Course

Course Summary
Credit Type:
Course
ACE ID:
ICCM-0001
Organization:
Location:
Classroom-based
Length:
Self-paced (180 days)
Dates Offered:
Credit Recommendation & Competencies
Level Credits (SH) Subject
Lower-Division Baccalaureate 3 American Government
Description

Objective:

The course objective is to take a close look at how the American government works. It takes a look back at US history from the moment the first colonists set foot on American soil to independence and the establishment of a government free from the ties of Britain. From independence to the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, students will look at what part each branch of government played in shaping the nation as well as all the other factors involved, from interest groups to the media. Students will further explore the scope of each branch of government and how they work together as well as struggle against each other to govern within the framework of the Constitution.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Describe how the United States Constitution was written and understand how it was different from the Articles of Confederation
  • Discuss federalism and the early disputes over powers of the national government versus powers of the states
  • Discuss public opinion and how polls impact policymaking, along with the role of the media in agenda setting
  • Describe the role of interest groups and political parties in our political system
  • Compare and contrast the nature and functions of the three branches of government, discussing the system of checks and balances and the organization and scope of the federal bureaucracy
  • Discuss past and present domestic, economic, and foreign policy of the U.S. government
  • Discuss the need for government, the different types of government, and the type of government we have in the United States along with the main political ideologies found among our citizens
  • Distinguish between civil liberties and civil rights, explaining the protections offered by the Constitution and the major Supreme Court decisions that have impacted those protections
  • Explain how presidential primaries, campaigning, and the election system works

General Topics:

  • The democratic republic, the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, civil rights, public opinion and the media, interest groups, political parties, campaigns and elections, Congress, the Presidency, the bureaucracy, the Judiciary, domestic policy, economic policy, and foreign policy
Instruction & Assessment

Instructional Strategies:

  • Audio Visual Materials
  • Lectures

Methods of Assessment:

  • Examinations
  • Quizzes

Minimum Passing Score:

70%
Supplemental Materials

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