Courses - Fall 2026
GVPT170
American Government
A comprehensive study of national government in the United States.
GVPT200
A study of the major factors underlying international relations, the causes of conflict and cooperation among international actors, the role of international institutions, the interactions of domestic and foreign policies, and major issues in security, economy and the environment.
GVPT201
Scope and Methods for Political Science Research
Credit only granted for: GVPT100 or GVPT201.
Formerly: GVPT100.
An introduction to empirical research in political science.
GVPT202
Law or Politics? The U.S. Supreme Court and Individual Rights
A thorough examination of the state of individual rights before the U.S. Supreme Court. The course will consider how recent cases the Court has decided and current pending cases have shaped the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. A critical component will involve peer deliberation over the proper roles of law and politics and their impacts on the current state of individual rights in the United States. Students will examine constitutional case studies throughout the semester and contribute to group and classroom discussions of issues being considered by the sitting Court. Students will also learn the foundational concepts of how the Court operates as both a legal and political institution, as well as its place in the larger political system. Special emphasis will be given to the social scientific study of the Supreme Court.
Restricted to students in Carillon Communities. Once registered, students need an electronic stamp from an advisor to drop the course.
GVPT203
An introduction to the persistent challenge of authoritarianism. The course explores the nature of authoritarianism and its evolution from ancient through modern times. Students will study how authoritarian regimes vary, why citizens sometimes comply with them, and when and how citizens rebel. The course concludes with a review of contemporary authoritarianism, focusing on its resilience in the Middle East and East Asia and its potential for a resurgence in the US and Europe.
GVPT217
Mock Trial
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with: MLAW217.
Credit only granted for: MLAW217, GVPT217, or GVPT319A.
Formerly: GVPT319A.
Experience the excitement and reward of arguing, and perhaps winning your client's case in court. Mock Trial is designed for students who are interested in learning practical techniques for shaping the evidence, using the law, and exploiting the courtroom to create a coherent and convincing case theory.
GVPT221
Introduction to Formal Theories of Political Behavior and Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT170.
An introduction to the theories of rational choice including theories of negotiation and bargaining, elections and voting in democracies, community organizing and the contrast between the roles and performances of government and market.
GVPT241
The Study of Political Philosophy: Ancient and Modern
Examines some of the salient continuities and breaks between the ancient and modern traditions in Western political philosophy.
GVPT273
Introduction to Environmental Politics
An overview of modern environmental philosophy, politics, and policy, exploring environmental politics in the US by way of comparison with other developed and developing countries.
GVPT280
The Study of Comparative Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
An introduction to the comparative study of politics and governance, including the analytical concepts for studies of politics and a survey of the major types of regimes, including democratic and authoritarian/communist regimes.
GVPT306
Global Environmental Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in one of the following programs (Government & Politics; Government & Politics: International Relations) ; or permission of BSOS-Government & Politics department.
Focus on three processes of international environmental policy development- identifying problems, negotiating solutions, and implementing agreements- through a range of case studies, including global climate change.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program, Government & Politics: International Relations program, or ENSP: Environmental Politics & Policy program.
GVPT318C
Classroom to Careers; Classroom to Careers
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program.
Embarking on a career post-college is both an exhilarating and a challenging journey. This course is designed to demystify the transition from university to professional life for GVPT students. Participants will engage in a structured process to identify their professional interests and navigate through potential career avenues. Weekly sessions will feature in-person meetings with GVPT alumni from diverse sectors, offering students a unique opportunity to gain insights from several real-world professional trajectories. By the course's conclusion, students will not only have a framework for career planning but also firsthand narratives that bridge the gap between academic study and professional endeavor.
Embarking on a career post-college is both an exhilarating and a challenging journey. This course is designed to demystify the transition from university to professional life for GVPT students. Participants will engage in a structured process to identify their professional interests and navigate through potential career avenues. Weekly sessions will feature in-person meetings with GVPT alumni from diverse sectors, offering students a unique opportunity to gain insights from several real-world professional trajectories. By the course's conclusion, students will not only have a framework for career planning but also firsthand narratives that bridge the gap between academic study and professional endeavor.
GVPT319N
Topics in Social Advocacy; Citizenship and Naturalization in America
Credits:
2
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations. Jointly offered with MLAW315. Credit only granted for GVPT319N or MLAW315.
This is a two-part course. Students must also take the 1-credit Naturalization Workshop Practicum, GVPT319W, in the spring semester.
For permission to register, contact Karmin Cortes kcortes@umd.edu
Notions of who is an American - and who is not - are deeply rooted in the American ethos. Although the United States has long been praised forits inclusiveness vis-a-vis citizenship - including a policy of jus soli, or birthright citizenship - a closer look reveals a difficult history involving the categorical exclusion of many groups from Americancitizenship. We will examine this history, focusing particularlyon Black and Native Americans and immigrants, and drawing upon legal cases,historical texts, and personal narratives detailing thelived experiences of those seeking American citizenship. We will trace this history to the present and explore the current process and requirements for becoming an American citizen. Students will have an opportunity to engage guests anddiscussions from the Maryland Carey School of Law and other experts.
This is a two-part course. Students must also take the 1-credit Naturalization Workshop Practicum, GVPT319W, in the spring semester.
For permission to register, contact Karmin Cortes kcortes@umd.edu
Notions of who is an American - and who is not - are deeply rooted in the American ethos. Although the United States has long been praised forits inclusiveness vis-a-vis citizenship - including a policy of jus soli, or birthright citizenship - a closer look reveals a difficult history involving the categorical exclusion of many groups from Americancitizenship. We will examine this history, focusing particularlyon Black and Native Americans and immigrants, and drawing upon legal cases,historical texts, and personal narratives detailing thelived experiences of those seeking American citizenship. We will trace this history to the present and explore the current process and requirements for becoming an American citizen. Students will have an opportunity to engage guests anddiscussions from the Maryland Carey School of Law and other experts.
GVPT320
Advanced Empirical Research
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT201.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
Allows students to build on the knowledge of statistical inference they gained from GVPT201. Topics include data collection, data cleaning, data analysis, and data visualization. By the time students complete this class, they will be able to do basic statistical modeling using OLS regression independently.
Students will be required to download statistical package R onto their own laptops and must bring their laptop to every class meeting beginning in early October.
GVPT354
International Development and Conflict Management
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Sophomore standing or higher; and must be in one of the following minor programs (International Development and Conflict Management; Global Engineering Leadership; Global Poverty, Global Terrorism Studies) or have permission from the Center for International Development and Conflict Management program director, or must be in the Government and Politics major with permission of the Government and Politics department.
Additional information: Students enrolled in MIDCM are expected to take the course during the Fall semester after admission to the program.
Serves as the gateway course for the Minor in International Development and Conflict Management. Provides an introductory foundation in the theory and practice of international development and conflict management. Introduces the structures, key players, intersections, and main trends in the evolution of the fields. Explores causal factors that drive economic growth, poverty, inequality, and conflict, as well as the resources, methods, and tools available to track and address these issues.
GVPT356
Prerequisite: GVPT354.
Restriction: Enrollment is restricted to students in the Minor in International Development and Conflict Management; and sophomore standing or higher; and permission of BSOS-Government & Politics department.
Serves as one of the two capstone courses for the Minor in International Development and Conflict Management. Focuses on advanced theory and the practice and profession of international development and is designed to provide students an introduction to, and a chance to engage with, a core set of practical skills relevant to the field.
GVPT357
IDCM Practicum Course
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
Reg
Prerequisite: GVPT354.
Restriction: Must be in the International Development and Conflict Management minor; and permission of the Program Director for International Development and Conflict Management.
Credit only granted for: BSOS388E or GVPT357.
Formerly: BSOS388E.
Additional information: Students must have requested and received approval for their practicum experience prior to enrollment.
Fulfills the practicum requirement for students who are completing the International Development and Conflict Management (IDCM) minor program. A main purpose of the course is to amplify the value of each student's practical experiences - typically an internship - by reflecting on, consolidating, and translating that background in preparation for pursuing post-graduation paths that relate to the fields of international development and conflict management. It is taken in conjunction with the student's practicum experience, either concurrently or afterward.
GVPT368A
Special Topics in Government and Politics; U.S. Foreign Policy and the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with ISRL382. Credit only granted for ISRL382 or GVPT368A.
What are the United States' interests in the Middle East? Who and/or what determines those interests? How are these interests pursued? This course will provide an overview of American diplomacy in the Middle Eastas it unfolded since the mid-1940s with an emphasis on the Israeli-Arab/Palestinian conflicts. We will first examine the overarching ideational and institutional factors that shape and guide U.S. foreign policy, and then turn to analyze major issues and challenges American diplomacy faces in the Middle East. The course seeksto integrate U.S. foreign policy and the Arab-Israeli conflict intoa broader analytical framework dealing with mediation, conflict resolutionand management, alliance and politics, and patron-client relations.
What are the United States' interests in the Middle East? Who and/or what determines those interests? How are these interests pursued? This course will provide an overview of American diplomacy in the Middle Eastas it unfolded since the mid-1940s with an emphasis on the Israeli-Arab/Palestinian conflicts. We will first examine the overarching ideational and institutional factors that shape and guide U.S. foreign policy, and then turn to analyze major issues and challenges American diplomacy faces in the Middle East. The course seeksto integrate U.S. foreign policy and the Arab-Israeli conflict intoa broader analytical framework dealing with mediation, conflict resolutionand management, alliance and politics, and patron-client relations.
GVPT368C
Cross-listed with: AAST443, AMST498J.
Credit only granted for: AAST498T, AAST443, GVPT368C or AMST 498J.
Formerly: AAST498T.
Students will gain a greater understanding of 1) the role of Asian Americans in US politics, 2) the political attitudes and behaviors of Asian Americans and 3) how to conduct research on Asian American politics. Though the class will concentrate on Asian Americans, issues related to Asian American politics will be examined within the larger context of America's multicultural political landscape.
GVPT368D
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Israel: Politics and Society
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with ISRL380. Credit only granted for ISRL380 or GVPT368D. Addresses the main issues in Israeli politics and society by focusing on the role of Zionism in the Jewish state, the institutional foundations of Israeli democracy, the main political parties and blocs and their different ideological principles and visions, as well as the main socialgroups, movements, and institutions that comprise Israeli civil society.
GVPT368F
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Tzahal: The Israeli Military in State, Society, and its Middle Eastern Context
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Crosslisted with ISRL349G. Credit only granted for ISRL349G or GVPT368F
This course offers an introduction to general concepts of civil-militar relations with a strong focus on the Israeli case. Situating Israel within the Middle East context, the course readings and class discussions will include comparative references to major regional players, such as Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and the Arab Gulf States. The military is a salient feature of all Middle Eastern states; we will explore how Israel both resembles and differs from other states in the region regarding the role of its military and of civil-military relations.
This course offers an introduction to general concepts of civil-militar relations with a strong focus on the Israeli case. Situating Israel within the Middle East context, the course readings and class discussions will include comparative references to major regional players, such as Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and the Arab Gulf States. The military is a salient feature of all Middle Eastern states; we will explore how Israel both resembles and differs from other states in the region regarding the role of its military and of civil-military relations.
GVPT368K
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Environmental and Sustainable Development in Israel
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with ISRL349Y. Credit only granted for ISRL349Y or GVPT368K.
Relationships between the environment and different communities that share it, specifically in and around Israel, given the negative effects of climate change and environmental degradation throughout the Middle East. We will examine the ecological and environmental challenges Israel has faced over the years, the many innovative ways in which it has worked to overcome these challenges, and the tasks that still lie ahead. Finally, we will look at the nexus between sustainable development and sustainable peace within and between diverse communities.
Relationships between the environment and different communities that share it, specifically in and around Israel, given the negative effects of climate change and environmental degradation throughout the Middle East. We will examine the ecological and environmental challenges Israel has faced over the years, the many innovative ways in which it has worked to overcome these challenges, and the tasks that still lie ahead. Finally, we will look at the nexus between sustainable development and sustainable peace within and between diverse communities.
GVPT368R
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Introduction to Human Rights in Israel
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
GVPT368T
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Israel, Middle East Security, and WMD Proliferation
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Cross-listed with ISRL349T. Credit only granted for ISRL349T or GVPT368T. This course addresses one of Israel's main security concerns:the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons in the Middle East. It analyzes in-depth the political dynamics that lead to proliferation dangers in the region and the possible Israeli responses to proliferation, such as deterrence, military strikes, prevention, preemption, and defense.
GVPT368V
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Foundations of Security, Conflict and Diplomacy
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International RelationsJointly offered with GFPL371. Credit only granted for GVPT368V or GFPL371.
Introduces major concepts, debates and challenges in international security policy. Some of today's problems have existed in various forms for centuries, such as potential conflicts between great powers, violence bygovernments against their own people and by terrorist organizations, and the disruptive effects of powerful new technology. Some are more recent, such as nuclear deterrence and nonproliferation, humanitarian crises and human security. And others, including cyber security, drones and climate change, are the leading edge of future security challenges. Fundamental questions about how to make the world safer will be a major theme of this course.
Introduces major concepts, debates and challenges in international security policy. Some of today's problems have existed in various forms for centuries, such as potential conflicts between great powers, violence bygovernments against their own people and by terrorist organizations, and the disruptive effects of powerful new technology. Some are more recent, such as nuclear deterrence and nonproliferation, humanitarian crises and human security. And others, including cyber security, drones and climate change, are the leading edge of future security challenges. Fundamental questions about how to make the world safer will be a major theme of this course.
GVPT368X
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Secrets, Spies, and The State: Introduction to the Intelligence Community
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International RelationsJointly offered with GFPL390. Credit only granted for GVPT368X or GFPL390.
This is an introduction to the history, structure, and practices of the US intelligence community (IC). This course will provide students with an understanding of the theory and practice of intelligence, including the intelligence cycle, past and present organization of the intelligence community, and future challenges facing intelligence professionals. The course will also examine the capabilities and limitations of the various intelligence collection disciplines, analyticmethodologies, and the relationship between intelligence and policy.
This is an introduction to the history, structure, and practices of the US intelligence community (IC). This course will provide students with an understanding of the theory and practice of intelligence, including the intelligence cycle, past and present organization of the intelligence community, and future challenges facing intelligence professionals. The course will also examine the capabilities and limitations of the various intelligence collection disciplines, analyticmethodologies, and the relationship between intelligence and policy.
GVPT368Z
Special Topics in Government and Politics; Public Policy Challenges in Africa
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International RelationsJointly offered with GFPL490. Credit only granted for GFPL490, GVPT368Z,or GVPT484.
Introduces major public policy challenges in Africa today and includes abrief review of African history from 1600 through the post-colonial period to provide critical background. Catalyzing economic growth, promoting democratic governance, and reducing armed conflict will be discussed. Also covered are the role of African diasporas and migration in nationaldevelopment, managing the continent's rapid urbanization, andimproving service delivery in key areas such as health and education.
Not open to students who have completed GVPT484.
Introduces major public policy challenges in Africa today and includes abrief review of African history from 1600 through the post-colonial period to provide critical background. Catalyzing economic growth, promoting democratic governance, and reducing armed conflict will be discussed. Also covered are the role of African diasporas and migration in nationaldevelopment, managing the continent's rapid urbanization, andimproving service delivery in key areas such as health and education.
Not open to students who have completed GVPT484.
GVPT377
Experiential Learning: Government and Politics Internship Program
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT170.
Credit only granted for: GVPT377 or GVPT388W.
Formerly: GVPT388W.
The application of major concepts of political science to the realities of the political process. The course connects internship experiences with larger themes of political science. Students must be admitted to the GVPT Internship Program.
Students interested in registering for this course must have an internship secured and must apply to the GVPT Internship Program.
Required in-person class meetings will take place from 6:30pm-9:15pm on the following Wednesdays: September 16th, October 28th, and December 9th.
Click here for more course information.
Required in-person class meetings will take place from 6:30pm-9:15pm on the following Wednesdays: September 16th, October 28th, and December 9th.
Click here for more course information.
GVPT388
Topical Investigations
Credits:
1 - 3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Permission of Director of Undergraduate Studies required.
GVPT388M
Topical Investigations; Mock Trial
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
GVPT390
Game Theory
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must not have completed ECON414.
Credit only granted for: GVPT399A, GVPT390, CMSC474 or ECON414.
Formerly: GVPT399A.
Introduction to game theory with applications to political science, economics and sociology. Topics include preference theory, expected utility theory, Nash equilibria, subgame perfection, repeated games, folk theorems, and evolutionary stability.
GVPT396
Introduction to Honors Research
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics Honors Program; and must have permission of the Government & Politics Honors Program.
A required course for all honors students designed to emphasize library research, methodology, and writing skills in political science and political philosophy. A written proposal, bibliography and research design for an honors paper required of all students as a final project.
GVPT397
Honors Research
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg
Prerequisite: GVPT396.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics Honors Program.
Individual reading and research. Preparation of an original paper.
GVPT404
Political Economy of Foreign Aid
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Recommended: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
Credit only granted for: GVPT409R or GVPT404.
Formerly: GVPT409R.
The world spends hundreds of billions of dollars on foreign aid every year. The effects of this aid spending are controversial. Research supports both pessimistic and optimistic views of foreign aid's effectiveness, with little consensus. Where does aid money go? What are the motivations of aid donors? Is foreign aid effective at achieving its goals? Why or why not? This course is designed to survey the promise and the challenges of foreign aid as a policy tool. The first half of the course will focus on the motivations and goals of foreign aid. We will consider various foreign aid donors, such as countries, institutions, and individuals, to understand the motivations behind and effects of foreign aid. We will create a typology of foreign aid agendas, motivations, and donors. The second half of the course will consider the challenges specific to foreign aid. This includes both technical challenges and political challenges. We will consider the strategies that aid donors and organizations have taken to try to overcome these challenges.
GVPT406
International Organizations
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program; and junior standing or higher. Or must be in Government & Politics: International Relations program; and junior standing or higher.
A basic introduction to the full range of international organizations that have come into being over the past century and one-half, including those that aspire to be universal or global, those with a geopolitical or regional focus, and those that address specific structural or functional areas of human endeavor or issue areas.
GVPT409I
Seminar in International Relations and World Politics; International Security and International Law
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program.
An examination of the role of international law in regulating and influencing the behavior and actions of states and non-state actors in arange of security issue areas. Students will be introduced to theoretical and empirical studies on the role of law in international security affairs based on academic readings and scholarship. Students will apply theories and insights from academic scholarship on international law to contemporary international security issues and to think about the policy relevance of the course readings.
An examination of the role of international law in regulating and influencing the behavior and actions of states and non-state actors in arange of security issue areas. Students will be introduced to theoretical and empirical studies on the role of law in international security affairs based on academic readings and scholarship. Students will apply theories and insights from academic scholarship on international law to contemporary international security issues and to think about the policy relevance of the course readings.
GVPT410
Politics of Nationalist and Ethnic Conflict
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in one of the following programs (Government & Politics; Government & Politics: International Relations).
Credit only granted for: GVPT409M or GVPT410.
Formerly: GVPT409M.
An examination of the major causes and consequences of ethnic, nationalist, and separatist conflict. The course will focus on both theories of ethnicity and nationalism, as well as theories of conflict related to these issues. The course will also explore empirical trends in ethnic and nationalist politics.
GVPT411
Conflict in the International System
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
Credit only granted for: GVPT409P or GVPT411.
Formerly: GVPT409P.
In this course, we will examine conflict, peace, and conflict resolution in contemporary international politics. We will interrogate what we mean by concepts such as peace, conflict, and violence, the different forms that these phenomena can take, and how we can measure their occurrence. We will discuss theoretical explanations for why individuals and groups have disputes, why these actors choose to use violence (or not) in these disputes, and ways in which violent disputes can be resolved peacefully. We will examine these arguments in a detailed study of conflicts in the Middle East, as well as by evaluating published articles that examine the effectiveness of conflict management strategies such as peacekeeping.
GVPT412
Nonviolent Resistance in the International System
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200 and GVPT201.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
An examination of the major causes, dynamics, and consequences of nonviolent resistance. The course will focus on both theoretical approaches to nonviolence and the scientific study of nonviolence. The course will also explore empirical trends in nonviolent resistance.
GVPT413
Peace, Justice, and Conflict Resolution
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Recommended: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
Credit only granted for: GVPT409A or GVPT413.
Formerly: GVPT409A.
An examination of classic and contemporary perspectives on peace, justice, and conflict resolution after armed conflict. The goal of this course is to expose students to the advantages, risks, and challenges of the most prominent methods of conflict mitigation and resolution, including mediation and arbitration; peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peacebuilding; the protection of civilians, Responsibility to Protect, and humanitarian assistance; elections, democratization, and power-sharing; and transitional reconciliation and justice. We will do this by reading, discussing, and synthesizing classic and cutting-edge Political Science research on these topics.
GVPT414
International Relations of East Asia
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
Credit only granted for: GVPT409E or GVPT414.
Formerly: GVPT409E.
An examination of international relations in East Asia, focusing mostly on Northeast Asia. The course will provide some background on the evolution of international politics in the region over the past several decades, and will examine several contemporary issues--including the North Korean nuclear issue, the relationship across the Taiwan Strait, and maritime disputes in the East and South China Seas--in depth.
GVPT429F
Problems in Political Behavior; Rethinking Governance in the Digital Age
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT201 Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
This course explores digital strategies of governance in comparative perspective in addition to novel sources of digital data that enable political scientists to understand both historical and contemporary regimes. Students will pursue a semester-long research project focusing on text-as-data methodologies.
Not open to students who have completed GVPT429J.
This course explores digital strategies of governance in comparative perspective in addition to novel sources of digital data that enable political scientists to understand both historical and contemporary regimes. Students will pursue a semester-long research project focusing on text-as-data methodologies.
Not open to students who have completed GVPT429J.
GVPT429K
Problems in Political Behavior; Researching Contentious Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT201. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program.
This course will critically assess empirical research on the causes and consequences of contentious political behaviors such strikes, riots, peaceful protests, and insurrections with a particular focus on efforts to address these questions using quantitative methods. Topics we will address throughout the course include: why some protest campaigns succeed while others fail, the role of social media in coordinating demonstrations, and the impact of riots on public opinion and government policy.
This course will critically assess empirical research on the causes and consequences of contentious political behaviors such strikes, riots, peaceful protests, and insurrections with a particular focus on efforts to address these questions using quantitative methods. Topics we will address throughout the course include: why some protest campaigns succeed while others fail, the role of social media in coordinating demonstrations, and the impact of riots on public opinion and government policy.
GVPT429T
Problems in Political Behavior; Social Media Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT201. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program.
This seminar presents students with an integrated view of media politics, combining political psychology, computational social science, and network analysis. The goal is to provide students with the technical know-how to work with social media data and the knowledge to interpret relevant information. In this seminar, students will learn to process social media data, program survey experiments, and identify political narratives in a multiplatform environment. The seminar will introduce students to the computational techniques required for big social media data analyses.
This seminar presents students with an integrated view of media politics, combining political psychology, computational social science, and network analysis. The goal is to provide students with the technical know-how to work with social media data and the knowledge to interpret relevant information. In this seminar, students will learn to process social media data, program survey experiments, and identify political narratives in a multiplatform environment. The seminar will introduce students to the computational techniques required for big social media data analyses.
GVPT431
Introduction to Constitutional Law
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT170 and GVPT331.
Restriction: Must be in one of the following programs (Government & Politics; Government & Politics: International Relations) ; and junior standing or higher.
A systematic inquiry into the general principles of the American constitutional system, with special reference to the role of the judiciary in the interpretation and enforcement of the federal constitution.
Jointly offered with MLAW358X. Credit only granted for GVPT431 or MLAW358X.
GVPT439K
Seminar in Public Law; The US Supreme Court and American Society
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
This course investigates the U.S. Supreme Court and its role in politics, government, and society. Why do we need and have a U.S. Supreme Court?
This course will trace the development of the constitutional doctrine of the Court, the growth of the Court's institutional power, and the Court's interaction with Congress, the president, and society. Discussed are major constitutional law decisions, their political contexts, and the social and behavioral factors that affect judges, justices, and federal court jurisprudence. There will be a strong emphasis on how the Court's decisions have impacted law and society and how the Court helps to maintain a certain kind of society.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program Jointly offered with MLAW378K. Credit only granted for GVPT439K or MLAW378K.
This course will trace the development of the constitutional doctrine of the Court, the growth of the Court's institutional power, and the Court's interaction with Congress, the president, and society. Discussed are major constitutional law decisions, their political contexts, and the social and behavioral factors that affect judges, justices, and federal court jurisprudence. There will be a strong emphasis on how the Court's decisions have impacted law and society and how the Court helps to maintain a certain kind of society.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program Jointly offered with MLAW378K. Credit only granted for GVPT439K or MLAW378K.
GVPT439M
Seminar in Public Law; Moot Court
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT439L or permission of the instructor. To request permission for this course, contact Professor Michael Spivey at mspivey@umd.edu.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
This is your chance to argue a case before the Supreme Court. (Well, Not THE Supreme Court but a moot Supreme Court.) In Moot Court, students argue a hypothetical constitutional law case before a panel of experienced lawyers and jurists. Students will learn the skills of written and oral advocacy in anticipation of participation in the American Moot Court Association regional and national competitions. No prior experience in appellate advocacy is necessary.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
This is your chance to argue a case before the Supreme Court. (Well, Not THE Supreme Court but a moot Supreme Court.) In Moot Court, students argue a hypothetical constitutional law case before a panel of experienced lawyers and jurists. Students will learn the skills of written and oral advocacy in anticipation of participation in the American Moot Court Association regional and national competitions. No prior experience in appellate advocacy is necessary.
GVPT439N
Seminar in Public Law; Moot Court II
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: : GVPT439M and permission of the instructor. To request permission for this course, contact Professor Michael Spivey at mspivey@umd.edu.
GVPT439R
Seminar in Public Law; Restorative Justice to the Power of Three
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Jointly offered with MLAW378R. Credit only granted for GVPT439R or MLAW378R.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
Restorative justice is dawning in our society as an alternative to the traditional, punitive, and hierarchical methods of discipline and conflict resolution. This interactive, experience-based course, will equip you to resolve conflict and bring healing to situations throughout your life, and facilitate restorative interventions and applications.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
Restorative justice is dawning in our society as an alternative to the traditional, punitive, and hierarchical methods of discipline and conflict resolution. This interactive, experience-based course, will equip you to resolve conflict and bring healing to situations throughout your life, and facilitate restorative interventions and applications.
GVPT439T
Seminar in Public Law; Tackling Trafficking: The Legal System's Responses to Human Trafficking
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Jointly offered with MLAW358T. Credit only granted for GVPT439T or MLAW358T.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
GVPT449D
Seminar in Political Philosophy; Individual and Group Decision-Making
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program or Government & Politics: Inter national Relations program. Credit granted for PHPE400 or GVPT449D.
Foundational issues that arise within the theories of rational choice that underlie the treatments of decision-making found in economics, politics, and the other social sciences. The course is focused on individual decisions (rational choice theory), strategic decisions (game theory) and group decisions (social choice theory). In addition to presenting the formal models of decision making, we also discuss to what extent these mathematical theories explain social interactions. An important aspect of the course is to introduce students to the ways in which economic analysis has been applied to issues in social and political philosophy. Readings will be drawn from the literature in economics, psychology, statistics and political science, as well as philosophy.
Foundational issues that arise within the theories of rational choice that underlie the treatments of decision-making found in economics, politics, and the other social sciences. The course is focused on individual decisions (rational choice theory), strategic decisions (game theory) and group decisions (social choice theory). In addition to presenting the formal models of decision making, we also discuss to what extent these mathematical theories explain social interactions. An important aspect of the course is to introduce students to the ways in which economic analysis has been applied to issues in social and political philosophy. Readings will be drawn from the literature in economics, psychology, statistics and political science, as well as philosophy.
GVPT454
Seminar in the International Relations of China
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program; and junior standing or higher. Or must be in Government & Politics: International Relations program; and junior standing or higher.
Explores the foreign relations behavior of the People's Republic of China, with focus on the contemporary era.
GVPT457
American Foreign Relations
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program; and junior standing or higher.
The principles and machinery of the conduct of American foreign relations and an analysis of the major foreign policies of the United States.
GVPT459D
Seminar in Comparative Politics; Democracy and Democratization
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT280 or GVPT282. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or Government & Politics: International Relations program.
This course surveys the big debates about the nature of democracy and democratization. The course is organized around five broad themes: 1) core concepts and definitions of democracies and non-democratic regimes, 2) the nature and causes of democratization, 3) democratic principles, 4) democratic forms and institutional variation, and 5) contemporary issues in democratic politics, including democratic backsliding. Throughout the course, we will be exploring how these different elements of democracy exist around the world by using cases from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States.
This course surveys the big debates about the nature of democracy and democratization. The course is organized around five broad themes: 1) core concepts and definitions of democracies and non-democratic regimes, 2) the nature and causes of democratization, 3) democratic principles, 4) democratic forms and institutional variation, and 5) contemporary issues in democratic politics, including democratic backsliding. Throughout the course, we will be exploring how these different elements of democracy exist around the world by using cases from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States.
GVPT459F
Seminar in Comparative Politics; Politics of India
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Recommended Prerequisite: GVPT280 or GVPT282. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program
"India has a well-established reputation for violating social science generalizations," -India After Gandhi, by Ramachandra Guha. Starting with its origins as an independent country and over the following seven decades, there has been speculation about whether India would stay united or would sustain its democratic institutions. Yet, in a relatively short period of time of seventy-five years, India s politicalsystem has become an example of a consolidated democracy in Asia. This course provides an introduction to the politics of India, with an emphasis on the key actors, institutions, and ideas that have shaped theevolution of Indiandemocracy and society.
"India has a well-established reputation for violating social science generalizations," -India After Gandhi, by Ramachandra Guha. Starting with its origins as an independent country and over the following seven decades, there has been speculation about whether India would stay united or would sustain its democratic institutions. Yet, in a relatively short period of time of seventy-five years, India s politicalsystem has become an example of a consolidated democracy in Asia. This course provides an introduction to the politics of India, with an emphasis on the key actors, institutions, and ideas that have shaped theevolution of Indiandemocracy and society.
GVPT459H
Seminar in Comparative Politics; Comparative Environmental Justice
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics Honors Program.
This course will examine the main similarities and distinctions between communist and fascist radical ideologies, movements, and political systems. The course will highlight the centrality of ideology in totalitarian experiments and the relationship between ideology and terror as underpinnings of the ideocratic despotisms. We will explore contemporary implications of totalitarianism.
Not open to students who have completed GVPT459X.
This course will examine the main similarities and distinctions between communist and fascist radical ideologies, movements, and political systems. The course will highlight the centrality of ideology in totalitarian experiments and the relationship between ideology and terror as underpinnings of the ideocratic despotisms. We will explore contemporary implications of totalitarianism.
Not open to students who have completed GVPT459X.
GVPT459K
Seminar in Comparative Politics; Russian Politics: From Lenin to Putin
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
The course will focus on continuities and discontinuities in Russian politics since the Bolshevik Revolution, the Stalinist period, Khrushchev's reforms, Gorbachev's revolutionary changes, Yeltsin's short-lived democratization, the rise of Putinism as a new imperialist project. As events unfold, we will discuss contemporary Russian political developments. The course emphasizes concepts such as political culture, oligarchic corruption, kleptocracy, authoritarian controls, violence and legitimation crisis, intellectual dissent, human rights and democratic opposition.
The course will focus on continuities and discontinuities in Russian politics since the Bolshevik Revolution, the Stalinist period, Khrushchev's reforms, Gorbachev's revolutionary changes, Yeltsin's short-lived democratization, the rise of Putinism as a new imperialist project. As events unfold, we will discuss contemporary Russian political developments. The course emphasizes concepts such as political culture, oligarchic corruption, kleptocracy, authoritarian controls, violence and legitimation crisis, intellectual dissent, human rights and democratic opposition.
GVPT459O
Seminar in Comparative Politics; Political Economy of Development
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations Recommended prerequisite: GVPT282
The course examines why some countries remain mired in low-income statusand what can be done about it. Focusing on the nexus of politics and ec onomics, the course considers factors such as historical exploitation, natural resources and geography, political incentives and mismanagement,and global economic pressures. Students will have the opportunity to examine cases and evidence from around the world and willlearn important skills as they also build arguments to explain global wealth inequalities.
The course examines why some countries remain mired in low-income statusand what can be done about it. Focusing on the nexus of politics and ec onomics, the course considers factors such as historical exploitation, natural resources and geography, political incentives and mismanagement,and global economic pressures. Students will have the opportunity to examine cases and evidence from around the world and willlearn important skills as they also build arguments to explain global wealth inequalities.
GVPT459R
Seminar in Comparative Politics; The Rise and Fall of Communism
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
GVPT459Y
Seminar in Comparative Politics; Comparative Political Ideology
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Recommended Prerequisites: GVPT280 and GVPT282. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program.
A comparative survey of leading political ideologies, including their origins, core tenets, and implications. Specific attention is given to ideology's relationship to material practice, both western and non-western interpretations, and ramifications for contemporary politics. Includes nationalism, populism, religious fundamentalism, liberalism, socialism, and neoliberalism, among other influential ideologies.
A comparative survey of leading political ideologies, including their origins, core tenets, and implications. Specific attention is given to ideology's relationship to material practice, both western and non-western interpretations, and ramifications for contemporary politics. Includes nationalism, populism, religious fundamentalism, liberalism, socialism, and neoliberalism, among other influential ideologies.
GVPT461
Local Politics and Government
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT170.
Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics program; or must be in Government & Politics: International Relations program.
Credit only granted for: GVPT461 or GVPT479L.
Formerly: GVPT479L.
An introduction to local government and politics in the U.S. context. The course explores the evolution of local jurisdictions, particularly cities, and the politics of local level decision making.
GVPT479Q
Seminar in American Politics; Forgotten Histories of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics: Hidden Narratives and the Making of American Democracy
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, P-F, Aud
Prerequisite: GVPT170. Restriction: Must be in Government & Politics or International Relations program.
This course examines race, ethnicity, and politics in the United States through histories that are often ignored, minimized, or erased in standard political narratives. Using NPR's Code Switch as a central text, the course highlights how racial and ethnic groups have shaped political institutions, policy debates, and collective action in ways that rarely appear in textbooks. We explore topics including immigration restriction, colonial governance, Indigenous sovereignty, labor politics, coalition building, and public goods, drawing on cases across Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Latinx, Arab American, and Pacific Islander communities. Students will analyze how political power operates through memory, law, and institutions, and how forgotten histories change how we understand democracy, citizenship, and political participation today.
This course examines race, ethnicity, and politics in the United States through histories that are often ignored, minimized, or erased in standard political narratives. Using NPR's Code Switch as a central text, the course highlights how racial and ethnic groups have shaped political institutions, policy debates, and collective action in ways that rarely appear in textbooks. We explore topics including immigration restriction, colonial governance, Indigenous sovereignty, labor politics, coalition building, and public goods, drawing on cases across Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Latinx, Arab American, and Pacific Islander communities. Students will analyze how political power operates through memory, law, and institutions, and how forgotten histories change how we understand democracy, citizenship, and political participation today.
GVPT600
Professionalization Seminar in Political Science
Credits:
1
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restriction: Must be in Government and Politics (Doctoral) program.
An introduction to the practices, norms, and expectations of professional political science.
GVPT601
Research Design for Political Analytics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restriction: Must be in the Applied Political Analytics Master of Science program; or permission of department.
A graduate-level introduction to empirical research techniques used in political science. The course covers different approaches to answering empirical research questions and addresses the strengths and limitations of different research decisions. Students who successfully complete the course will be able to conceptualize and design an empirical research project, as well as evaluate the research designs used in the research projects conducted by other social scientists.
GVPT604
Introduction to War and Armed Conflict in World Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Recommended: GVPT200.
Restriction: Must be in the MA in International Relations program; or permission of Government and Politics department.
Examines major theories of both international and civil wars and reviews major empirical studies that test theories of conflict. The topics include the onset of armed conflict, the duration and outcomes of wars, and the durability of peace in the aftermath of wars. The focus is on developing an understanding of central debates in the literature and primary empirical findings from quantitative and cross-national analyses that are of policy relevance.
GVPT622
Quantitative Methods For Political Science
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Introduction to quantitiative methods of data analysis, with emphasis on statistical methods and computer usage. Measures of association, probability, correlation, linear regression estimation techniques, introductory analysis of variance, and use of package computer programs.
GVPT628
Advanced Topics in Coding for Political Analysis
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
GVPT635
Public Opinion
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Restriction: Must be in the Applied Political Analytics Master of Science program; or permission of department.
Investigate how citizens in a democracy think about politics, form attitudes, and how public opinion shapes and is shaped by the political environment. While being exposed to core debates in public opinion and the study of public opinion, students will use a number of surveys that have been central to advancing our knowledge of public opinion.
GVPT708A
Seminar in International Relations Theory; International Relations Theory
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
GVPT729A
Special Topics in Quantitative Political Analysis; Advanced Maximum Likelihood Estimation
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
GVPT729M
Special Topics in Quantitative Political Analysis; Multilevel Analysis
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud, S-F
GVPT761
International Political Economy
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
Recommended: GVPT708.
Major issues in international political economy including such matters as the monetary system, trade, debt, and development.
GVPT770
Seminar in American Political Institutions
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
This is the core institutions seminar in American politics. The course surveys the primary literature in the field and addresses substantively significant topics related to the study of political institutions in the American context.
GVPT803
Seminar in International Political Organization
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud, S-F
Restriction: Must be in Government and Politics PhD program.
An overview and critical analysis of contemporary theory on international organizations and global governance.
GVPT849
Readings in Government and Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud
GVPT874
Seminar in Political Parties and Politics
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud, S-F
Reports on topics assigned for individual study and reading in the fields of political organization and action.
GVPT888D
Selected Topics in Comparative Governmental Institutions; Political Economy of Development
Credits:
3
Grad Meth:
Reg, Aud, S-F
GVPT898
Pre-Candidacy Research
Credits:
1 - 8
Grad Meth:
Reg
GVPT899
Doctoral Dissertation Research
Credits:
6
Grad Meth:
S-F
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