Political Science Mission and SLOs
BA IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
Mission
The Political Science Program seeks to provide a quality education to prepare students for graduate school, for employment in the public or private sector, and for the demands of enlightened citizenship. Students in the program will be able to discern the nature of political relationships based on an understanding of political structures, organizations, and constitutions, and be able to examine the relationship between underlying theoretical principles and their practical political ramifications They also will be able to demonstrate an understanding of both the traditional and contemporary approaches to the discipline. They will be able to distinguish the importance of political leadership and the obligations assumed by a politically informed citizenry within a democratic society. Students will also be exposed to the workings of the American political system and the underlying philosophical commitments that provide for its foundations.
BA in Political Science Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
SLO1: Students will be able to compare/contrast the nature of political relationships based on an understanding of political structures, organizations, and constitutions.
SLO2: Describe the relationship between underlying theoretical principles and their practical political ramifications.
SLO3: Identify the extent to which political positions might be influenced by factors such as world view, cultural differences, race, class, ideologies, and gender.
SLO4: Analyze the nature of international and comparative political relationships.
SLO5: Describe importance of and discuss the role that political leadership plays and the obligations assumed by a politically informed citizenry within a democratic society.
SLO 6: Explain the workings of the American political system and describe the underlying philosophical commitments that provide for its foundations. (To be modified. See above.)
MA IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
Mission
The M.A. Program in Political Science addresses the aspirations and needs of those persons who have completed their baccalaureate degrees and who have come to see that, in an increasingly competitive political, legal, corporate, and educational environment, an M.A. degree in Political Science is important. The Program provides a solid advanced traditional education for those who either seek to begin a career in public service and/or wish to deepen and broaden their undergraduate experience. The Program provides a structure and course content that reinforces a liberal arts education across the Political Science subfields of American Government and Politics, International Relations/Comparative Politics, and Political Theory/Foundations of Constitutional Government.
MA in Political Science Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
SLO 1: Explain the background in the discipline of Political Science at both its normative and empirical levels.
SLO 2: Examine and analyze the institutional structures and political relationships that exist in the US national, state and local levels.
SLO 3: Compare and contrast the differing conceptual/theoretical approaches in the study of national power, national interests, foreign policy formulation, diplomacy, and the problems of war and peace.
SLO 4: Examine the manner in which international political, military, and economic affairs are influenced by factors such as structure, strategy, norms, values and ideology.
SLO 5: Identify and contrast the distinctive policies in both advanced and developing countries.
SLO 6: Examine the relationship between certain central questions related to the nature, purposes, and structures of constitutional government in the modern world, especially as they relate to the American experiment in democratic self-government.
SLO 7: Identify the advanced qualitative and quantitative skills needed to analyze theories empirically and to conduct primary and secondary research projects.
KU Student Outcomes (KU): Kean University graduates should be able to:
1. Think critically, creatively and globally;
2. Adapt to changing social, economic, and technological environments;
3. Serve as active and contributing members of their communities; and
4. Advance their knowledge in the traditional disciplines (GE) and enhance their skills in professional areas
**General Education Student Learning Outcomes
Knowledge (GE-K): Students will demonstrate proficiency in knowledge and content by:
(K1) applying the scientific method to comprehend natural concepts and processes;
(K2) evaluating major theories and concepts in social sciences;
(K3) relating historical references to literature; and
(K4) evaluating major theories and concepts in the fine arts.
Skills (GE-S): Students will demonstrate the skills necessary to:
(S1) write to communicate and clarify learning;
(S2) communicate effectively through speech;
(S3) solve problems using quantitative reasoning;
(S4) think critically about concepts in multiple disciplines; and
(S5) show information literacy
Values (GE-V): Students will demonstrate personal, social and ethical responsibility as a part of lifelong learning through:
(V1) personal responsibility;
(V2) ethical & social responsibility;
(V3) active in social & civic engagement;
(V4) respect for cultural diversity; and
(V5) lifelong learning
