Political Science
16 courses · College of Alameda · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026
POSCI 1 Government and Politics in the United States
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
Introduction to principles and the political process of national, state, and local government: Emphasis on national government and the Constitution.
POSCI 2 Comparative Government
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Comparative analysis of political leadership, citizenship, participation, centers of power, and political problems of selected governments.
POSCI 3 International Relations
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
Nature of relations among nation-states: Analysis of basic forces affecting the formulation of foreign policy, dynamics of international politics, survey of rise and development of the nation-state system, problems of nationalism and imperialism with emphasis on development since World War II, and evolution and operation of the United Nations.
POSCI 4 Political Theory
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Examination of various theoretical approaches that explore basic political problems and proposed solutions: Analysis of selected theories and their relevance to contemporary socio-political concerns.
POSCI 6 U.S. Constitution and Criminal Due Process
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
Survey and analysis of people’s rights under criminal and civil law: Procedural civil liberties and rights (defendants, court personnel, and police); concept of due process; applications of principles and practices to everyday life; search and seizure.
POSCI 8 Law and Democracy
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Prerequisite
- POLS C1000
- Advisory
- ENGL 201B
Introduction to legal concepts in American democracy and contemporary issues: Theories of historical social injustice and movements; examination of law, social justice, democracy, government, civil rights, civil liberties, and citizenship.
POSCI 26 U.S. and California Constitution
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Introductory survey of philosophy, theory, and application of constitutional principles: Role of major institutions of the American Republic; survey of the historical background and concepts underlying public law and due process; civil liberties and rights; applications of principles and practices in Constitutional interpretation, structure of the California Constitution; comparative analysis and concepts of U.S. and California Constitution and the impact upon the lives of citizens.
POSCI 31 Introduction to Public Administration
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
Survey of the essential competencies, values, and issues central to the theory and practice of public administration and policy at the local, state, national and international levels: The role of the public sector in American society, the historic development of the public service, issues related to management and leadership in modern governance, issues in human resources and personnel administration, public sector budgeting, and strategies and apparatus of administrative responsibility.
POSCI 32 Community Organizing and Leadership
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Introduction to various theories and practices of effective community organizing and organizational leadership; Examination of roles people play in the leadership & governance in non-profit organizations, social movements, and political campaigns; Practice of workplace skills for organizational management, administration, and leadership; Service learning format involving the following areas: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting within an organizational setting.
POSCI 35 Introduction to Community Violence Prevention
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU
Overview of social history and political consciousness around the conditions that create and perpetuate violence in urban communities: Examination of the psycho-social theories of causality in the emergence of violence in individuals, families, and communities; review of historical and contemporary issues around violence and the variety of impacts it has on society; exploration of public and social sector partnership approaches toward healing and revitalizing communities that are affected by violence.
POSCI 36 Applied Peacebuilding and Violence Prevention
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU
Introduction to public and social sector methods of prevention, intervention and social change in addressing violence at the individual, family, and community level: Identification of methods to prevent violence and develop the capacity of impacted people in urban centers to take a leadership role in community development; emphasis on special needs of oppressed groups; focus on methods community based organizational responses to violence on multiple levels; critical evaluation of applied theories, policies, organizations, and interventions using scientific principles.
POSCI 37 Transformative Social Change and Futures Studies
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
Introduction to the field of alternative future studies and analysis; Social scientific, theoretical, and philosophical approaches to studying how past and present images of the future influence human action; Exploring various techniques and methods used to analyze and explore potential future scenarios; Approaches include identifying emerging trends, constructing scenarios, utilizing forecasting tools, and critically evaluating different approaches to future thinking; Application of methods aimed at transformational change in various contexts including societal policymaking, business strategy, or social planning.
POSCI 38 Politics of Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexuality
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Exploration of the political history of ethnicity, gender, and sexuality in the world: Examine issues and political processes that affect the status and power of ethnic, gender, and sexuality groups which have traditionally been politically and economically marginalized in the world, with special attention to the United States; emphasis upon issues of inclusion and exclusion; otherness, and scapegoating; illustrate socio-cultural-political barriers of inequality among politically marginalized groups; identify ways in which such injustices may be resisted and overcome.
POSCI 41 Service Learning: Law, Democracy, and Public Administration
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU
Service learning in community, civic or legal settings: Focus upon specific problems in the community; conceptualization, design and application of projects in real world placements in public and social sector organizations; civic engagement related to coursework utilizing practical applications of course concepts; application of skills and knowledge for public service careers.
POSCI 43 Civic Engagement in Emergency Management Preparedness
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Introduction to emergency management history and processes: Evolution of current emergency management structure; Incident Command System and National Response Framework; Prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation; Resiliency and public engagement in community preparedness; Effective public administration practices in emergency situations.
POSCI 451 Occupational Work Experience In Politics and Public Affairs
- Units
- 1-4
- Hours
- 3 - 12 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
Supervised employment in Politics and Public Affairs or a related field: Extension of classroom learning to the job site. The employment must be related to the student’s educational or occupational goals. A maximum of 14 units may be earned during one enrollment period.