POL 250 Introduction to Political Theory

Lecture: 3 Lab: 0 Clinic: 0 Credits: 3

This course introduces students to normative political theory and examines basic questions and issues about the nature and purpose of politics. Emphasis is placed on the classical and modern political theories of Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, and Marx. Upon completion, students should be able to discuss and evaluate normative political theories about the nature and purpose of politics.

This course has been approved for transfer under the CAA as a premajor and/or elective course requirement.

Pre-requisite(s): DRE 097 or ENG 002
Course is typically offered in Spring.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
At the completion of the course, the students should be able to do the following:

Differentiate the ideas about the nature of humanity between classical, enlightenment, and modern philosophers.
Evaluate philosophers from different historical or thematic eras.
Critique the central assumptions about the role of government.
Organize philosophers by ideology and era.
Design hypothetical conversations between philosophers from different historical eras.