COURSE SYLLABUS

 

COURSE IDENTIFICATION

 

Course Prefix/Number:                       SOSC 102

Course Title:                                        American Government II

Division:                                              Liberal Arts

Program:                                              Social Science

Credit Hours:                                      3

Initiation/Revised Date:                      Spring 2008

 

CLASSIFICATION OF INSTRUCTION

 

Academic

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

This course emphasizes the importance of states and communities as the setting of most of the public policies which affect the daily lives of their residents.  State and local governments play a major role in the political life of the nation as much of the national policy would not function without state/community cooperation.

 

PREREQUISITES AND/OR COREQUISITES

 

None

 

TEXT

 

Bowman, Ann O’M. and Richard C. Kearney, State and Local Government, Seventh Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, 2008.

 

COURSE OUTCOMES

 

Upon completion of this course, a student should be able to:

 

1.      Identify the basic concepts related to state and local governments, transfer of authority between various levels of government, basic problems and solutions facing state and local governments.

 

2.      Analyze the importance and history of federalism in the United States and how various levels of government interact.

 

3.      Interpret the various functions, powers, and limitations of state government through analysis of the student’s state constitution.

 

4.      Identify the various forms and the importance of political participation, particularly as it relates to the electoral process at the state and local levels.

 

5.      Define the importance of political parties, political competition, and political input by interest groups in determining state governmental policy.

 

6.      Compare and contrast the duties, rights, and responsibilities of the three branches of government at the state level.

 

7.      Examine the importance of government bureaucracy in providing government services.

 

8.      Define the composition, rights, and responsibilities of various forms of local government.

 

9.      Analyze various local leadership systems as they relate to power at the local level.

 

10.  Define the distribution of power between state and local governments as it pertains to the provision of local services.

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE

 

  1. State and Local Government
  2. Federalism and the States
  3. State Constitutions
  4. Citizen Participation  
  5. Political Parties  
  6. State Legislatures  
  7. Governors  
  8. Public Administration  
  9. Judiciary  
  10. Local Government 
  11. Local Leadership  

 

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

 

Lectures and Discussions

Assigned Readings

Written Reports

Guest Speakers

Attending Governmental Meetings

 

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS AND METHOD OF EVALUATION

 

Since any class is a collaborative effort between a teacher and the students, there are several expectation of the students enrolled in this course.

1.      Attend class.  Since a large portion of the needed information will be covered during class meetings, absences will make it difficult to succeed.  If you must be absent from class, you will be responsible for making up the missed work

2.      Complete all assigned work on time. Any late assignments will result in the automatic loss of one letter grade.

3.      Participate in class discussions and activities.  As we discuss the issues that surround the governing of the states and local communities, it is inevitable that there will be differences of opinion.  Each student in expected to listen courteously to all ideas presented in class by the instructor or other students.

 

Grading will be based on the total points earned on various tests and assignments given during the semester.  All tests will include both objective (matching and multiple choice) and subjective (identification and essay) questions.  Assignments will include attending local government meetings and research assignments. 

 

GRADING SCALE

 

The grading scale will be based on a percentage of the total points possible throughout the semester.  The following scale will be used: 90% to 100%, A; 80% to 89%, B; 70% to 79%, C; 60% to 69%, D; below 60%, F.

 

Attendance Policy

 

Absences that occur due to students participating in official college activities are excused except in those cases where outside bodies, such as the State Board of Nursing, have requirements for minimum class minutes for each student. Students who are excused will be given reasonable opportunity to make up any missed work or receive substitute assignments from the instructor and should not be penalized for the absence.  Proper procedure should be followed in notifying faculty in advance of the student’s planned participation in the event.  Ultimately it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor in advance of the planned absence.

 

Unless students are participating in a school activity or are excused by the instructor, they are expected to attend class.  If a student’s absences exceed one-hundred (100) minutes per credit hour for the course or, in the case of on-line or other non-traditional courses, the student is inactive for one-eighth of the total course duration, the instructor has the right, but is not required, to withdraw a student from the course.  Once the student has been dropped for excessive absences, the registrar’s office will send a letter to the student, stating that he or she has been dropped.  A student may petition the chief academic officer for reinstatement by submitting a letter stating valid reasons for the absences within one week of the registrar’s notification.  If the student is reinstated into the class, the instructor and the registrar will be notified. 

 

Academic Integrity

NCCC expects every student to demonstrate ethical behavior with regard to academic pursuits.  Academic integrity in coursework is a specific requirement.  Definitions, examples, and possible consequences for violations of Academic Integrity, as well as the appeals process, can be found in the College Catalog, Student Handbook, and/or Code of Student Conduct and Discipline.

 

 

Cell Phone Policy

 

Student cell phones and pagers must be turned off during class times. Faculty may approve an exception for special circumstances.

 

ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT GAIN

 

Assessment of student gain will be measured by comparing the student’s knowledge base at the beginning and the end of the semester.  This will be done by assigning each student to write a summary of the structure of the federal government at the beginning of the semester.  This same assignment will be part of the final exam for this course, allowing a comparison to be made.

 

NOTE

 

All statements made in this document are subject to change and/or modification at any time at the discretion of the instructor.

 

 

NOTE: If you are a student with a disability who may need accommodation(s) under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please notify the Director of Advising and Counseling, Chanute Campus, Student Union, 620-431-2820 ext 280 or the Dean, Ottawa Campus, 785-242-2607 ext 312, as soon as possible.  You will need to bring your documentation for review in order to determine reasonable accommodations, and then we can assist you in arranging any necessary accommodations.