This course is about politics, government, public policy and the individuals who occupy that critical space which we refer to as “the political arena.” Those who occupy the political arena are many, and include elected officials and aspirants to elective office; political parties and interest groups who seek to determine who gets elected and what elected officials do once in office; and civil servants and appointed officials who staff the governmental bureaucracy and who take care that policies are executed and laws and regulations are duly enforced. “We the people,” voters and non-voters—taxpayers all, also play varied roles in the dramatis personae who populate and sustain American democracy.
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Citizenship area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
- How do I prepare for my responsibilities as an engaged citizen?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
- Students will demonstrate a broad overview knowledge of the history of the United States, with emphasis on the organization, provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and how it is operationalized in everyday governance and citizenship. Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
- Critical Thinking
- Intercultural Competence
- Persuasion
- Citizenship and its Responsibilities
The Required Text-Book for this course is:
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy, (2024 Presidential Election Edition), by George Edwards III, Martin Wattenberg, and William Howell. 2025. Pearson Publishers.
Dates for Exams are not set in advance. Instead, exams will be announced at least 2 class periods in advance; and exams will be preceded by a brief review. Some Chapters MAY be covered only in designated parts. As indicated on the Syllabus Outline, Exams will be set to cover designated Chapters!
Students may make-up a single, missed exam. The Make-Up Exam will be a cumulative examination and will be offered only one time: at the end of the semester, at the scheduled time of the Final Exam.
The Make-Up Exam cannot be applied to improve a low performance on a regular exam.
Grading Policy
Each Exam will carry a designated number of points. The value of the exams may vary somewhat due to the substance and content of the materials covered by each exam. Thus, some exams may be worth more than 100 points. Notice will be given on the points for each exam.
Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled class sessions, and are expected to be present in a timely fashion.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Citizenship area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
- How do I prepare for my responsibilities as an engaged citizen?
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
- Students will demonstrate a broad overview knowledge of the history of the United States, with emphasis on the organization, provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and how it is operationalized in everyday governance and citizenship. Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
- Critical Thinking
- Intercultural Competence
- Persuasion
- Citizenship and its Responsibilities