Course GOVT 2301-501

Instructor John Connolly

Term Fall 2010
Meetings Mon/Wed 5:30-6:45 p.m. GR 2.53

Table 1 - Instructor's contact information

Office Location: GR 3.314

Email address: jpc011500@utdallas.edu
Office Hours: Mon/Wed 4:25-5:25 p.m.

Table 2 - General Course Information

Course Description: GOVT 2301 Constitutional Foundations and Political Behavior in the U.S. and
Texas (3 semester hours). This course examines the evolution and current state of
political behavior and public policy making in the U.S. and Texas. Topics
discussed will include the constitutions, federalism, intergovernmental relations,
voting, elections, political parties, public opinion, and interest groups.
Required Texts: Practicing Texas Politics, 13th edition. Lyle Brown, et al. Houghton-Mifflin 2008.
Political Behavior of the American Electorate, 12th edition by William Flanigan
and Nancy Zingale. CQ Press 2009.

Table 3 – Course Policies

Exam Procedures: You must bring your UTD photo ID with you to class and keep that on the desk in
front of you. You will need to show this ID when you turn in your exams.
Grading Criteria: Three exams, each constituting a third of the grade, will be given on the dates
listed below.
Grades are based on the standard grading scale: A=100-90, B=89-80, C=79-70,
etc., with plus/minus cut-offs to be determined.
If you have any questions about your grade, please wait until 24 hours after
receiving your assignment before discussing the grade with me.
More information about the exams will be given before the exam dates.
If you miss one exam, you make take an optional makeup exam that has two
components, as per the schedule listed below. This exam may only be taken to
replace a missed exam, not to raise your grade. Each component of the makeup
exam constitutes 50% of the replaced exam.
If you miss more than one exam, you will receive a zero for the additional missed
exam.
Class Attendance: You must bring your UTD photo ID with you to class and keep that on the desk in
front of you. You will need to show this ID when you turn in your exams.
University Policies: Additional UTD policies regarding student conduct and discipline, academic
integrity, email use, withdrawing from class, grievance procedures, incomplete
grades, disability services, religious holy days, and resources to help you succeed
can be found at http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies.
Table 4 - Class schedule and assignments

Topics Reading Assignment

23-Aug Introduction Pick up syllabi/handouts
25-Aug Political Culture US Flanigan and Zingale (F&Z), chap. 1
30-Aug Political Culture TX Brown, chap. 1
1-Sep US Constitution Handout
6-Sep Federalism Handout
8-Sep TX Constitution Brown, chap. 2
13-Sep Civil Rights
15-Sep Breakout Session
20-Sep Review
22-Sep Exam 1

27-Sep Voting: Suffrage and Turnout F&Z, chap. 2

29-Sep Elections Brown, chap. 5
4-Oct Partisanship F&Z, chap. 3
6-Oct Voting Behavior F&Z, chap. 4
11-Oct Voting Models
13-Oct Critical Elections
18-Oct Social Characteristics of Voters F&Z, chap. 5
20-Oct Breakout Session
25-Oct Review
27-Oct Exam 2

1-Nov Public Opinion F&Z, chap. 6

3-Nov Ideology
8-Nov Mass Media F&Z, chap. 7
10-Nov Breakout Session
15-Nov Political Parties Brown, chap. 4
17-Nov Interest Groups Brown, chap. 6
22-Nov Vote Choice and Electoral Decisions F&Z, chap. 8
24-Nov Review

Thanksgiving

29-Nov Exam 3
1-Dec Essay - makeup
6-Dec Exam - makeup

This syllabus is subject to change at the Instructor’s discretion.