Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m.
Course Alignment
General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:
- Critical Thinking
Relationship to academic programs and transferability: PLSC 1513 was designed to meet specific student needs either individually or within a program and is designed to transfer to other colleges and universities. KCC participates in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide transfer agreement for general education courses. All colleges and universities participating in the IAI agree to accept a collective “package” of IAI general education courses; transfer of courses separately is not guaranteed. For more information about IAI and the transferability of courses to specific four-year institutions, go to itransfer.org and mycreditstransfer.org.
Goals and Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you will:
Explain the relationships between political life and the cultural ideas of American democracy
Describe formal government institutions and legal structures and political behavior and processes
Describe the political systems of other countries, identify international organizations, and explain the relationships between nations
Analyze and evaluate political phenomena
Demonstrate an understanding of and skill in the process of social scientific inquiry
Make explicit and analyze value judgments about political decisions and policies
Explain the social-psychological sources and historical-cultural origins of their own political attitudes and values, and analyze critically the personal and social implications of alternative values
Demonstrate an understanding of the capacities and skills needed to participate effectively and democratically in society
General Education Goals and Objectives
The general education program at KCC is designed to enable students to acquire communication and reasoning skills at a level reflecting college-level learning. Students who complete the general education program will be able to examine complex topics and apply systematic processes to form conclusions. The specific general education objective addressed in this course is:
Critical Thinking. Students who graduate from KCC will be able to comprehensively analyze and evaluate issues, ideas, and evidence before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.
Faculty Contact Information
I will be in my office on the following days and time:
Tuesdays 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. and 1:45-2:15
Thursdays 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. and 1:45-2:15
We can also schedule a virtual meeting or a face-to-face meeting in my office if the scheduled times don’t work for you.
In addition, you can contact me through email, KCC or Canvas, or the telephone. Barring an emergency I will respond to your communication within twenty-four hours.
Mr. DePasquale
Office Phone: 815-802-8742
E-Mail: sdepasquale@kcc.edu
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the relationships between political life and the cultural ideas of American democracy
- Describe formal government institutions and legal structures and political behavior and processes
- Describe the political systems of other countries, identify international organizations, and explain the relationships between nations
- Analyze and evaluate political phenomena
- Demonstrate an understanding of and skill in the process of social scientific inquiry
- Make explicit and analyze value judgments about political decisions and policies
- Explain the social-psychological sources and historical-cultural origins of their own political attitudes and values, and analyze critically the personal and social implications of alternative values
- Demonstrate an understanding of the capacities and skills needed to participate effectively and democratically in society.
Introduction to American Government, 11th Edition by Turner et al.
Available at the KCC Bookstore
Classroom Assignments 30% of final grade
Unit Exams 26% of final grade
Textbook Quizzes 44% of final grade
Grading Scale:
A=100-90%
B= 89-80%
C= 79-70%
D=69-60%
F=59% or less
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700
Unit One: The American Republic
- Introduction to Politics and Government
- Pre-Constitutional America
- The Constitution
- Federalism
- American Political Ideology
Unit Two: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- Civil Liberties
- Civil Rights
Unit Three: The Institutions Outside of Government
- Public Opinion
- Political Participation
- Politics and the Media
- Interest Groups
- Political Parties
- Campaigns and Elections
Unit Four: The Institutions of Government
- Congress
- The Presidency
- The Federal Bureaucracy
- The Federal Judiciary
Unit Five: Policy
- Domestic Policy
- Foreign and Military Policy
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.