Government

The Higher Education Department's Core Competencies for Area IV: Behavioral Sciences are:

• Identify, describe, and explain how human behaviors are influenced by social structures, institutions, and processes within the contexts of complex and diverse communities

• Articulate how beliefs, assumptions, and values are influenced by factors such as politics, geography, economics, culture, biology, history, and social institutions

• Describe ongoing reciprocal interactions among self, society, and the environment

• Apply the knowledge base of the social and behavioral sciences to identify, describe, explain, and critically evaluate relevant issues, ethnical dilemmas, and arguments

The following SLO's for DACC students, which connect with the HED's core competencies, are listed below.

Students will be able to:

• describe the origin and development of different political traditions

  • Define and describe basic political concepts including power, legitimacy, authority, and political culture

  • Define the nature and functions of a state

  • trace the origins of various political ideologies from ancient to present times (e.g., liberalism, conservatism, fascism, socialism, totalitarianism, environmentalism, feminism)
     

• describe and differentiate among the various types of political and economic systems found within the international political system, both western and non-western in origin

  • classify governmental schemes (e.g., unitary, confederate, federal)

  • distinguish between democratic and non-democratic governments

  • compare varied systems of government, describing their structures, functions and limitations
     

• describe how states interact, global political institutions, and global policy problems

  • describe the role and  importance of diplomacy, international law, and international organizations

  • describe the role of foreign policy in the formation of national power for the respective nation

  • describe the importance of the global political economy in the interaction of developed and developing nations
     

• apply related coursework to contemporary political issues and describe their impact on society familiarity in researching available written and electronic sources

  • demonstrate familiarity in researching available written and electronic sources

  • distinguish between opposing viewpoints on contemporary political issues

  • articulate ideas in written and oral presentations
     

• comprehend and demonstrate an understanding of the many and varied ways in which the government impacts his or her individual daily life
   

• comprehend that government is the tool by which we attempt to resolve societal problems and issues
   

• understand the role that the student can play in identifying policy issues and working effectively through the democratic process to seek solutions