Our focus is both on how politics shapes policies (social science) and how professionals and citizens can be effective as policy analysts or advocates (practice). Current politics and policy will be discussed but this is neither a casual survey of news events nor an introduction to political science or American politics. Attention to current electoral and policy issues is essential – you all are public policy majors. Students are expected to approach policy issues with a well-informed and (self-)critical perspective that requires active engagement with a variety of current issues. Because this is the gateway course for the BSPP program (and restricted to BSPP majors) we also will discuss the curriculum and course offerings, internship and career prospects, etc.
It is your obligation to be familiar with the Georgia Tech Honor Code and to ask the professor if its application to any part of this course is unclear. Pay particular attention to the definition of plagiarism in its several forms. Also be acquainted with GT Student-Faculty Expectations (http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/22.php). CRUCIAL: if you're unsure about what is allowed, what constitutes plagiarism, etc., ask! In an online world it might be tempting to cut-and-paste, including inadvertently copying text from your notes – that were copied. Be very careful.
The Learning Outcomes satisfy the designated learning objectives for the Core IMPACTS Social Sciences area: “how political relationships develop, persist, and change,” and an understanding of “the complexity of human behavior as a function of the commonality and diversity within groups.”