The following objectives are in an increasing order of importance. That is, the second one is more important than the first one, and so on.

At the end of the semester, you should:

1. 1.Be familiar with the texts we have read and the kinds of arguments you have encountered during the course.
   

2. 2.Have an understanding of what political theory is and have at least a general comprehension of major concepts and ideas in political theory (e.g., you should know what a social contract is, you know know the different meanings of “liberalism” and “conservatism,” you should understand the collective action problem).
   

3. 3.Be able to read other similar texts and analyze other political arguments. In other words, you should be able to engage in inquiry into political arguments.
   

4. 4.Be able to make your own arguments, and express those arguments verbally, in writing, and using other “new” media.
   

5. 5.Be able to solve problems, both intellectual and social, using the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired in this course in conjunction with other skills and knowledge you might have from elsewhere. This includes being able to collaborate with others.   
   

6. 6.Be familiar with your own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning, and be able to adjust your approaches to learning.
   

Notice that the last point has nothing to do with political theory, or even political science. It has a lot to do with succeeding in college, and -- you might not know this yet -- it has everything to do about succeeding in life, whatever you end up doing.

Read about the course structure >>