Course Syllabus
Introduction to Global Politics—Buchanan Honors Section
Political Science 1010 Honors
Middle Tennessee State University, Fall 2015
Instructor: Dr. Karen Petersen
Office: Todd Hall 231
Contact: 898-5580, karen.petersen@mtsu.edu
Office Hours:
Monday
8:00-4:30
Tuesday
10:00-4:30
Wednesday 8:00-4:30
Thursday
10:00-4:30
Friday
8:00-4:30
Course Description
This is an introductory course in international relations & comparative politics (IR & CP). In this
course, I will introduce you to the key concepts and theoretical approaches commonly used in
political research as well as some of the main debates in the fields of IR & CP. We will employ a
comparative approach to understanding political actors, institutions, and phenomena. You should
leave this course with a more thorough understanding of global political issues, types of governing
structures, and the political science subfields of international relations & comparative politics. This
course serves as preparation for more advanced courses in political science and international
relations.
Unlike a typical section of PS1010, the Buchanan version of the course includes primary source
reading, written responses, and more in-class discussion and activities; therefore, you should be
prepared to be an active participant in this class.
Course Learning Objectives
Through the course readings, class discussions, and simulations, you should improve your
understanding of politics in general as well as the theoretical approaches used in analyzing political
events. Additionally, we will be discussing some of the major challenges facing the international
political system today, which will allow you to be a more informed consumer of information and/or
participant in the political process. To that end, and perhaps most important, you should enhance
your ability to evaluate and critique political information using the background knowledge and
research skills you gain in this course.
Student Learning Outcomes Addressed in this Course
The following Department of Political Science Student Learning Outcomes for International
Relations majors are addressed in this course. Each graded assignment references one or more of
these outcomes.
Learning Outcome 1B: Students will acquire a working knowledge of the main approaches in
comparative politics and international relations, including American foreign policy.
>Students will acquire a basic understanding of Comparative Politics and IR theory through
readings and class discussion.
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Learning Outcome 2: Students will integrate knowledge of the various subfields of political science
consistent with their particular program and concentration through critical reflection on politics,
law, ideology, and culture from a domestic and/or a global perspective.
>Students will engage in critical reflection of politics and political science through written exercises
completed on D2L, essay exams, and simulation debriefs.
Learning Outcome 5: Students will be able to critically analyze arguments and will have developed
a basic level of information literacy.
>Students will be introduced to competing arguments in IR and Comparative Politics and will begin
to analyze arguments critically. Basic information literacy is generated through the readings and
lecture and tested using essay exams and simulation performance.
Learning Outcome 7: Students will develop a sense of public and civic responsibility at the local or
global level.
>Through readings and debates, students will be introduced to global challenges and, hopefully,
gain an awareness of their own contributions to problems and potential solutions.
Learning Outcome 8: Students will learn to work in collaboration with others.
>The in-class activities and simulations require collaborative effort.
Succeeding in this Course
In order to get the most out of this course in terms of both knowledge and your grade, you must read
the assigned material, come to class meetings, and participate in class discussions. In addition, put
effort into your research and preparation for your roll in the simulation, discussions, and all of your
assignments. Finally, ask for assistance. I am available to discuss the course material outside of
class and to provide assistance in general. My goal is for you to succeed; however, you must take
responsibility for your learning. Remember, an “A” student is one who exceeds the above
expectations not one who meets the minimum requirements.
Course Materials
All of the required readings are available via D2L.
Course Requirements and Grading
Readings: Students are required to keep up with the assigned readings (listed in the course
schedule). Readings should be done prior to coming to class on the first date that the readings are
listed. Any assigned material from a section, as well as any material from lectures, may show up on
the exam for the section.
Late/Make-up policy: Exams cannot be made-up without an official university excuse (i.e.
participation in an athletic event) provided prior to the scheduled exam time. Simulations will
occur on the date scheduled and cannot be made up. All other assignments are due at the beginning
of class. Extensions will result in a lower grade. Quizzes and in-class activities cannot be made-up:
no exceptions.
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Assignment
Discussion
Exams
Simulation
Journals
Weight
15%
30%
35%
20%
Grades are posted on D2L so that you can track your progress throughout the semester.
Discussion: Your participation in class discussion is key to your success in this course. In order to
get the most from the material, you need to be prepared to ask questions. I have no expectation that
these readings will “speak for themselves.” We will need to mull over many of the ideas and
concepts, and for that you must read and participate. The format of this course is designed to be
more like a seminar than like a freshman lecture course. The Discussion grade is quantified
according to 1) the frequency of your participation in class discussions; 2) in-class activities; and 3)
my perception of the quality of your contributions to discussion. The third component is weighted
at 50%. This grade is independent of the simulation participation component.
Showing up and sitting in your seat is not participation. Asking questions and participating in the
discussion of other students’ questions constitute participation. I reserve the right to administer
unannounced quizzes and/or in-class assignments as part of your participation grade.
Exams: There will be two-three exams, and the exams will not be cumulative. You are required to
take the examinations during the scheduled times. The format of the exams may vary and will be
announced prior to the exam date.
Simulation: All students will be required to participate in a simulation exercise covering multiple
class periods and requiring extensive work outside of class. Details will be provided separately.
Journals: Students will complete online journals in D2L answering questions provided by the
instructor and meant to evaluate learning progress. The journals should be treated as a formal
writing assignment. Be sure to answer all parts of the question, engage in analysis where
appropriate, and support your assertions with facts and citations where appropriate. In some cases,
you will be asked to engage in personal reflection and should feel free to do so. The journals will
not be public. The length of the journals will vary by entry depending on the complexity of the
question and your enthusiasm for the subject. In general, I expect a minimum of 400 words (or,
about 1 ½ pages double spaced in a word document). I will drop your lowest grade for the journals
1 through 8 (9 and 10 are always included in the grade).
Communication
You should check your MTSU email. This will be my primary means of communication with you
outside of the classroom. I will notify you of changes to the schedule and other issues via email.
Please do not use the email function in D2L to contact me. Use my MTSU email address.
Email Etiquette: Email is not text messaging. While I do not expect your emails to be formal,
please give me complete information (your name, for instance) when making a request. Never put
anything in writing you would not want others to see.
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Academic Integrity
For the purposes of this course, you will be required to prepare for your simulation with your
faction members, and I encourage you to study together for exams. However, all written
assignments (including journals), quizzes, and exams are to be the work of individual students.
Should you choose to conduct yourself in a way that is inconsistent with my instructions for an
assignment and is representative of dishonest behavior, I will file a university complaint and will
give you a failing grade for the course. In plain language, if you cheat and get caught, I will show
no mercy.
Please note, the possession of ANY electronic device (including cell phones) during an exam will
result in a failing grade for that exam.
Grading Scale
A = 90-100 C- = 70-72
B+ = 87-89 D+ = 67-69
B = 83-86 D = 63-66
B- = 80-82 D- = 60-62
C+ = 77-79 F <= 59
C = 73-76
Attendance
You cannot learn if you are not present. You should not expect to do well on the exams nor will
you receive credit for discussion if you are not in class. I am required to report students with
attendance issues to the university. Please be cognizant of my make-up policy (as listed above).
Honors Syllabus Statement
Honors Information and Thesis Projects
To graduate from the Honors College, students must complete 20 hours of lower-division Honors
coursework, and 11 hours of upper-division Honors coursework, including a thesis research or
creative project. For benefits about the Honors program, graduation requirements, or the thesis
project, please contact the Honors College advisor, Ms. Laura Clippard in HONR 227;
laura.clippard@mtsu.edu; or 615-898-5464. Honors College representatives would like to speak
with students individually to determine his or her research or creative interests and goals. Honors
students are encouraged to begin planning their thesis or creative project as soon as possible.
Inclement Weather and Class Cancellation Policy
Please sign up for RAVE alerts from MTSU at https://www.getrave.com/login/mtsu to receive
notifications related to campus schedule changes. In the event of inclement weather, please check
your email prior to coming to class.
Withdrawal and Drop Policy
The deadline to drop this course without a grade is September 6. Scholarship recipients need to be
especially cognizant of the impact of dropping a course on scholarship eligibility (see below).
Reasonable Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Middle Tennessee State University is committed to campus access in accordance with Title II of the
Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Any
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student interested in reasonable accommodations can consult the Disability & Access Center (DAC)
website www.mtsu.edu/dac and/or contact the DAC for assistance at 615-898-2783 or
dacemail@mtsu.edu
Tennessee Lottery Scholarship Statement (provided by MTSU Financial Aid Office)
“Do you have a lottery scholarship? To retain the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship
eligibility, you must earn a cumulative TELS GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted hours and a
cumulative TELS GPA of 3.0 thereafter. A grade of C, D, F, FA, or I in this class may negatively
impact TELS eligibility.
If you drop this class, withdraw, or if you stop attending this class you may lose eligibility for your
lottery scholarship, and you will not be able to regain eligibility at a later time.
For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form
(http://www.mtsu.edu/financial-aid/forms/LOTFEV.pdf) or contact your MT One Stop Enrollment
Coordinator (http://www.mtsu.edu/one-stop/counselor.php).” Should the information in this
paragraph conflict with the information provided by the State, the latter should be considered
accurate and binding.
Miscellaneous (but not unimportant) rules
Be punctual. Coming to class late is disruptive, as is leaving early. Please plan to be here on time
and for the entire class period. Should you need to leave early (rarely), please do so with minimal
disruption.
Be courteous. Please silence and put away all electronic devices prior to the start of class. The use
of laptops, phones, tablets, etc. is NOT permitted in this course unless otherwise instructed.
Be respectful. We will not always agree, but we will always respect one another. Abusive,
degrading, condescending, or otherwise obnoxious behavior is not acceptable. Remember the
golden rule.
Contacting the Instructor
Feel free to stop by during office hours. My office is located in Todd Hall 231. If you would like to
schedule an appointment, you can email me or call Karla Barnes at (615) 898-5986. Do not hesitate
to ask for assistance with this class or other matters. I check e-mail frequently, so that is the best
way to reach me when I am not in the office.
D2L
This course has an accompanying Desire to Learn (D2L) site where you can access the course
documents, assigned readings, and internet links. You can access the course page by logging in
with you Pipeline ID at http://elearn.mtsu.edu.
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Department of Political Science
Stay Informed and Stay Connected
Students who are the most successful—in their courses, graduating on time, finding jobs and developing careers in
the field, getting into law school and graduate school, and just getting the most out of their college years—are those
that stay informed about all of the opportunities and events they can take advantage of, and stay connected to the
Department and other students.
Please use these resources to both stay informed and stay connected—and succeed.
MTSU Political Science
Facebook Page
Department of Political
Science Web Page
We use Facebook to notify our
students of upcoming events and
opportunities for PS and IR majors
and minors.
Please “like” the page so you are
always in the loop.
(search for MTSU political science)
PS / IR
Student Services Page
This is a huge resource of
information on majors, minors,
program requirements, faculty
contacts, the Student Handbook,
Newsletters, and much more.
This site provides easy access to
info on advising, law school, grad
school, careers and job search, study
abroad, internships, and much more
to help you succeed.
Please bookmark the site and check it
often and whenever you have
questions.
Please bookmark the site and really
use it to get the most out of your
time in the Department.
http://www.mtsu.edu/politicalscience/
http://www.mtsu.edu/ps-ir-student
services
Low-Tech, Physical Communication
Much of this information—program requirements, Student Handbook, Newsletters, upcoming events, and so on—
are available on the racks and bulletin board outside the Departmental Office in Peck 209.
And always check your MTSU email