflected in revolution of doctrine with respect to federalism, powers and limitations on government, and advancement of individual and group interests and rights.
PS 534 (3) Comparative Public Law and Policy. Anthropological, philosophical, historical, and behavioral approaches to the study of public law and conflict resolution.
PS 535 (3) Constitutional Law and Separation of Powers. An analysis of leading Supreme Court decisions dealing with the use of and curbs upon federal powers to enact economic and social legislation with special attention to urban issues. Resolution of conflicts engendered by the federal system and separation of powers also will be studied.
PS 537 (3) Urbanization, Social Change and Political Power. This course will explicitly examine the political effect of urbanization and its attendant social changes as reflected in the political culture of different parts of the United States and the world.
PS 538 (3) Community Political Processes. This course is an analysis of political consequences of the underlying socio-economic forces operating in urban areas.
PS 539 (3) Urban Political Structures. This course examines the rise of Black politics in urban areas, relations between whites and Blacks in the urban city, as well as the concept of community and particularly as changing political process.
PS 540 (3) Black Political Parties. The rise and development of separate Black political entities will be examined both historically and in the present and attention will be focused on types of Black parties and the rationale for their organization and development.
PS 541 (3) Black Politics and Public Policy. An analysis of inter-relationships between Black politics and the nature, operations, mechanisms and consequences of governmental policy-making in the United States, identification and analysis of problems of policy formation, mobilization, application, influencing, controlling and exercising power in government and determining public policy outcomes.
PS 542 (3) Politics of the Developing States. An examination of the political processes in the developing countries and a study of the general problems arising in the transition from traditional societies to modern industrial states in an effort to describe the typical patterns of political change.
PS 543 (3) Government and Politics of Latin America. An examination of Latin American political institutions and political forces with special emphasis on the role of the military, the church and the legacy of European and United States exploitation.
PS 544 (3) Government and Politics of Southeast Asia. A survey of politics in the countries of Southeast Asia to include the process of nation-building and modernization and a study of authority in traditional society, colonial rule and the impact of the west, the rise of nationalism and the struggle for independence, the contemporary political systems, politics and processes with particular attention to the elites and their ideologies and the institutions of government.
PS 545 (3) Chinese Foreign Policy. An analysis of Chinese capabilities, intentions and strategies in world affairs, the institutions of foreign policy making and implementation in achieving Chinese goals.
PS 546 (3) Comparative Political Movements. An analysis of political forces, successful or not, that have sought to gain control over the established order, with special attention to political movements in the Third World and to those of Black People in the United States.
PS 547 (3) Western Political Systems. Prerequisite: PS 336. The politics of Western Europe, Great Britain, France and Germany; data and analysis of changing class structures; institutional (especially parliamentary) breakdown); recurrent mobilization of workers and students; repression and manipulation as governmental responses to crises; growing bureaucratization, authoritarian leadership in France and Germany. Emancipating efforts and subculture are presented on a comparative basis.
PS 550 (3) Seminar in Southern Politics;. Southern politics in both state and nation and in the international arena, a systematic and comprehensive approach with focus on African Americans in the region.
PS 556 (3) The Political Economy of African States. This course is designed to introduce students to the nature of the political economy of many African states. The examination of the infrastructure, the socio-economic base nad the socio-political ramification of African states in the world economy.
PS 564 (3) State and Local Politics. A comparative appraisal of state and local politics, organization and processes including problems of intergovernmental relations.
PS 565 (3) International Relations. The nation-state system and conceptions of the national interest in modern world politics, forms and distribution of power and the adjustment of international conflict.
PS 566 (3) Seminar – Modern African Governments and Politics. This course is an in-depth study of selected African governments and their politics including their social and economic problems.
PS 567 (3) Colloquium – African Political Thought and Ideology. Examination of social and political thought of African peoples and their manifestations in politics including the development of Pan-Africanism and African communalism (i.e. Ujaama), ideological underpinnings of the liberation movements and the role of African intellectuals and writers.
PS 570 (3) Third World Nations and International Politics. The role, policies, actions and techniques of third world nations in the international arena are thoroughly analyzed for trends and continuities.
PS 574 (3) International Organization. A study of the international system with emphasis on the institutional forms of international order and the functions and processes of global and regional organizations.
PS 575 (3) International Law. The nature and functions of international law in interstate relations with special emphasis on cases, documents and other original material.
PS 581 (3) Metropolitan Areas and Community Power Analysis. An examination of the national and urban power structures in the United States, community power structures, studies, models of urban political processes. Elitism and pluralism and the implications for the Black community, the politics of metropolitan reorganization and its impact on Black politics, the metropolitan areas in the American federal system and suburban- central city conflicts.
PS 585 (3) Seminar in Urban Problems. An analysis of major urban problems, strategies and approaches proposed for their resolution, historical perspective and political implications. Reformist efforts of government and private efforts will be examined with special emphasis on post-New Deal developments and the impact on the Black community.
PS 589 (3) Seminar in American Political Process. The factors, institutions and actors in the American political arena are analyzed as well as the structures and political organizations from the view of all groups within the pluralistic society.
PS 596 (3) Independent Study. The student is allowed to select research which will be beneficial to his/her program. The topic must be approved by the adviser and the instuctor selected by the student for the research.
PS 597 (3) Internship. Prerequisite: Core Courses. Individual work experience in government agencies.
PS 598 (3) Thesis. The candidate for the Master of Arts degree presents a thesis embodying the results of his/her research. The candidate chooses his/her problem, but approval by his/her advisor is required.