POLS& 202 United States Government

5 credits

This course explores various interpretations of American democracy and evaluates the changing nature of the American political system, origins, institutions, and operations. Students investigate issues of individual rights, popular representation, and power and policies; analyze formal and informal institutions of government; articulate conventional and unconventional means of citizen participation; and interpret political outcomes.

This course meets the Social Science general education distribution requirement.

Prerequisites: ENGL 99 (or placement into ENGL& 101 )

Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Discuss rights and responsibilities of citizens addressed in the Washington state and United States Constitutions
Describe electoral issues, including elections, ballot measures, initiatives, and referenda
Evaluate information about American political ideologies and evidence used to support them
Analyze real world evidence and hypothetical political and economic issues
Evaluate the analyses of political commentators and actors and other sources of political information to distinguish between fact and opinion
Identify the key features of tribal, local, state, and federal government
Evaluate and articulate the impact of historical and current events on the development and functioning of American government
Evaluate and draw conclusions from competing and contradictory sources
Present theoretical solutions to contemporary political and economic problems
Complete the civics component of the federally administered naturalization test required of persons seeking to become naturalized United States citizens
Discuss the importance in a free society of living the basic values and character traits specified in Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 28A.150.211

College-Wide Learning Outcomes
This course teaches to the college-wide learning outcome of Cultural Humility, the ability to practice lifelong learning and critical self-reflection in order to understand one’s own cultural identity and its impact on being open to and supporting the cultures of others.

Total Hours: 50 Theory (Lecture) Hours: 50