PSC 261 Scope and Methods of Political Science
What do political scientists know and how do they know it? This course
focuses on the nature of political science as a discipline, the range and
kinds of questions it addresses, and the methods and techniques by which
it seeks answers to those questions. We will use examples from U.S.,
comparative, and international politics to examine the scope of the
political science discipline and the different approaches we take to
answering important questions about how and why political systems work as
they do. We will also survey some of the basic statistical techniques
employed in systematic studies of politics and government. This course is
strongly recommended for sophomores planning to major in political
science. This course is offered in the spring semester.
Credits: 1