Skip to main content

Political Science

  1. UH Home
  2. College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
  3. Political Science
  4. Undergraduate Programs
  5. Undergraduate Courses
  6. International Politics

Political Science

The University of Houston
3551 Cullen Boulevard, Room 447
Houston, TX 77204-3011
Tel: 713.743.3890
Fax: 713.743.3927

International Politics

  • POLS 1335: World Politics Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: Credit for or current enrollment in ENGL 1301, or consent of instructor. Analysis of the major conflicts of contemporary world politics from a social science perspective.
  • NSS 2342: Introduction to National Security Studies Cr. 3 (3-0). Introduction to intelligence and security needs, problems, and risk confronted by private and governmental organizations and national and homeland security.
  • POLS 3325: Government and Politics of Russia and the Commonwealth Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: GOVT 2305 and 2306 or equivalent, or consent of instructor.
  • POLS 3331: American Foreign Policy Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: GOVT 2305 and 2306 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. The foreign policy-making process and factors influencing U.S. international behavior, especially since World War II.
  • POLS 3336: Globalization Cr. 3 (3-0). Globalization poses increasing tensions for the nation state and increasing contradictions for international politics. This course will begin to map some of the most obvious examples where sovereignty and the global society collide. The readings and lectures focus on economic, cultural, political, and technological processes that constitute "globalization" from an interdisciplinary perspective.
  • POLS 3345: National Security Law Cr. 3 (3-0). Constitutional and Congressional allocation and judicial review of war-making powers, security issues and organizations, control/oversight of intelligence gathering and covert operations, terrorism, the use of the military.
  • POLS 3346: Human Rights Cr. 3 (3-0). Exploration of the scope, protection, and enforcement of international human rights as well as the politics surrounding their protection.
  • POLS 3393: Model United Nations Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: GOVT 2305 and 2306. This course teaches international politics and diplomacy through simulations of the United Nations. Students will learn about the workings of the UN, what topics it covers, and how states behave within the UN.
  • POLS 3396: Selected Topics in Comparative Politics and International Politics Cr. 3 (3-0).
  • NSS 4334: Strategy in International Relations Cr. 3 (3-0). This course surveys the strategic approach to international relations. We employ game theory to examine the roles of individual choice and strategic interaction in issues of war, crisis-bargaining, economic cooperation, participation in international institutions, and terrorism.
  • NSS 4340: Intelligence Analysis Cr. 3 (3-0). Fundamentals of collection and evaluation of intelligence information.
  • POLS 4341: Risk Analysis and Assessment Cr. 3 (3-0). Complexities of assessments, perceptions, and decision-making regarding threats to commercial/national/homeland security.
  • POLS 4342: Political Economy and Ethics of the Market Processes Cr. 3 (3-0). This course explores the relation between citizens and market processes in three broad areas: a) an introduction to basic market mechanism concepts (the price mechanism, creative destruction); b) exploring the role of government in market processes and how that influences citizen choice and the standard of living; and c) an examination into the ethics and morality of the market processes.
  • NSS 4343: Causes and Politics of War Cr. 3 (3-0). Comparative analysis of the causes of armed conflict throughout history and the role that human nature and politics play.
  • NSS 4345: Capstone - National Security Studies Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: GOVT 2305 and 2306 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Capstone course for National Security Studies minor.
  • POLS 4349: International Energy Politics Cr. 3 (3-0). History, major issues, and trends in international utilization, production, management, and distribution of energy from both an international relations and comparative political standpoint.
  • POLS 4350: Political Economy of War Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: GOVT 2305 and 2306 or consent of instructor. Examines the intersection of economic and security issues in international relations, specifically how economics affects war and war economics.
  • POLS 4391: Internship in International Affairs Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: GOVT 2305 and 2306 or equivalent and consent of instructor. Internships in offices or for officials of selected local, state, national, and international U.S. government and international corporations.