Syllabus Guidelines POS2041

Syllabus Guidelines – POS2041The instructor for this course will customize this document for their individual coursesection. Students receive the final course syllabus from the professor assigned to this course.Course InformationCourse Title: American Federal GovernmentCourse ID: POS2041Course Description: (Course description is included from page 4)Class Number:Term and Year:Course Modality: MDC ModalitiesInstructor InformationName:Department and Campus:Office location:Office hours: (Faculty communicate course office hours with students)Phone number:Email:Communication policy: (Faculty will establish protocols for communication with students)Course Competencies(Course competencies are listed in pages 4-6 for POS2041)MDC Course CompetenciesCollegewide Student Learning Outcomes(Learning Outcomes are listed in pages 4-6 for POS2041)Learning Outcomes (LO) at MDC1

Required Textbook, Course Materials, and TechnologyRequired course materials: (Textbook(s), library reserves, shark pack, and/or otherrequired readings. Include ISBN Number and author(s))List optional/supplemental materials/OERTechnology & Technical Skill Requirements: (Technology tools or equipment studentsneed to complete this course are included)Grading Policy & Assessment MethodsAll activities, papers, quizzes, tests, etc. including grading scale used for final gradecalculation. Relationships between the final grade and the learner’s accumulated points orpercentages/weights breakdown for each assessment or component of the course grade arelisted.Policy on late submissions are included.For MDC Live and MDC Online courses, the policy regarding exams (e.g., ProctorU,Respondus Lockdown and Monitor, etc.) is included.Guidelines for extra credit are included, if applicable.Incomplete Grades: Incomplete GradesMiami Dade College PoliciesAttendance Policy: (Faculty include precise statements about illnesses/emergencies/tardiness, missed assignments/make-up.)Students Rights and Responsibilities: Students' Rights and Responsibilities - policiesaddressing academic integrity and plagiarism, code of conduct, grade appeals, religiousobservations, services for students with special needs, student complaints, and other.2

Available Support Services & Resources Tutoring Labs and TechnologyLearning ResourcesVirtual Tutoring through Learning Resources or Smarthinking Online TutoringACCESS A Comprehensive Center for Exceptional Student ServicesSingle StopAdvisement and Career ServicesPassword and Login Technical SupportTechnical Support for MDC Live and MDC Online CoursesSMART Plan(Faculty select from the above if applicable and include additional course/campusspecific resources)Public Safety Public Safety Services and Emergency Numbers linkHurricane and Other Natural Disasters: In the event of a hurricane or other disaster, theclass follows the schedule established by the College for campus-based courses. Pleasevisit the MDC website or call the MDC Hotline (305-237-7500) for situation updates.Miami Dade College3

POS 2041AMERICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENTCourseDescription:The American Constitution and its development, the organization and functionsof the national government, political parties and the electoral process, and therelationship of the individual to the federal government.Course CompetencyCompetency 1: The student will demonstrate anunderstanding of democracy by:Learning OutcomesCultural / Global Perspective1. Identifying the Greek, Roman,Judeo- Christian, German, andEnglish contributions to itsevolution.2. Describing the contributions of theEnlightenment, Liberalism, andmodern secular and egalitarianmovements to its development.3. Discussing its characteristics andvarious forms.Competency 2: The student will be able todemonstrate an understanding of the foundationsof American Government by:1. Studying the principal colonial,political, and economic institutionsand analyzing the causes of theAmerican War of Independence.2. Analyzing the Declaration ofIndependence, and the Articlesof Confederation.3. Discussing the reasons for thePhiladelphia Convention, and its manycontroversies and politicalcompromises.CommunicationCritical Thinking

Competency 3: The student will be able todemonstrate an understanding of the Constitutionof the United States by:1. Reading the articles of the Constitutionas well as its amendments.2. Defining its main characteristics,including federalism, separation ofpowers and checks and balances.3. Reasoning why the Bill of Rights andother amendments were added to theConstitution.Competency 4: The student will be able todemonstrate an understanding of the relationslinking people with their governments by:1. Discussing the nature of public opinionand political socialization.2. Analyzing the role of the mass media,the factors which influence itscoverage, and its impact on society.3. Describing the socio-economic, political,and ideological factorswhich affect voting.4. Explaining the functioning of politicalparties and interest groups. The missionof Miami-Dade Community College is toprovide accessible, affordable, highquality education by keeping the learnersneeds at the center of decision makingand working in partnership with itsdynamic, multi-cultural community. andhow these interact with the electoralprocess.5. Knowing how federal elections take placein the United States.Competency 5: The student will be able todemonstrate an understanding of the structure ofthe central government by:Information Literacy

1. Describing the functions,organizations, powers and limitationsof the Congress, the Presidency, theJudiciary, and the Bureaucracy.2. Discussing the many ways in which thecitizenry can impact on theseinstitutions.Competency 6: The student will be able todemonstrate an understanding of civil libertiesand civil rights.1. Learning about the Bill of Rights andSupreme Court decisions which protectcivil liberties from governmentintrusion.2. Identifying amendments to theConstitution and legislation forthe protection of the citizenry.3. Studying the differences betweenconservative and liberal interpretationsof the Constitution.Competency 7: The student will be able todemonstrate an understanding of the making ofpublic policy by:1. Analyzing the political process involvedin making economic, domestic andinternational policies.2. Studying the many points of view,including libertarian, anarchist,conservative, liberal, socialist, andautocratic, held by the Americanpeople, and how they lead to politicaltension and compromise.3. Describing the many issues which faceAmericans and others in the UnitedStates, including abortion, education,health care, fiscal policies, immigration,monetary policies, social security, andothers.Updated: Summer 2021

The instructor for this course will customize this document for their individual course section. Students receive the final course syllabus from the professor assigned to this course. Course Title: American Federal Government. Course ID: POS2041. Course Description: (C. ourse description. is. in. cluded from. page 4) Class Number: Term and Year .