Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to marshal empirical data to support a political science theory.
• Students will be able to differentiate among changes in the American constitutional government over time.
• Students will be able to differentiate powers delegated to the U.S. from those reserved to the states.
• Students will be able to identify constitutional changes that have expanded liberties and rights.
• Students will be able to evaluate the role of political parties, interest groups, elections and the mass media in the American political system with an emphasis on the state of California and its relations to the national government.
• Students will be able to analyze policy areas such as foreign and domestic policy in order to understand the political outcome of various policy alternatives.
• Students will be able to evaluate the role of Congress, the presidency, the courts and their interaction with state and local governments.