Comparative politics is aimed at teaching students about the main concepts that are important for analyzing political trends in or between countries. Students will learn both about other countries’ political systems and how that knowledge can be leveraged to further understanding about political systems. This country will use the United States as an anchor for comparison at times to better understand the US and how its system aligns and contrasts with others.
Empirical Political Analysis is an introduction to the fundamental concepts and research methods that form the foundation of the social science discipline. The main goal of the course is to provide an understanding of the methods, concepts, and approaches social scientists use to conduct research and generate knowledge. Understanding these tools will make you a better consumer of information, allowing you to critically evaluate other people’s arguments and research to determine whether their conclusions are valid. Thus, the primary focus of this class is on research design: the methodical steps that are necessary to build and execute a plan to test an idea or hypothesis in political science.