GOVT 2301 Dr.

Greg Thielemann

Introduction to U.S. and Texas GR 3.520

Government

TR 1:00-2:15 972-883-2048

HH 2.402 gregt@utdallas.edu

Office Hours: TR 12:00-1:00 and by appointment

I do not read WebCT mail. Please use the email

address above.

General Course Information

Pre-requisites,
Co-requisites, None, however you are expected to be able to read
& other and write English at a collegiate level.
restrictions

This is the first in a two-semester sequence of

courses that meet the state’s Government
Course
requirement. The course covers the constitutional
Description
foundations and political behavior of the United
States and Texas.

Students are expected to learn the key concepts of

Texas and U.S. government related to the study of
Learning
constitutions and political behavior and be able to
Outcomes
demonstrate this knowledge through short essay
and full length essay assignments.

Political Behavior of the American Electorate,

11th edition by William Flanigan and Nancy
Zingale. CQ Press 2006.*
Required
Practicing Texas Politics, 13th edition. Lyle
Texts &
Brown, et al. Houghton Mifflin 2004.*
Materials
Reserve readings.

* You must buy these editions. Do not purchase

 older ones.

Course Policies

There are three terms tests and three essay exams.

We will keep your best two essays for 50% of the
final grade (25% each) and your best two terms test
Grading
for 40 percent of your grade (20 percent each.) The
(credit)
final 10 percent is allocated to attendance. Five
Criteria
percent is allocated to lecture attendance, and five
percent is allocated to attendance during the breakout
sessions.

Make-up
Not Given
Exams

Extra Credit Will advise if opportunities become available.

Late Work Not accepted

Required through assigned seating. If you are missing

Class class for a school related activity you must bring me
Attendance the completed form signed by your sponsor by
September 1, 2007.

Students are expected to participate in the class and

treat their peers respectfully. All cell phones and
pagers must be turned off during the class period. If
you plan to use a laptop, you must advise me during
Classroom the seat assignment process. You may only use the
Citizenship laptop to take notes in a word processing program.
No surfing or instant messages are allowed. Any
student who uses the laptop for any purpose other
than taking notes will not be allowed to use that
laptop in my class for the rest of the term.

University Policies

Please refer to your paper syllabus for information on many university policies, such as
discipline, academic dishonesty, incompletes, course withdrawal, grievances, disibility
services, and religious holy days.
Course Outline

(Brown refers to the Texas Book; F&Z refers to Flanigan and Zingale. The Numbers are
the chapters that should be read before that class.)

Date Topic
Aug-16 Introductory Lecture
Aug-21 Political Culture (Read: Brown 1, F&Z 1)
Aug-23 Federalism and The U.S. Constitution (Read: Wilson Reserve 2-3)
Aug-28 Texas Constitution (Read: Brown 2)
Aug-30 Breakout Session
Sep-04 Civil Rights & Legal Constitutionalism
Sep-06 Review
Sep-11 Essay 1
Sep-13 Terms Test 1
Sep-18 Public Opinion Theory (Read: F&Z 6)
Sep-20 Public Opinion Practice
Sep-25 Ideology
Sep-27 Breakout Session
Oct-02 Interest Groups (Read: Brown 6)
Oct-04 Political Parties (Read: Brown 4)
Oct-09 The Mass Media (Read: F&Z 7-8)
Oct-11 Breakout Session
Oct-16 Terms Test 2
Oct-18 Essay 2
Oct-23 Catch Up Day
Oct-25 Voting: Suffrage and Turnout (Read: Brown 5 and F&Z 2)
Oct-30 Voting Models- Behavioralism (Read: F&Z 3-5)
Nov-01 Voting Models- Rational Choice
Nov-06 Critical Elections
Nov-08 Breakout Session
Nov-13 Terms Test 3
Nov-14 Essay 3
Nov-20 Last Class (Breakout Session)