{ "college": "merced-college", "edition": "2026-2027", "code": "POLS", "name": "Political Science", "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.mccd.edu/schools/programs/school-art-social-science/courses/posc-courses", "courses": [ { "code": "POLS-C1000", "subject": "POLS", "number": "C1000", "title": "American Government and Politics", "units": "3", "hours": "3 hours lecture", "advisory": "ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A); ENGL-C1001 (formerly ENGL/PHIL-13) OR ENGL-C1001H (formerly ENGL/PHIL-13H)", "formerly": "POSC-01", "cid": [ "POLS 110" ], "transfer": [ "CSU", "UC" ], "description": "This course is an introduction to government and politics in the United States and California. Students examine the constitutions, structure, and operation of governing institutions, civil liberties and civil rights, political behaviors, political issues, and public policy using political science theory and methodology. Emphasis is placed upon various roles of the national and state government, constitutional rights and obligations of citizens, and the evolution and development of California state political Institutions. (11/24)", "notes": [ "(Cal-GETC area 4)", "(CSU breadth area D) (IGETC area 4) [CSU-GE and IGETC are only for 2024-25 catalogs or earlier]" ], "offered": [ { "term": "fall-2026", "name": "Fall 2026", "sections": 13, "open": 3, "url": "/c/merced-college/schedule/fall-2026/pols/#pols-c1000", "subject": "POLS" }, { "term": "spring-2027", "name": "Spring 2027", "sections": 13, "open": 11, "url": "/c/merced-college/schedule/spring-2027/pols/#pols-c1000", "subject": "POLS" } ] }, { "code": "POLS-C1000H", "subject": "POLS", "number": "C1000H", "title": "American Government and Politics - Honors", "units": "3", "hours": "3 hours lecture", "advisory": "ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A); ENGL-C1001 (formerly ENGL/PHIL-13) OR ENGL-C1001H (formerly ENGL/PHIL-13H)", "formerly": "POSC-01H", "cid": [ "POLS 110" ], "transfer": [ "CSU", "UC" ], "description": "This course is an introduction to government and politics in the United States and California. Students examine the constitutions, structure, and operation of governing institutions, civil liberties and civil rights, political behaviors, political issues, and public policy using political science theory and methodology. This is an honors course. Emphasis is placed upon various roles of the national and state government, constitutional rights and obligations of citizens, and the evolution and development of California state political Institutions. (12/24)", "notes": [ "(Cal-GETC area 4)", "(CSU breadth area D) (IGETC area 4) [CSU-GE and IGETC are only for 2024-25 catalogs or earlier]", "Limitation on enrollment: Enrollment in the Honors Program" ], "offered": [ { "term": "fall-2026", "name": "Fall 2026", "sections": 1, "open": 0, "url": "/c/merced-college/schedule/fall-2026/pols/#pols-c1000h", "subject": "POLS" } ] }, { "code": "POLS-02", "subject": "POLS", "number": "02", "title": "Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics", "units": "3", "hours": "3 hours lecture", "advisory": "ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)", "formerly": "POSC-02", "cid": [ "POLS 130" ], "transfer": [ "CSU", "UC" ], "description": "This course is a comparative study of the theory, history, structure, and application of the governmental systems of major European nations, as well as non-European countries. Emphasis will be placed on the governments of England, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan. (2/06)", "notes": [ "(Cal-GETC area 4)", "(CSU breadth area D) (IGETC area 4) [CSU-GE and IGETC are only for 2024-25 catalogs or earlier]" ], "offered": [ { "term": "fall-2026", "name": "Fall 2026", "sections": 1, "open": 1, "url": "/c/merced-college/schedule/fall-2026/pols/#pols-02", "subject": "POLS" } ] }, { "code": "POLS-03", "subject": "POLS", "number": "03", "title": "Introduction to International Relations", "units": "3", "hours": "3 hours lecture", "advisory": "ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)", "formerly": "POSC-03", "cid": [ "POLS 140" ], "transfer": [ "CSU", "UC" ], "description": "An introduction to international relations theory with an examination of national, transnational, and subnational actors and their institutions, interactions, and processes as they relate to global issues. (03/19)", "notes": [ "(Cal-GETC area 4)", "(CSU breadth area D) (IGETC area 4) [CSU-GE and IGETC are only for 2024-25 catalogs or earlier]" ], "offered": [ { "term": "spring-2027", "name": "Spring 2027", "sections": 2, "open": 2, "url": "/c/merced-college/schedule/spring-2027/pols/#pols-03", "subject": "POLS" } ] }, { "code": "POLS-04", "subject": "POLS", "number": "04", "title": "Introduction to Political Theory and Thought", "units": "3", "hours": "3 hours lecture", "advisory": "ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)", "formerly": "POSC-04", "cid": [ "POLS 120" ], "transfer": [ "CSU", "UC" ], "description": "Examination of various theoretical approaches to politics and of basic political problems and proposed solutions. Analysis of selective political theories and of the relevance of theory to contemporary problems. (04/19)", "notes": [ "(Cal-GETC area 4)", "(CSU breadth area D) (IGETC area 4) [CSU-GE and IGETC are only for 2024-25 catalogs or earlier]" ], "offered": [ { "term": "fall-2026", "name": "Fall 2026", "sections": 1, "open": 1, "url": "/c/merced-college/schedule/fall-2026/pols/#pols-04", "subject": "POLS" } ] }, { "code": "POLS-05", "subject": "POLS", "number": "05", "title": "Introduction to Political Science Research Methods", "units": "3", "hours": "3 hours lecture", "formerly": "POSC-05", "cid": [ "POLS 160" ], "transfer": [ "CSU", "UC" ], "description": "This course surveys the research methods employed in political science. Research design, experimental procedures, descriptive methods, instrumentation, the collection, interpretation, and reporting of research data, and research ethics are introduced. (12/22)", "notes": [ "(Cal-GETC area 4)", "(CSU breadth area D) (IGETC area 4) [CSU-GE and IGETC are only for 2024-25 catalogs or earlier]" ], "offered": [ { "term": "spring-2027", "name": "Spring 2027", "sections": 2, "open": 2, "url": "/c/merced-college/schedule/spring-2027/pols/#pols-05", "subject": "POLS" } ] }, { "code": "POLS-07", "subject": "POLS", "number": "07", "title": "Politics of Race and Ethnicity (Also: Ethn-07)", "units": "3", "hours": "3 hours lecture", "advisory": "ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)", "formerly": "POSC-07", "cid": [], "transfer": [ "CSU", "UC" ], "description": "The racial foundations of American democracy have long been contested by communities of color in the United States. Democracy’s literal meaning is “rule by the people,” yet oppressed groups have questioned who is and is not included in the political community this meaning implies. This course will critically explore historical sources, competing theories, and contemporary examples of American politics and frameworks for democracy. In doing so, students will examine how Black and Indigenous perspectives have contributed to the formation of and struggle against the American political establishment at its foundation, as well as how oppressed groups continue to contest the limits of American democracy in the present. (11/22)", "notes": [ "(Cal-GETC area 4)", "(CSU breadth area D) [CSU-GE and IGETC are only for 2024-25 catalogs or earlier]" ], "offered": [] } ] }