2022 cycle

https://calstatela.curriculog.com/proposal:9279/form

C1. Fit with the Institutional Mission / Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO)

The minor program in Political Science trains students to think critically and systematically about government and politics across local, national, and global settings; prepare for successful careers and graduate study in law, public service, politics, international affairs, and other fields; become active and informed citizens through an understanding of American politics and society; and contribute to the discipline of political science through participation in academic and civic communities.

These capacities are closely connected to the university’s designated mission and strategic plan, and the university’s institutional learning outcomes. The program contributes to the Strategic Plan’s goal of “engagement, service, and the public good” by ensuring that students have an advanced understanding of political systems in the United States and elsewhere, and the reasons for their distinctive patterns of success and failure. By providing students with a deeper understanding of political institutions, the program enables students to be more effective political actors and intellectual contributors in a democratic society. The program increases student awareness of “how their actions impact society and the environment” by allowing them to better understand both the intended and unintended consequences of institutional design and policy choice. Advanced knowledge in political science improves our graduates’ capacity to successfully link values with policy outcomes and make “socially responsible decisions” that balance diverse social and political goals.

The minor program also cultivates and amplifies “our students’ unique talents, diverse life experiences, and intellect through engaged teaching, learning, scholarship, research, and public service.” The program prepares students for careers in a wide range of politics-related occupations, including work as teachers, public servants, elected officials, interest group managers, legislative staff, journalists, and leaders in diverse settings. We advance the goals of diversity, inclusion, and community advancement by preparing students from the local area to enter into graduate programs and career paths with confidence and professionalism. Through such activities, the minor program empowers students to pursue life-long civic engagement and leadership in local, national, and global settings.

C2. Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

The Political Science Department has designated the following learning outcomes for undergraduate minors:

1. Active Citizenship and Civic Engagement

Students will be able to describe and analyze U.S. political institutions and processes, and explain the importance of civil society and community involvement. They will learn to assess and interpret contemporary political issues and local and national problems, and place them in historical context.

2. Critical Thinking and Political Communication

Students will develop critical thinking skills through the application of the theories and methods of political science, both qualitative and quantitative, and will have the capacity to present and defend their views effectively in written and/or oral format.

3. Political Power and Decision Making

Students will be able to describe, analyze, and evaluate those institutions and processes in which political decisions are made, and the values, interests, and other sources of influence that inform those decisions.

4. A Global Perspective

Students will be able to compare and assess the diversity of political institutions and traditions constructed by humans globally, and interpret the dynamic relationships between local, national, and global contexts.