Students work under the direction of a faculty sponsor to plan and carry out independent research resulting in a written thesis. Required for honors-in-major.

This course introduces the learner to the historical background, the institutions, and the political processes within the United States national government. The focus is on process, but the appropriate attention is given to the institutions of government in which the political processes occur, such as Congress, the courts, and local governments. The course employs a systems model of politics to identify how politics works in the United States. Both process and institutions are studied from a systems perspective so that critical functions and decision points can be identified, described, and assessed. Specific attention will be paid to the legislative process, elections, and enacting change.

Supreme Court treated as a political institution whose historic mission is to decide all controversies arising under the Constitution between the nation and the states, the President and Congress; the role of the judiciary in defining its own powers, rights, and duties.

This course surveys some major debates in comparative political economy, focusing especially on the creation, evolution, and reform of market institutions. The course emphasizes the ways in which the market is embedded in social and political institutions. Main topics include: 1) Theoretical foundations of political economy, 2) Patterns of industrialization, 3) Capitalist institutions in contemporary industrialized countries, 4) Challenges of development, 5) Transitions from communism to a market economy, and current challenges facing capitalism.