Course Syllabus
Welcome to PLSC 442: American Foreign Policy
Overview
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Credits | 3 |
| Prerequisites | PL SC 14 |
| Delivery | Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com) |
| Dates | See the Calendar. |
| Instructor | See the Orientation module under the Modules tab. |
Description
Courses on American foreign policy generally can be placed into one of two categories. Some focus on the processes leading to the formulation or implementation of foreign policy. Others put more emphasis on the substance of foreign policy, approaching this either from an historical perspective or an issue-based orientation. In this class, I will try to combine these approaches, so that there will be some discussion of historical foundations of US foreign policy, some analyses of the factors that affect what American foreign policy is, and some focus on specific issues and areas of current American behavior toward the rest of the world.
Taking this broader approach requires, unhappily, that some choices be made regarding what is emphasized and what is omitted. I have used two criteria for choosing the topics emphasized here. First, I have tried to select those topics for our discussions that have the greatest implications for American foreign policy more broadly. In other words, some issues or historical periods have had (or are expected to have) more impact on how the U.S. behaves and is evaluated by the rest of the world than do others. Second, I want students to see how the study of foreign policy is informed by how we analyze other aspects of political science and of international relations. That is, our knowledge about American foreign policy is derived from a scientific approach; the value of that approach is something I want to stress.
Objectives
At the end of the course you will be able to:
- draw conclusions between various theories of American foreign policy and how national security interests are defined.
- analyze the institutions and policy processes that shape American foreign policy
- formulate an overview of the change and continuity in American foreign policy has
Organization
This course is made up of 15 lessons.
For a typical lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:
- Explore online course content.
- Read a few assigned readings.
- Complete one or more activities
Types of activities include: online polls, quizzes, discussions, and written assignments. Some combination of these will be required each week.
Online Learning and Attendance
This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.
Materials
Texts
There is one required text (see below). While this is not a course on current events, you are required and expected to have a familiarity with and knowledge of current events. You are to read the New York Times frequently and on a consistent basis. There may be exam questions that require knowledge of significant contemporary international events.
- James McCormick, American Foreign Policy and Process, Cengage Advantage Books Wadsworth Publishing; 6th Edition. 2014 ISBN-13: 978-1435462724
Note: You can purchase the text through the World Campus Bookstore.
Films
Students will also be required to watch two films in this course.
-
Morris, E. (Director). (2003). The Fog of War. [Motion picture]. United States, Sony Pictures Classics.
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Ferguson, C. (Director). (2007). No End in Sight. [Motion picture]. United States, Red Envelope Entertainment.
One of the films, No End in Sight, is available to view for free via a library database. This link is located within the course in Lesson 13. If you wish, you may still rent or purchase the movie for your viewing pleasure.
The Fog of War must be rented, borrowed from libraries, purchased, or accessed online via streaming services well in advance of Lesson 7.
Course Reserves
There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please use the Library Resources tab in the course navigation menu. For any questions you may have about viewing or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the View and Print Electronic Course Reserves page at https://libraries.psu.edu/services/course-reserves/using-electronic-reserves/view-and-print-electronic-course-reserves.
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Grading
Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.
Scale
| LETTER GRADE |
MINIMUM PERCENT |
MINIMUM POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93 | 930 |
| A- | 90 | 900 |
| B+ | 87 | 870 |
| B | 83 | 830 |
| B- | 80 | 800 |
| C+ | 77 | 770 |
| C | 70 | 700 |
| D | 60 | 600 |
| F | 0 | 0 |
Due Dates
All assignments are due by 11:30 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Notes
- To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
- Late Assignments: Late assignments will not be accepted unless arrangements have been made in advance at the discretion of the instructor.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.
Word counts are being used to describe assignment expectations to eliminate the need to specify margins, font types, font size and account for inserted images, data charts, and tables. This way a student's paper will still meet their instructor's length expectations, regardless of varying font size, margin size, or use of other spacing elements.
Below are two examples of tools that can help you check the word count for a assignment.
- In Microsoft Word, you can check your work count by selecting Tools>Word Count.
- Or use the following link for an online word counter
You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within one week of their due date.
| ASSIGNMENT GROUP |
PERCENT of GRADE |
|---|---|
| Short Papers | 35% |
| Quizzes | 21% |
| Discussions | 18% |
| Research Paper | 26% |
| Topic | 1% |
| Annotated Bibliography | 3% |
| Research QuickShare | 6% |
| Final Paper | 16% |
| Total | 100% |
Short Papers
Value: 7 x 100 PTS, for 35% of total grade
Based on questions posed in the assignment prompts please provide written answers that show analysis and synthesis of the texts studied that week. Be sure to make direct reference to the text (when needed) and do more than just summarize the reading. You must turn in your response papers when they are due, or you will not receive credit! Response papers should be no more than 500 words long. A rubric is provided within each assignment.
Quizzes
Value: 7 x 100 PTS, for 21% of total grade
Announced quizzes will test your reading comprehension and your understanding of basic ideas in the text. The quizzes will only test you on the readings for the week in which the quiz has been assigned. Quizzes will consist of multiple choice and true and false questions. You will have a prescribed time limit to complete the quiz and you will have to do it all in one sitting: you cannot save your work and come back to it.
All quizzes are due Sundays 11:30 PM [ET] of the lesson week.
Discussions
Value: 8 x 100 PTS, for 18% of total grade
Scheduled discussions allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of a particular topic, refine your ideas, and interact with your colleagues. You will be judged on the relevance to ongoing discussions, the sophistication of your inquiry or answer, and the quality of your expression. A rubric is provided within each assignment. Discussions are set to be 'post first' meaning that you will need to contribute your initial reply to the forum before you see the contributions of other classmates.
For all discussions you should write one substantial, original discussion reply (150 words) by Thursday at 11:30 PM ET and reply to at least 2 peers before Sunday 11:30 PM.
Final Paper
Value: 26% of your overall grade
The Final paper has been broken up into 4 individual assignments in order to help you stay on track and write a successful paper. These include:
- Lesson 4 - Brainstorming Your Paper Topic [with your instructor] 1 x 100 for 1 %
- Lesson 6 - Annotated Bibliography and Thesis Statement 1 x 100 for 3%
- Lesson 12 - Research Quickshare 1 x 100 for 6%
- Lesson 15 Final Paper Due 1 x 100 for 16%
Please refer to the Student Course Guide for detailed information about each of the Final Paper Assignments.
The final research paper must be completed in good faith to pass this course. A paper must be produced. I reserve the right to give you an overall failing grade in the course if you do not turn in this paper. Even, and this is important to point out-- you can still statistically pass the class. I will give you an example: let's say you have determined that even with a zero on the research paper you still have a 75 in the class-- and thus a "C." I can still give you an "F." Any questions please let me know.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
Penn State defines academic integrity as “the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner.” (Senate Policy 49-20). Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without permission from the instructor or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students facing allegations of academic misconduct who drop the course will be returned and will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines until the allegations are dismissed and the drop is permitted. Students responsible for academic misconduct often receive academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for disciplinary sanctions assigned by the University's Office of Student Conduct (see Senate Policy G-9).
Unless your instructor tells you otherwise:
- Always include an in-text citation that includes the author(s) last name(s) and the year the source was published at the end of any sentence or below any image that includes words, images, or ideas you found in a source, always included quoted text within quotation marks, and always include a reference for any source at the end of your paper (ask your instructor about the format you should use).
- All of your graded coursework must be created by you without help from anyone in the course or otherwise. If you have questions about this, you should ask your instructor before submitting work for evaluation.
- All course materials you receive or access are protected by copyright laws. You may use course materials and make copies for your own use, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.
Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.
Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.
Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at https://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/.
Reporting a Bias Incident
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.
TEACH Act
The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
University Emergency Procedure
In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at https://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at https://news.psu.edu.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.
Syllabus Subject to Change
The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|