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Political Science

Professor D. Lawrence
Associate Professor S. Penksa (chair)
Assistant Professor J. Covington

Description of the Major. The political science major helps students understand the organization and functions of political systems, institutions, and processes in the United States and the global community. Political science majors are encouraged to perceive their role as Christians in a complex world of domestic and international politics. They learn how to apply Christian values to the study of political science. The political science minor is designed for students in other majors to consider the political perspectives of their chosen field as well as alternative careers. The department is committed to helping non-majors become politically competent citizens in a world increasingly characterized by political, social, and economic diversity.

Distinctive Features. The political science department faculty combines theory and political practice. They offer a balanced curriculum, research experiences, field trips, and close student/faculty interaction. Students are encouraged to develop their Christian faith and to take seriously the responsibility of living that faith in the context of the public square.
Students put their classroom insights to use in career-oriented internships in Santa Barbara in legislative offices, private legal offices, the district attorney’s office, city administration, regional planning agencies, police departments, occasional political campaigns, and various social service agencies.
Students may pursue similar internships through Westmont’s off-campus program in the San Francisco Urban Program and in the nation’s capital with internships in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities’ American Studies Program, Latin American Studies, the American University’s Washington Semester Program, or the World Capitals Brussels Semester.
Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, stimulates scholarship and intellectual interest in political science. Westmont’s chapter honors academic excellence among political science majors and provides a forum for student discussion and guest lectures.

Career Choices. Political science majors have pursued careers in many fields, including the law, teaching, management consulting, journalism, local government administration, health policy administration, congressional staff, foreign intelligence, real estate, investment analysis, computer sales, corporate public affairs, the ministry, and missions.

Requirements for a Major: 48-68 units
Required Major Core: 40 units

Required Lower-Division Courses: 16 units
POL 10 American Government (4)
POL 20 International Politics (4)
POL 30 Contemporary Political Ideologies (4)
POL 40 Empirical Political Research (4)
Required Upper-Division Courses: 24 units
American Government and Politics
Two of the following (8)
POL 102 State and Community Politics (4)
POL 103 Governing: Doing Public Policy (4)
POL 104 Constitutional Law (4)
POL 105 The Presidency (4)
POL 106 Presidential Election Politics (4)
POL 108 Congress (4)
POL 178 California Experience (4)
International Relations and Comparative Politics
One of the following (4)
POL 111 American Foreign Policy (4)
POL 112 International Organizations and Law (4)
POL 123 Comparative Foreign and Security Policies (4)
POL 126 Sex, Gender, and Power (4)
One of the following (4)
POL 122 European Politics (4)
POL 124 International Development (4)
Political Theory
Two of the following (8)
POL 121 Marxism (4)
POL 130 Classical Political Theory (4)
POL 131 Modern Political Theory (4)
POL 132 The American Political Experience (4)
POL 133 Contemporary Political Theory (4)

In addition to the above core, all majors must complete one of the following tracks:

A. Standard Track: 8 units

POL 190 Internship (4)
Upper-Division POL Electives (4) in consultation with major advisor

B. Pre-Law Track: 28 units

POL 104 Constitutional Law (4)
POL 190 Internship (law related) (4)
Upper-Division POL Elective (4) in consultation with major advisor
One of the following: (4)
POL 102 State and Community Politics (4)
POL 103 Governing: Doing Public Policy (4)
POL 132 American Political Experience (4)
POL 178 California Experience (4)
Requirements from outside POL Department: 12 units
One of the following: (4)
COM 15 Public Speaking (4)
COM 130 Argumentation and Advocacy (4)
One of the following: (4)
EB 3 Principles of Accounting I (4)
EB 12 Principles of Microeconomics (4)
EB 105 Business Law (4)
One of the following: (4)
PHI 12 Critical Reasoning and Logic (4)
PHI 104 Ethics (4)
PHI 133 Political and Legal Philosophy (4)
Recommended Course:
POL 112 International Organizations and Law (4)

C. International Affairs Track: 28 units

POL 190 Internship (international or foreign policy related in an approved off-campus program) (4)
Upper-Division POL Elective (4) in International Relations and Comparative Politics
Requirements from outside POL Department: 20 units
EB 11 Principles of Macroeconomics (4)
Foreign Language (8) with approval of major adviser
One of the following: (4)
AN 1 Introduction to Anthropology (4)
SOC 150 Cross-Cultural Communication (4)
One of the following: (4)
HIS 140 European Politics and Diplomacy (4)
HIS 162 Modern and Contemporary Latin America (4)
HIS 182 History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (4)
(Other HIS courses may be approved by major adviser)Recommended Courses:
GEO 1 World Geography (4)
RS 142 World Religions (4)
EB 12 Microeconomics (4)

Off-Campus Programs Restriction (applicable to all tracks): Four units earned in off-campus programs must be used to meet the four unit upper division elective requirement.

Requirements for a Minor: 24 units

Required Lower-Division Course: 12 units
POL 10 American Government (4)
POL 20 International Politics (4)
POL 30 Contemporary Political Ideologies (4)
Other Required Courses: 12 units
One of the following: (4)
POL 102 State and Community Politics (4)
POL 103 Governing: Doing Public Policy (4)
POL 104 Constitutional Law (4)
POL 105 The Presidency (4)
POL 108 Congress (4)
One of the following: (4)
POL 112 International Organizations and Law (4)
POL 122 European Politics (4)
POL 124 Third World Development (4)
POL 126 Sex, Gender, and Power (4)
One of the following: (4)
POL 121 Marxism (4)
POL 130 Classical Political Theory (4)
POL 131 Modern Political Theory (4)
POL 132 The American Political Experience (4)
POL 133 Contemporary Political Theory (4)

Lower-Division Course Descriptions

POL 10 American Government (4) The basic concepts, background, organization, functions, and processes of the United States political system.
POL 20 International Politics (4) An introduction to the study of what produces conflict and cooperation in the international system, including attention to historical, social, economic, religious and political factors that impact world peace and security.
POL 30 Contemporary Political Ideologies (4) An examination of the historical roots and contemporary practice of the major ideologies of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: democracy (liberal, conservative, socialist), Marxism and communism, fascism, and liberation ideologies (black, feminist, native peoples, gay, animal, and liberation theology) and environmentalism. The study analyzes their metaphysical assumptions, views of human nature, political and economic organization, and their relationships with Christian faith and practice.
POL 40 Empirical Political Research (4) An introduction to empirical methods and quantitative analysis in political research: applications of philosophy of science, survey and alternative methods of data collection, basic statistical analysis, reporting results, and ethical issues associated with research using human participants.

Upper-Division Course Descriptions

POL 102 State and Community Politics (4) The politics, organization, functions and role of state and local government in the United States. Special emphasis on Californian political affairs.
POL 103 Governing: Doing Public Policy (4) A study of how public sector and nonprofit administrators solve problems, implement public policy, and administer programs at all levels of the American political systems; the accomplishing side of contemporary public life.
POL 104 Constitutional Law (4) An in depth survey of the United States Supreme Court, the constitutional system in which it works, and the landmark decisions it has rendered, including limits on government, civil rights, and civil liberties.
POL 105 The Presidency (4) An analysis of the American presidency, including its powers, leadership styles, policy-making roles, and current trends.
POL 106 Presidential Election Politics (4) An analysis of how Americans choose their President, including the nomination process, the campaign, electoral behavior and outcomes, and an evaluation of how well the system works, including proposals for reform. (Offered only in presidential election years.)
POL 108 Congress (4) The organization and processes of the United States Congress and its relationships with other actors in the political system and home constituencies.
POL 111 American Foreign Policy (4) The United States in world politics. The policy process, its assumptions, objectives, and decision-making processes and strategies; the influence on American policy of changing trends in the international environment and the interaction between domestic and external policies.
POL 112 International Organizations and Law (4) Prerequisites: POL 20 and junior standing. Fee required. Advanced study of international politics, law and organizations including a case study and simulation of the United Nations system.
POL 121 Marxism (4) Prerequisite: junior standing. Detailed study of the writings of Marx and Engels and revisionist texts, with applications made to communist systems and the Christian-Marxist dialogue.
POL 122 European Politics (4) The comparative analyses of political systems in Europe with a special emphasis on the role of the European Union in transforming the landscape of European politics at the local, regional and national levels.
POL 123 Comparative Foreign and Security Policies (4) Prerequisite: POL 20 and junior standing. Part one of the course provides an in-depth exploration of comparative foreign policy (of great, middle and small state powers) using the three levels of foreign policy analysis – individual, state and systems. The second half of the course examines contemporary security issues through a study of human, state and international security approaches.
POL 124 International Development (4) An examination of “development” and the North-South gap within a political economy and human development perspective, focusing on some of the main arguments about the two faces of development (national and international) and the contending theories and strategies in world development.
POL 126 Sex, Gender and Power (4) A comparative analysis of sex and gender identity to an understanding of political behavior. Other forms of identity are examined in light of their intersection with both sex and gender, including race, class, sexual orientation, and nationalism. The comparative method is used to analyze global gender issues, cross-national variations among women’s movements, revolutionary struggles, and nationalist movements.
POL 130 Classical Political Theory (4) Prerequisite: junior standing. A survey of the pre-modern “politics of virtue” (Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas) and its contributions to contemporary political thinking.
POL 131 Modern Political Theory (4) Prerequisite: junior standing. Surveys the “politics of freedom” beginning with Machiavelli and the development of the classical liberal tradition (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Mill) and its Marxist critique.
POL 132 The American Political Experience (4) Prerequisite: junior standing. Evaluates the American experiment in republican government and its transformation from the intent of the founders to contemporary politics of mass society, emphasizing the resulting ethical dilemmas.
POL 133 Contemporary Political Theory (4) Prerequisite: junior standing. Considers late and post-modern political thought from Nietzsche to the present including the impact of social and psychological theories, totalitarianism, communitarianism, and post-modernism.
POL 140 Christianity and Politics (4) Examines how Christians view the relationship between their personal and collective faith and the public arena of politics, including fundamentalist, evangelical, and neo-evangelical perspectives in Protestant political thought and action.
POL 150 Seminar (4) Prerequisite: junior standing. Advanced study of selected issues in political science.
POL/HIS 178 California Experience (4) A multidisciplinary study of the idea and experience that is California; its Spanish/Mexican roots, its colorful past, diverse present and multicultural future.
POL 190 Internship (4-8) Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Supervised internship in government agencies, law offices, nonprofit organizations, and NGOs (nongovernmental organizations).