Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | POS-1020-VO01 - American Politics & Government

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

David Seager
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Philip Crossman

General Education Requirements

VSCS Social Sciences

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

An examination of the theory and practice of the U.S. political system, from town meetings to Washington, D.C. Topics may include presidential elections, the role of Congress, the President and the Supreme Court, the growth of special interest groups and political action committees, and conflicts between local needs and national policies.

Essential Objectives

1. Describe the American political systems in relation to their cultural and historical environments.
2. Compare and contrast the constitutional roles of the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches of government.
3. Discuss the major concepts and structural principles in our form of constitutional government including federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and judicial review.
4. Assess the relationship between the states and the federal government in American government and politics.
5. Explain how the political process can be influenced by citizens, interest groups and political campaigns.
6. Identify and evaluate the current issues and future trends in American government and politics.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Fall 2024 textbook details will be available on . On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

This is a discussion-based course where students and faculty will interact via written postings in Canvas several times during the week.

• Readings in the current edition of the text by Edward S. Greenberg and Benjamin I. Page, The Struggle for Democracy.
• Reading or viewing other supplementary materials as assigned in the weekly modules.
• Weekly participation in the course discussion.
• Midterm and final essay exams.

Evaluation Criteria

Class Completion Requirements include:

1. Participation in weekly class discussions. Timely participation is recommended for the best grades. Students should post several times during the week-long class session, preferably starting early in the weekend at the latest.

2. Submission of reflective midterm and final essay examinations

3. Completion of all assigned readings

4. Development of skills in critical analysis, independent thought, and writing skills as demonstrated in class discussions and essay examinations

• Discussion Board: 65%
• Midterm Exam: 15%
• Final Exam: 20%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Students should visit the class site several times during the week's class session and:

1) Post a response of about 200 words (more or less) to one of the instructor's discussion questions each week

2) Post a question about the week's reading assignment

3) Respond to some of your classmates' questions

4) Participate as much as possible in general class discussion throughout each weekly class session. Students who wait until the last days of the class session to post their initial responses will lose points; posting often and with substantive quality enhances the weekly discussion grade.

5) Submission of Midterm and Final Essay exams are required. The essays should follow standard essay format which includes an introductory paragraph, thesis statement, supporting evidence and conclusions. Any research material MUST be cited and sources should be listed at the conclusion of the paper. Proper spelling, grammar, format and other writing conventions will be considered within the grade.

Missing & Late Work Policy

This is a discussion class, requiring weekly participation in the discussion forum. The weekly class session gives students nearly an entire week to complete the requirements. Students should try to enter the class discussion before the weekend and post in the discussion thread several times during the week, not at the virtual last minute.

Interacting with classmates is an essential part of our online discussions and this component of the class cannot be made up after the close of the class session. Late work is not accepted, except in emergency situations, and full credit cannot be earned when the discussion element is lacking. In the case of an extenuating circumstance, please communicate as early as you can with your instructor about the need to miss class and/or assignments.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity