Course Syllabus

Spring 2025 | POS-1020-VP02 - American Politics & Government

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Katherine Stamper
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Gilberto Diaz Santos

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 computer recommendations Support page.

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

POS-1020-VP02 Link to Textbooks/Resources Information for this course in eCampus.

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 course is designed to provide an introduction to the study of American Politics and Government via reading, writing and discussion. We will also use theater, film, and poetry as lenses through which political events are viewed. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking and writing skills.

Completing reading assignments prior to each class is essential and will help you actively participate in class discussions. Take notes on your reading in your notebook. Your Midterm Exam will be OPEN NOTEBOOK; taking good notes will help you.

TIP: TAKING NOTES IN CLASS and FROM YOUR READINGS If Katherine writes something on the BOARD, it is probably important. Take notes of important vocabulary, people and events discussed in class and in your readings (See sample template.)

Weekly Homework: Reader Response Papers, 1-2 pages: must be printed clearly, double-spaced as you write responses to weekly discussion questions from your readings provided by the instructor. Aim for clarity and conciseness. Be sure to include the following: introduction, body and conclusion. BACK UP YOUR POSITIONS with concrete examples from history, politics or your own life experience. Spelling, grammar and punctuation matter.

TIP: ANSWERING READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS IN HOMEWORK: READ the question. Read the question AGAIN and CIRCLE important words. THINK about your answer OUTLINE your answer (1, 2, 3, 4) DRAFT your answer EDIT your answer until it sounds “just right” (Read it out loud to yourself. Your ears will “hear” mistakes your eyes might not “see” WRITE YOUR FINAL DRAFT to submit to your instructor LENGTH: 1-2 sides of a page

"Politically Speaking" creates an opportunity for each student to "open" a class with a brief (5 minutes) reflection on politics. You may summarize a news article, show and explain a political cartoon, relay and comment on a quote, stump for an issue, create and explain a political poster, develop and perform a political jingle or commercial, share an excerpt from a political speech, etc. Explain why this issue matters to you. Answer questions posed by the class.

TIP: POLITICALLY SPEAKING PREPARATION INSTRUCTOR WILL BRING A FOLDER OF NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE CLIPPINGS FOR YOU TO CHOOSE FROM DURING THE MONDAY before YOUR POLITICALLY SPEAKING PRESENTATION. YOU MAY ALSO CHOOSE YOUR OWN ARTICLE.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation:

Accomplishments of course objectives will be based on the following:

• Class Participation + End of Semester Political Jeopardy game 25%
• Reader Response Written Assignments 25%
• Mid-term Exam 25%
• Final Presentation 25%

Attendance Policy:

Attendance and participation are essential to this course as participation represents a significant portion of the final grade. Arriving to class late or leaving class early affects one's overall grade.

ADA Provision:

Please Note: In order to receive accommodations for disabilities in this course, students must make an appointment to see the Americans with Disabilities Coordinator at their site and provide disability documentation materials.

Grades:

A+: 97-100	B: 84-86	C-: 70-73	F: less than 60
A: 94-96	B-: 80-83	D+: 67-69
A-: 90-93	C+: 77-79	D: 64-66
B+: 87-89	C: 74-76	D-: 60-63

P: Indicates satisfactory completion of course objectives (C- or better)

NP: Indicates failure to meet course objectives and/or failure to meet grading criteria for successful completion as described in the instructor's course description.

Late Work:

In fairness to all students, late work will not be accepted. Exceptions may be made for

a documented illness or emergency.

Investing in Your Success:

Although this is a rigorous academic course, if you show up, participate, and apply your skills and talents to doing the work, academic success is within your reach. If you experience challenges in the course, please let me know.

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.

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

Apply Now for this semester.