Academic Catalogs

Political Science

The Political Science Department facilitates the success of general education students and political science majors by offering lower-division courses in each of these sub-fields: American government, international relations, comparative politics, public law, and political theory. Political Science classes emphasize the importance of an informed citizenry, seek to instill the ability to analyze political phenomena in a critical way, and develop the communication skills to convey those analyses to others.

Department Contact Information

Patrick Coaty, Ph.D.
pcoaty@occ.cccd.edu

Rendell Drew, Ed.D.
rdrew@occ.cccd.edu

Vesna Marcina, Ph.D.
vmarcina@occ.cccd.edu

Political Science Department Website

Credit Courses

PSCI A1013 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Survey of Current Issues  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
Survey of current issues and events in American and/or world politics. Focus will be on issues and problems of political significance, opposing viewpoints in the political realm, analysis and evaluation of arguments, and ideological and political conflict.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing PSCI A101

PSCI A1103 Units (54 lecture hours)  
International Relations  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
Introduction to international relations theory with an examination of national, international, transnational, and sub-national actors and their institutions interactions and processes as they relate to global issues. Study of the functions of power, ideology, diplomacy, international law, and organization, as well as military and economic factors. Consideration of United States, Russian, and Chinese foreign policy and prominent cold war and post-cold war problems as they illustrate concepts of international politics. C-ID: POLS 140.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing PSCI A110

PSCI A1853 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Comparative Politics  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
An introduction to comparative empirical analysis of selected political systems, including advanced democracies, communist and former communist countries, and less developed countries, with an emphasis on governmental institutions and political processes. Particular attention is placed on the relationship between institutions and behavior. C-ID: POLS 130.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing PSCI A185

PSCI A1883 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Introduction to Political Theory  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
An introduction to selected political theorists and concepts from Plato to the present. Focus on the Western tradition and its major texts by reading ancient, modern, and contemporary political thinkers to examine their arguments on the nature of government and politics. C-ID: POLS 120.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing PSCI A188

PSCI A1903 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Introduction to American Legal System  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
An overview of the American legal system, its structure, and history. Reviews many aspects of the law and judicial process: the adversarial system, powers and jurisdiction of the federal and state courts, judicial review, legal education, the legal profession, and other related topics.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing PSCI A190

PSCI A2003 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Introduction to Political Science  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
An introduction to the study of politics. Explores the approaches, theories, methods, and models of the discipline and its subfields to prepare students for a systematic examination of the political world and its many faces around the globe. C-ID: POLS 150.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing PSCI A200

PSCI A2013 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Introduction to Political Science Research Methods  
Prerequisite(s): SOC A100 or SOC A100H.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Introduces basic steps in the research process and/or basic steps in critically evaluating discussions on social issues using a variety of research methodologies. Emphasizes the scientific investigation of social subject matter. C-ID: POLS 160.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing PSCI A201