Hi, everyone! Congratulations to the 170+ of you who posted to the comments section on the introductory blog post. Each of you gets two points toward your final grade. Some of you posted multiple times, perhaps because you went to the blog and didn't see your post.
For this first "real" assignment, you should address a simple question: should departments (let's say journalism, but if you're in another major, you're welcome to use that) require students to take POLS 220? Be sure to consider the benefits of studying state and local government, but also the tradeoff between this requirement and some other course that you might not take because you have to take POLS 220. Is there another course outside your major that your major should require instead of POLS 220? If so, why? In answering the question, feel free to use my lecture from last week, your own considered views, and, especially, any outside sources you wish to bring in. You get half a point simply for signing in to the comments section. You can earn up to 3 points (pretty rare) for this week's assignment by providing more substance. Better answers will be well-developed (though they need not be long), will consider the comments of your colleagues (it's OK to disagree with one another; just don't be disagreeable!; and it's OK to respond to comments after others make them. Better answers may also bring up outside sources (feel free to leave a link).
Good luck on this assignment; it's due by 1:00 pm on Wednesday, September 4. If you have problems with it, please email at berchnorto@msn.com Have a good long weekend!--Neil Berch
While I may be earning the ire of my colleagues, I do believe it is important to study the functioning of our government at the local level. We are, as a society, all too aware (for the most part) of the large, controversial national events, but we pay so little attention to those things that often affect us immediately: those things done at home.
ReplyDeleteMore knowledge of the local level of government would cause increased participation, which would contribute to involvement in the national level. As an example, my home city is looking into enacting "home rule", meaning they would have the power to levy taxes and other things. This is a big step, but the lack of involvement in city council meetings means it is going relatively unknown. By requiring journalism majors (I am one) to take the course the department is saying "Hey, you're not all going to be national TV anchors or reporters, but if you can understand the stuff in your backyard you're a step ahead of the rest."
In short, "yes." The course is and should remain a requirement.
I agree with your view that as a society we are quick to jump after something controversial occurs. It seems that citizens constantly seem unhappy about certain policies etc., yet hardly any citizens actually take the time to go and actively participate in meetings where their voices will actually be heard rather than venting via social media networks.
DeleteI agree with both of you in regards that people should have to take state and local government as a requirement for all majors because people should be informed about the political world around them and Caitlin until I read this artical http://ivn.us/social-ballot/2013/06/02/10-statistics-you-didnt-know-about-social-media-and-politics who which basically says that social media is helpful in politics because it helps inform other people about political issues who would have not normally become involved. I now feel that it is helpful. Yes people should still vote but if you encourage your friends to vot with you you will have made a more significant impact.
DeleteThere is nothing more beneficial to know than government and policy issues, at least in my eyes. They always can make there way into a conversation and can help people form a more informed argument. Since I am a social work major, it is imperative that I at least know the issues that directly affect the population that I desire to work with, and who has the most influence over a specific community? Well, usually the answer is the state and local government.
DeleteAlthough, in my major, this is just one of the many arenas we are required to explore. Ones I consider of less importance are math 126 and 128 ,also Spanish, at least in this region. To me, it is more important to learn from history and see what worked the best for us. I mean honestly, how often do you see social workers using math?
Stepping out of my major, I believe that Pols 220 should be used for any major. It is not something that It is not a restrictive course like a math or biology course. This gives every student the opportunity to brush up on what they have forgotten along the way in school and then some, including today's problems.
I completely agree, as I'm in the journalism school as well. It is so very important that not only journalism majors but all majors take this course. Yes, it may not be all our favorite subject, but it is very helpful. The state and local government has such an impact on our lives, more so than national. Having a great understanding of this course will help all of us get that "step ahead" and better our lives by greater involvement.
DeleteI honestly think that Political Science 220 should be a required class in every major. Even though it might not be the most colorful and interesting class, it is still important to know the functions of the local government. In a couple of years most of us will be graduation and living in the real world. We will be dealing more with the local and state government rather than the national government. Local government was created on the basis of community accessibility and accountability. One day we will be members of a society and should have the wear withal to know how to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteLocal governments are in charge of maintaining education, public safety, utilities (gas, electricity, plumbing…) and other important things. These elements are essential to having a successful and enjoyable life.
When people don’t participate or have knowledge is when problems occur. A massive problem like this happened in my home town. A local businessman proposed to have a 292 foot windmill built. The city council members were not fully aware the effects it would have on our town. The city council had a meeting to discuss the project. There was a serious lack of involvement in the meeting and they decided to proceed. Besides the negative effects it has on the looks of the town, the officials didn’t even ask him to sell the more affordable energy to the town to provide to the local citizens. That is why it is very important to know what’s going on in your local government.
Journalist majors cover a broad spectrum of topics. One must be very knowledgeable of the topics he or she is reporting about therefore, the more you know, the better off you are. In this case, POLS 220 is an imperative class to take before stepping into the real world. Most journalists who become reporters will being reporting on small events such as a new park or new street routes. Reporters will have to sit in on town meetings so their story has some real content to it. However, whether you will be a reporter or a citizen, you should know how to take part in your local government.
ReplyDeleteA problem that happened recently in my hometown was in relation to recycling. The town's recycling center was shut down do to poor funds. Now citizens who did not live right in the town square had to drive 45 minutes away to take out their recycling. A task that before, would take less than 15 minutes total. In addition, the new recycling center did not allow many of the recyclables that were once accepted, making the town less eco-friendly. If more citizens went to their town meetings and expressed their concerns before it was too late, they might have been able to do something about this problem. However, many citizens, like myself, do not understand the importance of staying an active member of our local government.
Therefore, yes I believe this class is very important; not just for journalism students but for every student who plans on having a voice in their town someday. You never know what it could save you in the long run.
http://www.town.boonsboro.md.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={F0B96278-01A7-42D2-A492-649D4EAB7043}
I believe that this helped to better get my point across from my post. By using this personal experience, it goes to show how important knowing about politics as a citizen is. Also, this comment reinforces the idea that after graduating a from college you may not necessarily jump right into reporting big news, but starting out small with political pieces.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs a Television Journalism major, I feel that it is important to take POLS 220. Although it is not my most interesting or easiest subject, once out in the real world, I may be reporting on anything, including politics. Going into a career where nothing is guaranteed and even though I would like to cover sports, I have no idea how I will obtain that goal. It may be doing political reporting at a small station and with no college learning of any sort of politics; it will defiantly not benefit me. Not that this class is going to make me a political analyst, but it will give me more insight into the general outlook for state and local governments.
ReplyDeleteLast fall I took POLS 110 and strongly disliked it. I do not feel that there is a need to take two POLS classes. Instead of doing both, I feel that another journalism elective class or whatever electives are offered within your major should be substituted for.
Let’s be honest, it’s very rare you will remember a lot of the information from a class that is not interesting to you. It is extremely hard to remember information from two classes that do not interest you and are taken in separate semesters and therefore remembering the 110 class information is even more difficult.
There is a sure benefit to this class for journalism majors, it just needs to be taught in a way in which it can relate back to journalism and then I believe it would be a lot more interesting for us, similar to the statistics course of journalism majors. There is a journalism only section of Stats 111. The class is not the normal Stats 111 class; it brings in journalism and news statistics and makes the math part of the class a lot better.
Although it may sound like I am acting only negative to the question asked, I am just stating how 110 made me feel, but hoping that 220 will benefit me more. The link I have attached talks about how political science courses can indeed help out in the journalism field. It is by Dartmouth University and brings up many valid points.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/poli-sci-journalism.pdf
- Anthony Pecoraro
I agree with your point of view, I am also a television journalism major and we very could be reporting on politics and rules and regulations from state to state. So there are benefits from this class.
DeleteZack
Also it is important to be an informed voter if you do choose to vote.
DeleteGood point, I agree that some aspects of journalism may overlap into politics and the need for that knowledge could be very helpful.
DeleteI'm a television journalism also, and i too had to take political science 110 last year. I do not remember much from the class to be completely honest, it was very boring and seemed to drag on. Either way 110 and this class could come in very good use to journalism majors along with other various majors, due to the rules and regulations differing from state to state. I however do not believe this class should be required for all majors, I think the university just does everything they can to rope students into money. I'm a journalism major I technically do not need sciences and math classes, it's just a money making thing to benefit the school and help them make more profit.
ReplyDeleteThe school has to make students take various classes though to widen their knowledge, or every student would be good on one subject and know absolutely nothing on another. It helps make students well rounded, while helping the school make more money on the side. So overall we as students cannot really complain, since we are lucky enough to experience all the classes and gain all the knowledge we can.
Zack Veltri
I believe that the course POLS 220 is a very affective requirement for the Journalism major to take. It directly correlates with a lot of the other courses that I am taking at the moment in my major. The state and local governments are often relevant to the Advertising agent in the real world. I plan to take my journalism degree and work towards getting a job as a communication professional which would most likely work with state and local government. Which leads me to address the fact that the class is a good requirement for journalism majors.
ReplyDeleteJournalism majors, not just advertising need to understand the importance of the laws. Communication professionals act under the laws that are put in place by various advertising supervisor associations that have created the ethical guidelines to advertising in the American media today. Associations like the AAA (Advertising Association of America).
JAMES GOARD
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion POLS 220 is an important course to take for just about any major. Truth is everyone should be involved with politics because our government is run by democracy and if no one is involved then things would be completely different. My major is social work and that means learning about state laws and how the government works is extremely important. Social Workers work with the law everyday and help people accomplish what they need with the government's assistance.If I don't know the state and local government then I won't be able to help future clients with my full potential.
ReplyDeleteTo my knowledge this is the only POLS class that I need but I guess I'll see what the future has to hold. Even though I don't find this class very interesting and I've never been interested in learning more about my government, I know I need to. So for my benefit as well as others I may encounter in my career; I'm going to learn this course the best I can.
My major is Parks and Recreation. Personally I don't think that POLS 220 should be a required class for that major because we already have classes that teach us about laws and legislation, and those classes emphasize on laws and legislation that we will have to deal with within our industry. Things like gaming laws, the difference between a national park classification and a state park classification. I don't know if journalism has any classes like that so maybe it is a good thing for them to require this course because it does give them an idea of how laws and legislation are passed. As far as getting involved with local politics, I think it is something that each individual needs to decide for themselves as far as how involved they want to be. If you don't make your voice heard and give your 2 cents then you wont see any of the changes you want. But as far as requiring it, I think it should be left up to the individual to waive their right if they wish to.
ReplyDeleteFor journalism, I definitely think it should be. If anything, I'd like to see a track specifically designed for covering politics. (The minor doesn't count.) Political journalists serve (or are supposed to, anyway) an important purpose in our society by essentially telling the populous what their leaders are doing on their behalf. The last thing we need is more "journalists" like Sean Hannity or Chris Matthews spouting half-baked opinions and exaggerating stories for ratings and fame. As for other majors, I guess that's not really something I can comment on. But for journalism, that's where I stand.
ReplyDeleteI agree that taking political science courses is primarily important for a journalism major, I don't know how I would feel about that if I was not a TVJ major though. I also am commenting on this specific one because the dog has a funny wig.
DeleteThank you, I refer to him as Kenneth (he's not my dog, but I like the picture). I just feel that journalism, which is supposed to serve a very important purpose in society, needs to be held to a higher standard than it currently is. Especially those who want to cover politics, as it seems that most journos who currently do don't really even know the basics of how government works.
DeleteAs a Television Journalism major, I believe taking POLS 220 should be a required course for Journalism majors and any other major that fall along knowing a broad sense about government. Everyone should know how the government works and why laws were established. Most of us already learn about how the government works or at least why we have one in their early schooling years, so therefore it is not necessary for someone who is majoring in art or engineering to have a better sense of knowledge of how the government works. Journalism majors need to know how our society works and why someone's opinion is based upon governmental issues. Learning about something that's already been established may be boring to learn about, but it's always important to understand what makes something interesting. For most people POLS 220 may just be a class that most just need credit for but remember its importance for those majors that find it beneficial. There's not a better course that you can take in place of this one, because this course is essential to those who know much about the government and those who want to know more. Government may be one thing we can't do without.
ReplyDeleteI'm broadcast journalism major and I really feel like this class shouldn't be required. For me specifically I want to deal with sports. I understand that once I graduate, I'm not going to get thrown into my sports dream job and may have to cover stories dealing with local and state government. It's probably important that I have general knowledge of the subject.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I don't believe that this class with boost my knowledge of the state and local government all that much. I myself have a bad habit of dealing with classes such as this one by remembering what I need to know for the exam, get my grade and then forget it.
I tend to take this approach with all my classes, except for the ones that deal with my major. I definitely learn and remember the things taught to me in these courses because I know it's my future career. I'd rather be required to take a course pertaining to my major where I'll learn those skills and know that I'll remember how utilize them in the future.
When I leave this class (POLS 220) I'm confident that I won't remember much and my general knowledge of the subjects discussed in this class won't be upgraded by a whole lot.
I'd rather be required to take another class that I know I will be learning skills for my major. I don't think this class should be required for journalism students. It could benefit some but not all.
-Ryan Petrovich
I do understand where you are coming from but I disagree. The reasoning here is that when you graduate and move to a place and hopefully get a job you need to be aware of what's going on in your society. That is why this class is important because it teaches you the way the system works. It's going to be important down the road.
DeleteI think POLS 220 should be a required course in the field of journalism. Everyone should know how the government works because they are the ones influencing our lives with their decisions. Journalists should be educated in political science because politics takes up a descent amount of the news everyday and they do not want to be incorrect about their information. Everyone should be interested in politics because anyone could get involved and make a small difference that's a big difference to someone else.
ReplyDeleteIn the school of Business and Economics, POLS220 should not be, and is not required. With that being said, I also believe this is a good course to take for the simple fact that furthering our knowledge will likely make us more well informed citizens (if approached correctly). Moreover, that knowledge can help us ask the right questions to our own local governments and also make us more well informed voters, since most of us are eligible to do so.
ReplyDeleteThough the class may not be required for our own majors, being a responsible, informed citizen will help and improve the country as a whole.
POLS 220 should absolutely be a required course for a journalism major. I take this argument because even though a journalism major may not want to take POLS220 due to them being uninterested in the subject, it would be difficult for them to deny the fact that the two subjects are closely related. I believe that a journalism major would benefit from taking POLS220 whether they are interested in the course or not.
ReplyDeleteIt would greatly benefit a journalist to study state a local politics, due to the fact that all journalist must start somewhere. Not all journalist would be covering news on the national or international level. Therefore an opportunity for a journalist on the local level, such as a small town or city would be an excellent start in they're career.
I am a social work major and even though I hate to admit it I do believe that this course should be required for us. I will not speak for every major though. Some social workers build careers out of politics and many end up working in legislature. This class correlates with our statistics and research class as well as both of our policy classes.
ReplyDeleteI noticed in class today many of the Amendments were being brought up and that is something the Social Work department has been teaching us about almost every semester.
As educated citizens I also feel that knowing our government and legislature is very important to most professional fields especially when dealing with the public. Our country can benefit from anybody as long as we are all thinking and thinking about our government and legislature.
Rachel Root
I personally think that MOST majors should be required to take pols 220. I will admit that i do not know much about government but i do however need a more extensive understanding of it. Especially as a social work major. Social workers deal with people and citizens and laws, so to be professional and know what you're doing, you need to know about government. Government and politics affect our everyday lives. No matter what your career shall be when you're older. That's why i'm excited to learn more in this class. I think that this course and its material is extremely important. For example the other day in class i was thinking about how it was a good thing that this course is required because I'm learning a lot of substance that i didn't know that i know i will need to understand for some of the jobs i might have in the future.
ReplyDeleteHaley Shepard
I'm a social work major also. I definitely agree with what Rachel and Haley have stated above - that we should be required to take this class. At a bachelor level degree, a lot of social workers start working somewhere such as DHHR, which is regulated by the local, state and, federal governments and deal with a lot of policies and also ways to work around them. Social workers are always advocating for people who may not otherwise be able to advocate for themselves - children, the elderly, the disabled, the under-educated just to name a few. To be able to advocate effectively, you need to know what your local and/or state government environment is like. You need to be able to write to and speak with politicians to push for more resources for the disenfranchised people you are representing. The material in this class is an integral part of being able to be an effective social worker.
ReplyDelete~Ashley Wallace
I am also a social work major and said many of the same things such as pushing for resources. After this class I will feel more comfortable doing so because I understand the system.
DeleteI am a journalism major and I do believe that we should have to take POLS 220. Although, I am not very interested in studying state and local government, it is something we all should learn. As a journalism major the job market is limited to mostly newspapers, news stations, online magazines, etc. These jobs will require you to know about the government in order to produce most stories. It will help us because we will go into a job with knowledge on our local government.
ReplyDeleteThis class not only prepares a student for a job, it prepares them for life outside of college. Where we will have to grow up and deal with our local governments.
However, I do not like that I had to take two political science classes. POLS 110 was very boring to me. In addition to two political science classes, we have to take two history classes. I feel like I learn a lot of the same material in each of the classes. I believe we should only be required to take one history and political science class.
-taylor lasota
I agree with the majority of comments I've been reading; POLS 220 would be great for all majors to take. As a journalism student, I completely understand the need for politically informed journalists, especially at the local level. With virtually everyone having a Twitter, Facebook and sometimes even a blog, anyone can be a journalist in today's times. That is to say, any expert in a field (whether that be economics, local government, etc.) can often more effectively tell the story than a journalist with no background in the subject. If I was an editor, I'd rather edit a professional economist's article than read an ill-informed article written by a journalist. This create an uphill battle in an already "dying" field.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I can think why POLS 220 shouldn't be a requirement (and believe me, I'm just shaking things up because I think it should) is that I think another political science class might be more beneficial. In the journalism department, we have to take two specific history courses, two specific economics courses and two specific political science courses. Maybe German history is more beneficial to me than American history. Maybe global issues is more relevant to what I want to do in life. (And while we're talking about it, why aren't geography classes required, too?) I think if a journalism student is focusing on foreign politics or even federal-level American politics, another course might be more beneficial. (Although, maybe local government is better because let's be honest, we don't come out of college with Bachelor's degrees writing about foreign policy in Uzbekistan.)
-Emily Cotter
I definitely think that Pol Sci 220 should be a required course for all majors. I feel that whatever major a person is in, politics play a very important part in that major in one way or another. By obtaining general knowledge of politics, it will help us not only understand politics better but it will also help us to do better in our subject fields. We will always have laws and policies that will tell us what we can and cannot do, so why wouldn't we need better understanding of the subject? As I was reading some of the comments, I noticed some people say that they would forget the material and that's why it shouldn't be required. I disagree with this because you'll take something beneficial from this course. You may learn a lot about politics, and you may not learn so much, but you will learn something that you didn't know before.
ReplyDelete-Ethan Gower
I strongly agree with your view on the statement that people would forget the material. Pulling from other posts, as a journalism major we have to take other classes that reinforce the same ideas such as Political Science and History you would walk away with some of the same information which is more than you knew before. Finally, it must be important information if we are being taught about similar things in different subjects.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThere's no denying or escaping it; politics permeates our everyday lives. Whether you intend to be an active participant or watch as the social climate changes, politics and their history are ever present. State and local governments are responsible for providing the programs, laws, and services citizens come to rely on. As a social work major, you learn to expect and depend on the local government to help you do your job. Assistance for the elderly, institutions for the mentally ill, and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) are all regulated through the state and local government. For us SOWK-ers, understanding the relationship between the people and the government is extremely important, as we must constantly strive to keep that relationship prosperous. For example, an article on USA.gov describes, "The government's NHS reforms see public health returned to its home in local government and local authorities are given a new leadership role through the creation of health and well being boards, charged with promoting integrated services and setting local strategies for health and well being." I feel like the knowledge of how to influence government can be used in any career path, especially those where your job consists of representing another group of people. You cannot expect to have (for example) public health reforms made unless you know what steps must be taken to achieve that goal.
ReplyDelete~Hannah Bowman
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ReplyDeleteEven though Political Science 220 is one of the last subjects I would willingly take, I do believe it has its benefits. As an international student, I already have the disadvantage of not knowing much about American history, which was very much interwoven with WVU’s Political Science 102 course. So upon entering this class, I was afraid it might end up being the same.
ReplyDeleteWhile looking over the syllabus and recent notes from class, I realized how similar Italian politics are to American politics. Maybe the class won’t be so useless to me after all. I’m no political science expert for any country but having lived in certain ones, I have come to pick up a thing or two. Some similarities include both Italy and the US each having a president of some sort, both countries being divided into smaller regions, both having constitutions and the similarities could go on. The differences are found within the details; America has a president where Italy has a Prime Minister. Much like the US is divided into states, Italy is divided into regions. Where one has a Congress and House of Representatives, the other has a Cabinet and Parliament. The comparisons aren’t only limited to Italy, Take the Philippines for example, influences of American politics can also be seen within the Philippines from the late 1800s up to today.
Many before me have already touched on the subject of participating more and having a voice in one’s community when they are aware of what is going on around them. I agree that this knowledge can help with that. Law and policies are things all countries have. Changes in said laws and policies can show how a nation's trial and error to improving itself. I’m not sure as to how useful POLS 220 specifically will be to me personally, but an extra bit of knowledge never hurt anyone.
In conclusion,it is for the best that Political Science 220 is a requirement course.
-Jane Abenir
I am a TVJ major and have attempted to take POLS 220 a year ago but honestly did not enjoy it and dropped it with a W to do later. Now that I am close to graduating I realize that it is not as bad as I thought it would be and that it is important whether I like it or not. I think ALL departments that deal with business, media and communication should take POLS 220 because if you plan to be employed with a degree from WVU then you should know the basics of local, state, and national government. My major also requires POLS 102 which deals with the other but similar spectrum of our government systems and I think that both these classes, as much as I rather be in more TVJ classes, will help me in my future.
ReplyDeleteA professional in the work field needs to be aware of how our government works, honestly anyone with a college degree should because after all we live in this country and need to understand what is going on around us. Especially when dealing with news and media, it is important because if I were to cover a political story an understanding of the political systems will help. I think the journalism school does a fairly good job at covering what GEC and basic classes journalism students should take like history and science as well. Most jobs now require skills and knowledge of other fields as well to excel even higher in ones actual field.
However, it would probably make every journalism student happier if there where more time/day options of POLS classes to take.
-Ilyssa Miroshnik
I am social work major and feel that POLS 220 should be a required course for all majors. If I were asked this question before the first day of class my answer would be different. In the first five classes I now understand the importance of this course. I think as a citizen it is important to understand your local and state government. Before this course I have never even attempted to care or understand some things that I have already learned in this class so far. As a country and state it is also important for the citizens to understand the system so the state can advance or get better. That can not be done if more than half of the state has no say in what happens. I believe that by having this course I will now be more prepared in my social work career because some day I may have to push for more resources and may have to do that by talking to officials in office. By taking this course I will be more comfortable in doing so because I now will understand the system.
ReplyDeleteI am a Social Work major. I 100% agree that Political Science 220 should be a required course. To know the basics of your local and state government is vital to being a citizen. While i've been exposed to the materiel in Poly POLS 220 I have made many connections as to the importance of taking the course and also how basic knowledge concerning politics relates to the field of Social Work. During class I will hear pieces of information and realize that I have previously been taught some of the same material in social work classes, with that said, Social Work and Political Science definitely blend well. Aside from my field of study, I think it's extremely important to have knowledge of how our government operates, I mean, politics is something that shapes our lives whether or not we're conscious about it. For me, i've always beens somewhat interested and "conscious" of news stories and current political issues. To be honest, I'm more aware and concerned about things from a social stand point rather than a fiscal stand point, but I have a good feeling that I will leave this course feeling more confident in the areas I lack knowledge in. So YES I think Poly Sci 220 should be a required course for all majors at WVU.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Public Relations major, and I feel that Political Science 220 should be a requirement for all majors. The class offers a good understanding of history that most people should know immediately. This is based on the reason that a lot of the topics discussed in class are still brought up today in many political discussions. Knowing the development of the United States political history is a topic that can't be overlooked. In my opinion it's just as important as taking a basic english or biology course. Courses such as those two are required because it is very relevant in one sense or another. A student can develop an even more well rounded curriculam from the addition of POLS 220. It is equally if not more important than a lot of other courses.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Journalist major, and I honestly believe that Political Science 220 should be a requirement for most majors on campus. The course brings up useful information in local government that we can then apply to our soon-to-be adult lives. Furthermore, a democracy cannot survive if people are apathetic or otherwise uneducated as to how exactly the system is structured. Therefore, this class should give people a basic understanding of our state and local government and how it functions in society, as well as the role we play as citizens. In turn, the knowledge acquired through POLS 220 can and will be useful in the coming years as we begin to step forward as a tax paying citizen. So, I feel that I will leave this class with a higher consciousness in regards to our state and local government, and the roles each play in our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Bostic
I personally believe that Political Science 220 is very important to take. I have never really shared an interest in politics or government until this year. I now find myself picking up a newspaper and watching the news. As a Social Work major I really think that this course is important because I will always be dealing with the government and politics on some sort of level.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason I feel that this course is important is because I feel that you should be educated in politics and government. My hometown is a very small farming community, that does not like change. Because my town does not like change the local government stops any ideas or plans that tries to come into the. This does not do the community any good, we have hardly any jobs, the community is basically killing its self. I think if many of the people in my town were more educated on this topic they would be slightly more open to a little bit of change.
Aimee Minor
I'm a Political Science major, so I'm inclined to believe that Political Science 220 should definitely be a requirement for my major. Even beyond PoliSci majors, though, Political Science 220 is a course that I feel should be required. Politics, especially on the local and state levels, is an important aspect of everyone's life. Understanding how government works is essential when trying to affect or study something within the public sphere, and Political Science 220 is an excellent way to expand your understanding of local and state governments.
ReplyDeletePOLS 220 is also important because it helps everyone who takes it to be better citizens. Government in the US is supposed to be "of the people, by the people, and for the people", but how can it be so if US citizens don't know how the government works? In this way, classes like POLS 220 help keep America strong, which is why I belive that POLS 220 should be a required course for most (if not all) majors.
I am a business major, and am taking POLS 220 as a GEC course. Though it is not required for business majors to take this course, I would argue that it should be. Business, government, the economy are all very interconnected subjects and it would be of great value to any and all business majors to take this course.
ReplyDeleteMost people, I find, have a decent grasp on what is happening in the country on a national level; but, have no clue what is going on in their own local government. I find this rather odd due to the drastic impact that local governments have on their constituents. This course teaches valuable information about the functionality of our government on a state and local level, and to individual citizens, that is more important knowledge to have than the functionality of government at a federal level. Not only is it good for people to know more about their local government in general, but I would argue that it would likely increase participation in state and local government events. This, in turn, would make people better informed on those that govern them and would likely increase political participation at a federal level as well. Business majors can absolutely learn important information in POLS 220 that may also be related to their field. So yes, this class should be a requirement.
I'm a history major and am taking this class because I plan on teaching history at the secondary level. I'm required to take this course because I may be teaching government, not to mention a history major should have a healthy understanding of politics. Many of the majors in the Eberly College require this course with good reason. Unfortunately, many students outside of the Eberly College do not have time in their undergraduate years to take this course. Because state and local government does not pertain to musical theatre or computer science, this class should not be a university requirement. For most majors outside of the Eberly College, this course would only make the individual a more well rounded citizen and active voter. However, POLS 220 would not help them work toward their desired career. Furthermore, I think public speaking should be a university requirement. Many public universities require this course. Too many recent graduates cannot speak publicly with ease. As technology increase, society's communication skills decrease.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Social Work major and POL 220 is required. I think that it's an important class to take for my major because we should all be aware of the functioning of our local government. It should be required for mostly all majors because when doing any job i think its important to know about government and the way the states work on a local level. Everyone should be knowledgable of how our system is structured. Although it may not be very interesting to many or keep ones attention it should still be required to take at least one class about state and local governments.
ReplyDeleteFor me being a Social Work major its important for me to learn stuff about the state and local government because I will be out trying to help and protect children that are being mistreated or help adults with ways of functioning for their children and for that I have to deal with some of the government issues in which things i am allowed to do and which aren't allowed. Also, after college, people will have to deal with the government one time or another therefor they should know how it works. I only have to take this one POLS class and I think it'll be enough for me to know the basics of the government and to be a better citizen.
As a Political Science major I am a proponent of 220 being a required class for all majors. Not only does it educate its students on the various aspects of state and local government but also in the long haul it will encourage political participation for those in other majors and give them the knowledge needed to adequately vote on things later in life. I agree with the post before me 100% in the sense that 220 will help its students become more well rounded U.S citizens and entice them to become active voters as they get a grasp of how they can influence state and local government as well as how it effects them.
ReplyDeleteI think POLS 220 is an important class for anyone to take regardless of their major. Despite my disinterest in politics, I think that their is a high importance to be an informed citizen. People have to power to make changes in their community through voting, and the more aware of how the government works the better off you are. As a journalism major it is important to have an understanding of local governments, for their will be much reporting on cases with some kind of background in the government.
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe a majority of people in this country (including myself), have very little understanding of how political systems work and how certain laws actually affect our lives. This results in people voting for politicians without actually knowing why. I believe the more aware the people are the power they have.
-Arman Aminian
As many of my classmates have written prior to myself, POLS 220 is an extremely important class for students of all majors because it works to form students into better citizens. The course aspires to show students the importance of state and local government while also providing students with the ability to be more powerful political participants. Within the first two classes alone, we have been shown how citizens have the potential to influence government - specifically at the state and local level. Thus, I find this course to be important in giving students the knowledge and ability to become more involved in government.
ReplyDeleteThere is the obvious answer as to why POLS 220 might be beneficial to students in the school of journalism, or any of the other college at the university. And I would say that is for the sake of preparing us to be active and educated citizens of society. We can understand our own country and its workings much better when we have taken a course on it. Although the class is titled State and Local government, the national government still plays a large part in developing society.
ReplyDeleteI am a Music Education major. I play the trumpet and piano, but have added a political science minor this semester in hopes to be more adequately prepared for law school later. So I chose to take this course. I very much believe that POLS 220 (or some form of political science course) should be required by every major. In my case, for example, as a music educator I could and probably will wind up in the pool of public employees working for a public school system. The School of Music here at WVU has a 100% job placement rate. That is of course, if you are willing to move to wherever the job is. So, I plan to be well informed and educated about the local government and how it operates wherever I may end up.
In Allan Beever's Article titled "Formalism in Music and Law", he discusses the formalism that he believes has plagued the field of law and the legal system and how people with a background and inclination towards music alleviate this "academic dryness". This proves to be because in general, people involved in music are more creative minded and have many different trains of thought reflected in the many different styles of music they often have to perform, study, and interpret. Here I could argue that Political Science majors should be required to take a music course.
For further reading of the article from the University of Toronto's Law Journal, you can find the link from WVU's library system database below.
http://web.ebscohost.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=faef9e9c-86a0-458a-8022-2b44c1f95497%40sessionmgr110&vid=4&hid=124
Not only is it beneficial to understand state and local government on a career related basis, but I think that it genuinely enhances your overall learning and growth as a human being. As Matt Kubach commented earlier, it is important to know and understand state and local government and government as a whole because "they are the ones who influence our lives through the decisions they make". Just as we influence other peoples lives with our decisions, the government influences ours.
I have to admit, I've never had much interest in state and local government. I understand that as a Print Journalism student I need to learn these things in order to function in the future, so I do try to keep up with everything, but I often find myself tuning out the news when it gets to that point. That's why I kept putting off taking this class until senior year.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so bad, though, now that I'm in it. I like the conversational atmosphere, and the application of past knowledge and how it grew to our modern age has obvious uses.
Of course it should be required; just because I personally have trouble garnering interest does not mean I don't see the importance of everyone in learning how their country works. Simply for journalism, having this background knowledge of why a certain law is a certain way and the history behind it can shed light on lawmakers' intentions, and perhaps we can make those intentions clearer to our readers.
I took this class to just simply take this class. My major does not require me to have this course but I decided to take it in my best interest. To me personally, I believe that is should be required by all majors, especially journalism. Like previous classmates I strongly believe that being educated in state and local government is beneficial to a student. Being knowledgeable about one's state and local government will help one become a better citizen and help better prepare for one's future. Every student enters college thinking they know what they want to do as a job when they graduate. This "dream job", as many would put it, may change by the time the student graduates. The new job may or may not be in their original major. What better way to have a start on a major than to have a class already finished? A political science class should be required by all majors simply because it makes sure students know what they are required to do as a citizen.
ReplyDeleteState and local government also touches up on how the national government is involved. This is important in everyone's everyday life. The real world is tough, there are many rules one must follow and have a political science class will educate one about the laws made in their country and why these laws exist.
This generation is lacking in participating in politics. Many simply do not participate because they do not really know anything about the government. This is where the political science class comes into play. Political science classes should be required in every major for the reasons I have listed. Having this class will help better oneself and the future of our nation's government. Being knowledgeable is wonderful and can make a difference.
I personally believe that taking political science 220 is very important in the Agriculture department which is what my major falls under. Learning about state and local government and how it works is very important in most agriculture jobs. Many agriculture jobs such as teaching and the extension service work very close niche with the state and local government because that is who they are employed under. But even besides that, agriculture in general is very important to the community and has to also work with government a lot. Government is who puts regulations on agriculture production. I think it is very important for people in the agriculture business to be knowledgeable about the state and local government to only improve being able to provide for the community. Political Science 220 is currently only required for one of our agriculture majors, but I believe that it needs to be required for many of them.
ReplyDeleteAs a political science major, I thoroughly believe that taking POLS220 is a genuinely helpful and necessary requirement for obvious reasons. An unwritten rule of politics is that it starts at the local level, where the people are most involved in the legislative process. A bill is proposed at the federal level after it is brought to attention at the state level. A good recent example of this is the the California proposition eight. Prop 8, as it is called, is a bill banning gay marriage in the state of California. Eventually, the bill reached its way to the supreme court who deemed the bill unconstitutional. So something starting at a state level reached the federal level which eventually affected the way every state handles a "gay marriage ban" by declaring it illegal.
ReplyDeleteState and local government, and government in general, affect ever aspect of our lives. The price of our goods, the amount of money taken out of our paychecks, the things we are aloud to do within the confines of our individual state and district is all determined by government. So all in all I thoroughly believe that EVERY major should be required to take State and Local Government or another basic government class to grasp a better understanding of government around them and how it affects their every day lives.
I am a journalism student, and as Timothy Saar has stated above, I do not have much interest in state and local government personally; however, I realize as a television/broadcast journalist I will be expected to understand the basic structure and operation of state and local governments. Furthermore, I believe it is exceedingly important to have at least a basic understanding of how the government around you is operating, because the decisions of state and local legislatures will most often directly affect you. Also, the importance of understanding the operation of state and local governments is relevant when one is unhappy about a policy and would like to see said policy changed. For example, one would not lobby in Washington because a particular city is unhappy about road conditions.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the trade-off between POLS 220 and another class is concerned, I do not think one 3-credit course is inhibiting journalism students from acquiring knowledge in another course that is not already required for a BSJ.
I believe the understanding of state and local governments is extremely important to a television journalism major because there is a high likelihood that most television reporters will begin his/her career in a small-market station that covers the politics in a local or state setting.
I am a SW major and feel that this class is an important subject to become educated on. Social workers can become employed in various areas of federal, state, and local government agencies. A challenge to working in such settings is the inflexibility of large bureaucracies which often limits applying creative
ReplyDeletesolutions to complex problems. Though, with higher knowledge, we can participate and perhaps provide change by using this new tool of understanding. As a social worker, we also rely on funding for certain areas of our employment through grants from the government. This is essential to our job security and are necessary to assist our clients. Here is an interesting link on block grants for Social Services for your perusal: http://www.in.gov/ofbci/files/GrantsCatalog.pdf
No matter your major or job we all have to deal with the local and state governments. I think that POLS220 should be a required class to take although it may seem pointless or boring to some. Students enter the real world with no idea how the government plays a role in their life. I also feel that it is important to know where our current government stemmed from. As Arman Aminian said before, “majority of people in this country (including myself), have very little understanding of how political systems work and how certain laws actually affect our lives. This results in people voting for politicians without actually knowing why.” I 100 % agree with Arman. The lack of knowledge of the government also causes controversies. Not understanding laws, beliefs, ideas and the reason for some decisions can cause fights that more education and understanding could have prevented.
ReplyDeleteThere is the argument that POLS 220 takes up a 3 credit class that a non POLS major needs as a requirement. That is understanding but as a journalism student you tend to report on topics such as politics. It is more difficult to report and gather information on a topic you have no previous knowledge of. You may report the facts of a court decision but would not be able to report the history of what caused that decision to be relevant and possible.
Without the past we would have no future. Without cases such as Marbury vs. Madison there may have not been an increase in national government power. Imagine the United States still being run by a confederal system which was rejected originally because the National Government did not have enough power. We would still be stuck in an error where there were laws such as the Sedition Act or the Alien Act.
POLS 220 is a class that can be of good use to all of its students. Even those students who think they are enough knowledge already. With more knowledge comes more involvement in the local government. People tend to stay away from what they do not know and do not understand. This class could increase the involvement in the younger side of society in the government. Educating young people will bring a new point of view to the local governments and possibly even to the state.
As a political science major, POLS 220 is a very beneficial class for me. I would also say the same for most other majors though. It is very important that we understand our government on the state or local level, because sometimes it is overlooked. I believe most people focus on what is happening on a national level and what goes on with our national government. I believe our state and local governments affects our lives in a much more significant way that what most people realize.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that students and young adults need to know how to contact their representatives when they see a problem or want to get something changed. Many people will sit back and complain about how the government never changes or fixes anything. Many of our state and local government representatives do not know of certain problems that are happening because no one takes the time to contact them. The members of our state and local government are supposed to be a voice of the citizens, but they struggle when they get no feedback, comments, or concerns from the citizens.
Learning how to contact our representatives and learning about the basic functions of our local and state governments will hopefully increase participation in the governmental process that occurs around each state. I believe it is important for everyone to have some general idea of politics and how government will affect their everyday life.
I agree with the statements Athena White was making. She stated in her blog, “The lack of knowledge of the government also causes controversies. Not understanding laws, beliefs, ideas and the reason for some decisions can cause fights that more education and understanding could have prevented.” This is very true and I believe the education we will receive from this class will not only prevent a lack of understanding but also challenge people to get more involved.
As a Public Relations major, I find it beneficial to take Political Science 220. While the class is not required, learning the basics of political organization will help down the road. The question is, should the course be required?
ReplyDeleteThe answer is yes. Taking Political Science 102, and Political Science 220 has led me to this decision. Before this spring, my answer would have been no. Not only did I not understand why I had to take the courses, but I also had no interest. After just a few months, learning about politics has sparked my interest.
The first reason why Political Science 220 should be a requirement is because everyone needs a better perspective on how governments operate. The younger generation, current college students, are the future. Going out to the polls on Election Day with an idea of what it going on is important. I chose not to vote in the last election because I was politically unaware. After taking these courses, I am confident that voting will be an easy choice in 2016.
A classmate above mentioned that "it is important to understand how state and local governments work because the decisions often times affect you directly." This observation is often times overlooked, but is the complete truth. I think we all have an idea of what we want from the government, but how many of us actually take the time to consider state and local government issues?
The second reason for why the class should be a required course is because going to a local government meeting, and having to get an elected official to do something is only practice for the future. Knowing who the local government officials are is a part of getting something done. In addition, state and local governments are the first stepping stone.
As for a course it could replace on the required General Education Curriculum, GEC, I would vote for it to fill the spot of GEC 5 or 6. As a PR major, we have the choice to fulfill the GEC's with any course we want, as long as it is on the list. Instead of this process, Political Science could be GEC 5.
The class is extremely interesting, and I have learned a great deal just from two weeks. I look forward to the class sessions in the future.
I am a political science major and part of my required courses is to take POLS 220. If it was not required for me to take this class I would still take it because I feel it is important for me to have the knowledge of how the state and local government works. Seeing how those two levels of government can have more of an impact on my everyday life, then the national government (in some cases). Also The reason that I do not mind taking this class is because someone who has had more education and experience then me made this a requirement. So it has been found that for me to be prepared for the work force in the field that I want to enter I have to take this class.That is all I want from the university, to prepare me for my career and help me become successful.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same as Ryan. I am a Political Science Major and feel as though taking POLS 220 will be beneficial to me. This course will provide me with a background in how a government comes about, why establish state and local government as opposed to having solid unitary system of government, which is what our forefathers fought in the revolutionary war. Also, this course can provide me with a way of seeing how the federal government interacts with the state government to the local governments and then to the citizens.
ReplyDeleteFor someone like me who wants a job in government this course gives you insight into the different levels and depending on your preference what your job would entail and the role you'd play in the government when it came down to enacting policies.
Other majors should be required to take a POLS 220 class to provide students with some idea of government. Government effects all of us not just Political Science majors or public relations majors. Everyone has to obey the laws and policies that their states or districts impose it is important to be mindful of the policies and to also have an idea of how to go about establishing their own if they ever found a problem with their district or state and wanted to change the issue. Having an idea of who to contact and how to go about making the change is what makes productive citizens in society and therefore decreases the number of those who are ignorant and like to complain about what is going on rather than try and fix it.
While other journalism majors might feel that this course is unnecessary because it apparently doesn't relate to what they want to specialize in, I think it should be required for all journalism majors (as well as every other major) regardless. The fact that somebody only wants to work in sports journalism, for example, doesn't excuse them from living in the real world, where they have to live under the jurisdiction of their state and local governments. It benefits everyone to learn practical information such as what we learn in this class, which is just as important (if not more) as learning low-effort formulas for churning out news stories.
ReplyDeleteIt's important for journalism majors to realize that in order to write and tell the whole truth, you have to actively learn as much about the world around you as possible. It's incredibly detrimental to your reporting to shut out all knowledge that doesn't pertain specifically to your interests.
-Iman Hasan
DeleteAs my fellow Social Work majors have said before me, this is an important class to take because local and state government will be a big part of future careers as social worker. I especially agree with what Ashley stated about being advocates and utilizing tools and resources. Aaron also made a key point by saying that many social workers will be employed by government agencies. However, I do not believe that every student should have to take this course. Learning about our local and state government should be done by all citizens but I do not believe that they should be forced to pay for a college course in it to obtain their degrees. Undoubtedly certain majors should require POLS 220, such as Social Work and Journalism. In some cases it would make more sense to require another course instead of this one.
ReplyDeleteShannon Reilley
I feel as if this class should definitely be required to take POLS 220 due to many reasons. First of all it involves gaining knowledge of state and local governments. I feel its essential to have this class as a requirement no matter what your major is, simply because an individual must learn about governments locally as well as on a national level. People must participate in government and act as a democratic citizen in order for changes to happen, as well as policies that are implemented on a state or national level.
ReplyDeleteI personally am a political science major with an emphasis on law. Even though it is a requirement within my major it should still be a requirement for incoming freshman as well as sophomores and so on just because it is crucial to understand what is going on politically within our country. It should not matter what major someone is, because whether you are a journalism major or poly sci, one must still be informed on whats going on with the government on a state and national level.
As an undeclared major, I can look at the question with an unbiased opinion and I think that any major should be required to take POLS 220. I feel that in general, knowing how and why your local and state government functions is just a good quality to have. It makes one feel closer and more understanding towards their community because they have a clear understanding of what is going on around them. Also, with more citizens knowledgeable about local and state government, they can help educate those around them bringing everyone close to the government and strengthen their community together.
ReplyDeletePOLS 220 should definitely be a required class for all majors because it is beneficial to everyone.
It is not a bad idea for departments to require POLS 220. It is our system and we should have a good understanding of local and state government and how it operates. People want change; and few will become president or even a senator. Citizens need to understand how to affect change through the local and state government. I do see how taking a course in government could be boring or seem useless when is has no direct correlation with your major. If this is the only course you take that has no direct link to your discipline, you wouldn't be at WVU. So stick in there and get what you can out of it, and remember, it is only one semester. It might be the course that teaches you where to start changing YOUR world.
ReplyDeleteJoey England
As a political science major, POLS 220 should be a requirement, not only for my major but others too. Every US citizen should have an understanding of the government and the way it works because of the impact it has on our lives. While many citizens have knowledge of the national government from the media, state and local governments are often overlooked. POLS 220 gives students a general understanding of the functions of state and local governments. With this knowledge, we can become more involved as citizens and thus, make a change in the world. So, as a political science major, POLS 220 is a requirement but, an essential class to have. It furthers my knowledge of the government, laws, policies, and helps me gain skills needed to become an active citizen and political participant. As for other majors such as journalism, POLS 220 should also be a requirement. A journalist has to know a broad amount of information in order to report and communicate a topic to society. Having an understanding of state and local government, gives journalists the upper hand when reporting about politics, the economy, or any topic dealing with the government. As far as other majors, as I said before, every citizen should have an understanding of their government. If a requirement for all majors, POLS 220 would give students this knowledge and skills to make them better, more involved, well rounded citizens in their community, state, and country. What is a government without its citizens?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteTaylor Shipley
DeleteIt is so important for students who are studying journalism to take this class, and even other political science courses! A lot of journalists address stories involving local, state and federal governments. For them to have a background knowledge of the issues these governments face and how they work is very important. A lot of people do not get to take a political science course so when they read an article from a journalist involving local government, the article needs to be clear enough for them to understand.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I am a Danish exchange student and I am taking this class instead of my required Danish class in “organization and public management”.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alexandra Yazbek. I find it highly important that journalists are asking elected officials the right questions with an appropriate amount of background knowledge. A course like this may help to make the happen. I mean highly important in regards to our democratic societies. Lawmakers should be required to face the public for the system to function properly.
However, I do not believe this specific class should be required for people who are not political science majors. Surely, other courses deal with important aspects of our democratic system as well, maybe in more specific detail.
Michael Madsen
I do believe that POLS 220 should be a required class for any major. No matter what you end up doing your state and local government will always play a major role in your life. For this reason it is very important that people know the basics of it. By taking this class people will learn how makes the decisions that affect them as well as who to contact if they have a question or concern. For the specific major of journalism it is very important for them . When they first start out most of the stories will be local ones. If they have at least some background knowledge it will make it a lot easier to keep their jobs.
ReplyDeleteJosh Adkins
It is my belief that this class should not be a required as a means to graduation. Most of us have had either American government in high school or POLS102: Intro to American Government here at West Virginia University. While the information gained in this class is more in-depth and defined much of it is repetitive to those classes that have been taken before. It seems that since most college students and younger citizens in the populace do not use their power to vote, I do not feel that taking this class will entice them to change. However, this is not to say that the information is not useful or needed, but rather since the class is more focused on a local level, it should only be a requirement to those in the Political Science department or those in Journalism whom may enter the field of reporting on government. There are already so many requirements placed on students to graduate that are not in their perspective fields. This is making it much more difficult for many to graduate in the four year term. Perhaps the answer is a combination of POLS102 and POLS220 together this could be a viable solution.
ReplyDeleteCombining those two classes would be a great solution and would erase any repeating of terms between the two classes.
DeleteWhile POLS 220 is an important class I do not feel that it is necessary for all majors. I am a Television Journalism major myself, and while I feel it would certainly help my future, I still feel that the time could be spent more in a journalism specific course. IF POLS 220 or some other POLS course could have a version more specific to Journalism and how media interacts with the government then I'd feel more interested in the class. Yes I understand that I will probably be reporting on small towns & local governments early in my career, but I feel that if there were a class more centered about my field then it would be better for me in the long run. It is tough to learn in a class which you care little about; even if it does help you down the road.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like the idea of broadening my horizons with a variety of different classes it is tedious, and I feel I could spend my attention elsewhere. For example I have a Media ethics and Law course. I know that as a journalist it is necessary to know and understand the law & people’s rights. However I do not think I would have the attention to sit through a class at the law school. So I enjoy having a journalism specific course as part of my major which teaches me all that I need to learn.
I do feel that this class is perfect for my major since I will be dealing with many different forms of government through my career, and I will need to know how to get the information, and how the particular tyoe of government works, and what they do. In that sense it is a perfect class for my major. I just feel that if it were made a little more specific to the major then it would be even more helpful in the future.
Schuyler Harvath
I believe that POLS 220 should be a GEC and not a required class. The only required classes should be those that are absolutely essential to the major. I don't see this class as being one of those necessities. If POLS 220 were delivered as a GEC than a student could choose the class based on what they were interested in. A journalist who is enamored with government and plans to report on governmental situations could really use the class, but not every one wants to go in that direction. It may be wise for a journalist to take this class just as it would be wise to take many other classes but it should be up to the student and not a requirement.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that this class should be a requirement for all Journalism majors. I feel as though this class is really only helpful to those Journalism students that are heading towards the government and political route. There are Journalism majors out there however that have no interest in heading towards that direction in their field. I am a Journalism major and I feel that it is helpful that I'm taking this class just to give me some background on state and local governments however I do not plan to do anything dealing with the government with my degree. Most students have also taken POLS 102 which I feel is enough basic background of government for a student that doesn't plan on taking a position where they will be reporting on government or political news. A way WVU could solve this is by having advisors recommend this course or make it a GEC so that it would be the students discretion if they decided to take it or not. It's obviously important to Political Science majors because they need to know all aspects of government and politics. However for some of us taking this class may just be a waste of time and we may not get much out of it beings that we know we don't want to take this route once we graduate.
ReplyDeleteI am a social work major and I do feel that State and Local Government should be a required class for my profession. As a future social worker I will need to know and understand the government and the systems I will be working with. I will be assisting people who will need assistance from government programs so I will need to be educated on what I can utilize from the government. In my future profession I will be lobbying to change government policies in order to assist my clients with their needs. I feel as if I can learn a lot in POLS 220 that I can take with me out into the professional world. I do not think that there is another course that should be required instead of this one. I think it is vital to have knowledge on the government when going into the social work profession.
ReplyDeleteAs an Advertising major I personally don't see any correlation between politics and my field of study but I can definitely see the strong involvement of politics in most other journalism-based majors and professions. TV Journalism, for example, would require the student to be able to correctly and efficiently relay political centered news to mass audiences. This would require a standard knowledge of political backgrounds as well as being able to analyze the current trend and behaviors. This would be common also for other types of journalism which would require reporting on various political issues and dealings. I don't think political science should be required yet that doesn't mean I think it is a valueless class.
ReplyDeleteJordan O'Brian
DeleteWhile I agree that there might be less correlation between politics and advertising as opposed to politics and journalism, I would beg to differ on there being no correlation between politics and advertising. Not only would the insight gained through this type of course be beneficial for understanding who you are advertising to, it would also be helpful in giving you (the advertising student) ideas about how whatever product you work for impacts particular people's lives. Many of the recent and more effective advertisements (Print or television) touch on issues that affect people and are usually politically charged.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI believe that Political Science 220 is a very important course for all students in a variety of different departments and majors. This course teaches students about state and local government and individuals getting ready to head into the "real" world and start off careers should be knowledgeable of the basics of our government. I do not exactly believe that this course is completely necessary and without it, we are destined to fail, however I think that it makes students more well-rounded and a step ahead of the rest when graduating.
ReplyDeleteIt is always tempting to take a course that may not be as essential and/or helpful to an individual after graduation, such as a art class just to fill a credit. If an individual's major has nothing to do with an art class it will truly not be beneficial for that course to be taken, and even if POLS 220 has nothing to do with an individual's major, it will still be beneficial. I agree with my fellow students who have mentioned that how prominent the government is in our society. From the economy to specific laws, a professional in any field should at least know the basics of it all. It can only be a positive, I really do not see how it can be a negative to take this class, especially in the long run. It is something that every person can relate to.
It pains me to say it, but the Social Work program should require more than just 220. As a student, I have seen the need for a political background in Social Work. We work within policies which may be different from state to state. Luckily, I have had the opportunity to meet with our state legislators to discuss issues in which I find quite important. Pols 220 is a course that I think all majors should require. So far in the course, we have briefly touched on history in which still effects us today. As a social worker, we tend to find our selves in many different circumstances, so I feel that we should have more requirements than just Pols220. I feel that we could achieve higher goals if we were more rounded in the medical field, but I don't know of any entry level courses that would actually be beneficial. Regardless, something can be learned from any class taken.
ReplyDeleteAs a Political Science major I have grown to realize how important learning about state government really is. Learning about your state is crucial to understand the way your state functions as a whole. For journalism majors, I believe should be required to take a local government/state class because it's gives you a better understanding of where you are and what's around you. It gives you better background information so that you can recall information about government and the world around you. I've had the opportunity to intern in Governor Tomblin's office for the past three years and it has taught me so many skills that are instilled in me for life. I'm more aware of how difficult it is to make this great state function and how important every job is at the Capitol. Aside from taking POLS 220, I think a class involving Public Policy, Constitutional Law, or International Law would be a great class because it furthers your understanding of government and enriches your mind with a little bit of history as well. Furthermore, a good class that should be required is a Philosophy class. It teaches ethics, morals, and helps you reach out of your comfort zone in your brain. I think any class that involves critical thinking is always helpful. State government is a subject that should be second nature and in order to grow up to be a good citizen and a political participant, one should most definitely be required to take a state government class.
ReplyDeleteAs a current sophomore with the intended major of Pre-Athletic Training, I totally agree that departments within West Virginia University should require students to take POLS 220. English, biology, and math are all requirements through the university. Students must take them because these courses are general and can be beneficial in everything we do now and in the future, despite one’s major. English covers our abilities to write and read. Math covers our ability to add and solve equations, and biology keeps us up to date on evolution and the changes that are occurring around the world. Each course is vital in making it in this world. And, political science is just as important. If you are a citizen of the United States, you ought to know the way in which its government works. Knowing the political system is another vital part in making it in this world. Those who do not participate in politics usually have no say or knowledge in the laws that govern the way in which the United States functions.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason the departments should require students to take POLS 220 is because the course educates us on the powers of the people and each power associated with the system. Everyone deals with their personal struggles every day. Most of these struggles are dealt with incorrectly because people aren’t educated on whom to go to. POL 220 breaks down every part of the system and informs us on which branch holds the most and the least power. When a citizen is familiar with the roles of power, they have a perfect option to turn to in order to get the help they need.
Every citizen, despite major, interest or political view, should be educated in Political Science so that we can all contribute in the way our system is ran. If there is an issue at hand, we all should have a say in how to solve it and sojourn it from occurring again. It is clear what the United States should be about: unity and participation. We all should equally contribute to how we are governed and help make changes to better our nation, and having the knowledge from political science classes is the key way for us to know.
KIERRA CROONS
While my major (accounting) may not go hand and hand with politics the class is not a waste of time because everyone will be effected eventually by the state and local government. I took this class as a GEC to gain more back round knowledge in a subject that I know will be useful. Everyone has to take a government class in high school which could be one reason to not take this course but government plays a role in all careers and most do not know a whole lot about it. It may seem unnecessary but with the relevance the government play in our society/ lives you can ignore the importance of understanding them game and how its played.
ReplyDeletePols 220 should be required for Journalism majors because journalist must know their nation and how it functions in order to accurately report on political events. Also Pols 220 should be required for every major because it has necessary information that every American citizen should know. Local Government affects everyone living in the nation. This is why it is so important to learn. Most of the population living in the US dont even understand how our government works and are uneducated to the way the government gets things done. With more people educated about how our government works the people of this nation could actually understand how to get their desires pushed into action.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Public Relations Major I feel the need to take this course is important. Pols 220 can provide me with the basic knowledge of our political system, which I will need to know for certain jobs in my field. Dealing with the public through newspapers, media, radio, etc. having a background on politics and how the government is set up will help me excel in the future. Personally after taking the first pols class I found it interesting and am now excited to learn more in-depth about the political system.
ReplyDeleteThis class helps students prepare for life outside of college with the government. When it comes to either our local or state government elections or even the main presidential election I feel more educated on what the positions actually entitle. However, since we are also required to take two history courses that also cover a lot of the same material I feel we should be taking a course that is based on a global aspect then just American history or politics. Public Relations is dealing with the media which is global, by saying that I feel that we should be required to take a history class on a different country to have a more of a wide variety rather than just America.
-Ashley Daniels
As a Chemical Engineering major, I do not believe that POLS 220 should be a required course. As many people have said before, I think it should be required for some majors, such as journalism, but not for mine. Having required courses that do not directly have anything to do with chemical engineering takes up credit hours that could be spent taking courses in a desired minor. I chose to take this class, but many engineering students are working on minors that this class would not count for, slowing down their progress. Although state and local government is an important subject to study, it should not be required for all majors.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Pols 220 should be a required class for journalism majors because as a PR major it is important to know what is going on in the world, what is current in politics, and what is happening locally in order to accurately and honestly relay information to the media. Not only is this subject an important one to study for journalism majors but as well as all other majors. Everyone should be up to date about whats going on in politics. We all need to be educated about what's happening in our government, especially if we want certain policies to be considered and pursued.
ReplyDeleteI believe regardless of major, everyone should be required to take poly sci 220. As a citizen one should want to know how our government is run. Everything that happens in your day to day life is somehow affected by the government; how much you pay for gas, your pay check, where you can park, the way you abide to driving laws and so much more. The government decides on all of these things! It's important as a citizen to understand how all of this works.
ReplyDeleteAs a Public Relations major, taking political science courses is vital. Most likely at some point in my career I will be dealing with some sort of government happenings. To keep up in this field you have to stay up to date with current events which most of the time involves politics. It gives you an upper hand as a journalist if you understand what you're talking about.
I am a social work major and I think that this course should be a requirement. Reason being that as a social worker you have to deal with school systems, legal systems, and know how to help others with what resourses your state provides. So with that said it is important to know about your state and local governement. I think if there was a class that focused specifically on presidential elections; what they bring to the table and how it will effect your career directly would be a very beneficial class. Regardless of the major this class teaches things that should be common knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI believe that POLS220 is a crucial class to the development of students. In majority of majors you have to deal with the law which in turn is run by the government. It is important to understand the structure of the government because it affects everyone's lives on a daily basis. It is a great skill to possess knowledge about the political system and how it operates. Whether it be having an intelligent conversation at work, using what you know to help assist who you vote for in the presidential election, etc. It is important to know how one's country, state, county operates so you don't come across any problems with breaking the law. As Americans we all should be aware of our own procedures. I think making this a requirement in no way hurts any student,there are only beneficial outcomes to studying POLS220. I do believe there are other courses that should be required such as a general business and social work course because I feel those are essential to everyone's major as well.
ReplyDeleteAs a social work major I would argue that POLS 220 should be a required course. The state and local governmental bodies have more impact on our daily life than nearly any other institution. Understanding how this institution operates is simply good common sense.
ReplyDeleteI do think Pols 220 should be required for political science majors however requiring the course for almost any other major seems unnecessary. As important as it is to have and active role in state and local government throughout a persons life lets just be honest; most people aren't involved and are f the belief that they can't do much of anything that would make a difference. I think all college graduates shouldn't be able to even receive their diploma without at least a very basic knowledge of government and politics at all levels.
ReplyDeleteAs a Social Work Major with a Minor in Political Science, I strongly believe that POLS 220 should be a mandatory course at WVU. Pols is very helpful especially in the Macro level of social work. Many social work policies are effected by the U.S, State and Local Governments. Having a basic understanding (and eventually wider understanding of the political world) would help aid in any legislation that deals with a social workers clients. A social worker needs a strong understanding of the State and Local policies in order to give accurate information to their clients.
ReplyDeleteI am a Social Work major, and think it is important to take this class as a requirement. The benefits of studying state and local government help with policy making and having a better understanding of how our government works. With a better understanding of our government systems function, as citizens we can lobby and work with our local governments to accomplish goals i.e environmentally, politically, academically the list goes on. With out proper knowledge of how to work with officials we only hinder ourselves. However, I do agree with some of my classmates who have stated that it is not a very colorful subject, and after taking Pols110 it seems a little unnecessary, but on the other hand it is a nice opportunity to keep this knowledge fresh so we can benefit from it in the future.
ReplyDeleteBrittany Dunbar
As a fellow social work major I agree with what Brittany has said this far. Many issues being presented in legislative environments are intertwined within the field of social work such as TANF, HIPAA, etc. With all this legislation being amended/introduced I feel it is important for students to be informed with the process to help ourselves and others in the future.
DeleteThe question that has been posed to us in this blog post can be summed up succinctly as, “Should learning about government be a required part of a college education?” The implications of this question have large consequences. This is the case not only for college students, but society as a whole. It also raises questions about equality in society, more specifically, “Can a society that has free speech and relative equality among members still be manipulated by outsider forces into pursuing policy initiatives that are actually not in the best interest of society?” This is the question that has been posed by political scientist G. William Domhoff in his book Who Rules America?
ReplyDeleteDomhoff argues that the answer is yes, political opinions can be shaped by unseen forces (specifically corporations). In turn, these forces manipulate our opinions and the policy initiatives we pursue as a country. I will not explore the nuances of Domhoff’s argument, but will use it as the basis of the issue as to whether Political Science 220 should be a required course. Domhoff argues that one of the reasons that we can be manipulated is that the vast majority of us are so caught up in our own personal problems that we rarely take the time to confront political problems. Even as a political science major, I can relate. This class is not even required to receive a political science degree, much less required for other majors. In my mind this creates problems. For the first time in my entire college career as a political scientist (and my last political science course other than my capstone) I will be required to actually participate in the real political process, something I have done extremely sparingly throughout my life. This is why a class like this is so valuable in my eyes, it has practical applications beyond my college career. Every class I have ever had in political science talks about theories, academics, or esoteric concepts. However, this will be the first time where I have to get into the real world and see how policy is made.
I find it interesting that with all the courses required by West Virginia University, that engaging in the political process would frequently take a backseat to less practical activities (4 years of a foreign language anyone?). Additionally, this class also provides a good background in the basic theory of American government. In my eyes this is the best of both worlds. In this class you are required to learn the most important theories about government, as well as engage in an active role as a participant. This does something that almost no other class can offer, turn you from a passive listener to an active participant.
It could also be argued that there could be no more important time to do this. While the masses of people are too caught up in their day-to-day lives, people who participate in our political system have the power to change it. I find it interesting that math, science, and arts are required, yet we have no course that requires the practical process of political engagement.
In short, I think that this class should be required to take by everyone at West Virginia University. The standards for what is required are not particularly high anyway, and this class presents the rare opportunity to make us better citizens. If we are being shaped b political forces, as Domhoff argues, there is a way to take back the power: Stop being passive and start engaging. I think this class makes us do that, it is a breath of fresh air from a purely theoretical approach.
I think it is somewhat important for all majors to take Political Science courses. I am an advertising major, and even in some of my major specific classes we learn about political science. I recently just went over Marbury v. Madison in my media ethics and law class. I feel that it is important because everyone needs to know about the american government. It doesn't make sense to live in america, and not be aware about what is going on with the government that controls what we do. Although it is not a major part of and advertising majors curriculum, I feel that it is important for everyone to have at least a year of political science classes before they graduate.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who does not have to take any other political science classes besides POLS 220, I believe that this class should be required for journalism students. In high school I did well on my AP Government test, and was given credit for the lower POLS class required by my major. Therefore, this is my only required exposure to political science while I am in college.
ReplyDeleteI think that when students graduate from WVU, they should be graduating with a well-rounded understanding of things that educated people understand, and one of those things is knowing how local politics work. As Brittany Dunbar said above, we hinder ourselves as adults by not understanding our government. People with higher education should be able to reasonably navigate the political system in order to properly interact with their government to initiate change or have their questions/concerns addressed. I feel that our degrees would have less value if I were not taught anything about being an active citizen through state and local government.
Being a well-rounded student is not surprisingly a trend at many other universities. According to an article by James Bradshaw (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/why-university-students-need-a-well-rounded-education/article4610406/?page=all) Harvard students are given a list of "core curriculum" requirements they must complete, and most students are thankful for it. Student Atara Messinger stated "I didn't want to specialize, because I knew I would be specializing for the rest of my life." This reflects the students desire to explore fields they normally would not if they had not been required. In fact, core curriculum requirements often lead to a shift in career choices just because students find a niche they had never given a chance-- and possibly would never been given a chance unless they had been required to do so.
Additionally, I think journalism students in particular should have to take this class. Though some may say that it does not relate to our major, most people in journalism start out covering stories at the state and local level. Many stories that people want to hear about concern politics and like it or not, beginner journalists without much experience will have to cover these stories. It is to our benefit to understand the basics of politics to make sure we know what we are talking about.
I believe that for majority of the majors that involve direct contact to the government and the public, like Journalism, Social Work, Political Science, Sociology, Pre-Law, Pre-Medical, Nursing, etc., should have Political Science 220 as a requirement because they have to directly with the Local and State Government. Most of these majors that require this class, require it mainly because the person in that major, once they graduate deal with certain laws that pertain to the job they would be working. It would be best to know from the government’s previous and current laws, what you can and cannot do in your field of work. This course is important to take because it gives us information on multiple facts that govern the state and city around us. So, yes, this course is important to have as a requirement.
ReplyDeleteShawn Henry
A basic understanding of the functions of state and local government is vital for all professions in my opinion.
ReplyDeletePossessing the tools and the knowledge to influence local governments is beneficial when you need/want to get something done in the community. Along with this, understanding how this government operates allows you to sniff out injustices and shady procedures. You don't known what you don't know, after all, so if you don't know how they work, you will never know when they are working maliciously.
Strictly where this class is concerned, it is important to take because it may be the only taste of political science we receive in college. Julia Nass said this is the only political science course she is required to take, so for somebody like her, the class is obviously of supreme importance.
For somebody like me, who does not particularly enjoy political science or politics in general, the class gives me ammunition to know why I do not like it (and I truly mean that in the best way possible). Unfounded dislike has no place in our modern society, so the class can either change my mind or solidify my preconceptions. I'm looking forward to see which wins out.
In short, for non-majors this is one of few GECs that can directly impact our day-to-day lives. An understanding of state and local governments, even at this level, is important to ensure that we can contribute to our community (or choose not to) in a meaningful, educated manner.
As a journalism major focusing on public relations, I find it very important that Political Science 220 is required. This is because in the field of public relations, you are dealing with state and local government all the time through the media. Since the role of public relations is to maintain a good relationship between and organization (in this case being the state and local government) and the public, it is important to understand how the state and local government works to be able to fulfill that goal.
ReplyDeleteIt is also very important to understand state and local government because everyone living in the United States will have to deal with state and local government one way or another. It is simply a part of our lives that can not be avoided. From the day we started kindergarten, we were already interacting with local government. And once we graduate college and enter into the real world, we will only be dealing with state and local government even more. Such as paying state taxes, learning your particular state's laws, as well as learning how to interact with your community. All this being said, I think the fact that our university is making students take political science 220 is a great idea because it is setting us up for what we are going to have to deal with in the future.
I am a public relations major with a minor in business and I definitely believe that Political Science 220 should be a required course for all majors on campus. I have never personally been interested in politics; however, after learning more and more about it, I have found myself reading into political articles online and watching more of the news. I think it is important as a citizen of this country to understand the basics of your local and state government. It is significant for the population to recognize the structure and how everything works for the state or local community to advance. I definitely do not enjoy the subject, but it is something that will always be active in our every day lives. As much as I would rather be in another journalism class, Political Science helps with a lot of what some fields of my major do in the real world. For my future endeavors, I believe that this class will help me fully comprehend the political systems and what is going on in the world around me.
ReplyDeleteMeghan McAlister
As a political science major, I of course am biased to this response as I feel it only right for all citizens to know the ins and outs of the governmental organs that run their state and country. In my opinion all students, no matter what major should be required to take courses such as political science 220 to gain understanding and knowledge about the way that state laws are made and implemented or where they previously originated. One huge benefit that comes from educating people about state and local government is gaining a sense of political efficacy.
ReplyDeleteWhen students have a higher belief of political efficacy in themselves they are more likely to want to become involved in government and policy making. I think that living in the United States this is one of the most important freedoms we have and I would hope that students would realize it is important to gain a general knowledge in these areas. Here is a link to further express my thoughts on the ties between young people being educated in areas of government and levels of political efficacy. http://themonkeycage.org/2009/06/25/post_168/
Yes, I feel that students in the journalism school and other schools here at West Virginia University should have to take political science 220. As a public relations major I feel that learning about the state and local government is very important to not only our field, but to all journalism fields. Along with knowing the ins and outs of our industry we should also expected to have a basic understanding of the government. This knowledge is then used to help us to interpret, analysis, and produce news stories. Not only is the government influencing the stories we produce and obtain, but it also effects aspects of our personal lives. Along with understanding the state and local government we are wanted to participate in our government. This class will show how we can participate and teach us how the government system works.
ReplyDeleteI believe the article Julia Nass cited was good proof that students should have a well rounded curriculum. I feel that WVU should follow Harvard’s lead and require a base set of classes that serves students. Having a well rounded curriculum including this class, political science 220 will allow students to not only find their niche like Atara Messinger, the student the article said, but it also gives them a general understanding and baseline education to further their lives and careers.
Cassandra Lang
I understand how students are opposed to the idea that Pols 220 should not be a required course. Obviously Politics are not for everyone. However, I do feel that this course is important because as citizens we should not be ignorant to the workings of our own government. Having a basic understanding of BOTH federal and local government allows for a higher educated and involved public.
ReplyDeleteHaving interned for my own local government I saw first hand that almost any major can be applied to some sort of government job. To name a few Criminology for those who wish to be police officers, Communication, Marketing, and Advertising are all so vital to the operation of the government. They create a media channel for the journalism majors to report on. Believe me I am a Journalism major myself and I know I would not have a place to report on if it was not for the Marketing majors buying air time on the television. Even a major such as Parks and Recreation are a part of our local government because they are contracted by the local city governments for the up keeping and landscaping of areas such as medians on the road.
There are so many other possibilities out there but the message is that even though we might not want to "work" in politics you must not rule out your local government as a future form of employer. It is always best to have a basic knowledge of your future employer and you never know when that could be your local government.
Allison,
DeleteI definitely agree with your statement that politics are not for everybody. It is good that this class is a requirement in order for us as students to become more informed, as well as widen our perspectives no matter what our major is.
I am a public relations major, but that could lead me to a job in government if that was available for me. At least by taking this course I will graduate with a better knowing of how the systems work.
Alli
I do believe that the departments should require students to take POLS 220. I think this class is very important in my major which is social work. I feel that studying state and local government is a necessity in order to understand the way society works. In order to help people with their problems I need to be familiarized with the laws and regulations involved with state and local government.
ReplyDeleteThere are many benefits to taking a class involving state and local government. While i believe that it is beneficial to take such a class, i also believe there could be a more major specific class that could potentially be more helpful. People who are majoring in journalism would benefit from this class by learning about how our government works. Since I am a public relations major this class would help me understand the inner system of our government. If we continue to educate our students about how the government works, we can then be more active and connected as a whole. But, i do believe that a more specific course towards Public Relations could be added to the requirement list. Such an example would be a Public Speaking class that would be a requirement to take. This class would be very beneficial to all the people in a journalism major. As journalist's its our responsibility to be able to communicate efficiently with almost everyone you come in contact to. This would benefit every major in the school of journalism because everyone could be a better speaker. I believe this is a more valuable choice as a class because it is an every day use that would pertain better to any journalism major. Moreover it is not memorized information that will be forgotten within the year, it is a skill that is LEARNED and could be beneficial for every day use
ReplyDeleteBeing in the journalism school I believe taking a state and local government course can help journalists from being uninformed of the real world. It is important that us as students understand some of how the history taught in political science functions, especially to widen our perspectives, no matter what our major is. Whether our future careers require the knowledge, being a citizen is enough of a reason to be clued in to the basic policies and institutions that are responsible for the evolution of the federal system.
ReplyDeleteJournalism majors though, to an extent, all require some familiarity of the issues and reasons for how the U.S. system functions. This class will not only allow us to be more sensitive and aware of the political world, but also allow us to think differently and develop opinions about political sides.
As students we should graduate with a better knowing of how the state and local government work. Political Science 220 will help us become more well-rounded individuals. We will have gained an understanding of a major topic that could eventually help us in our everyday lives.
Alli Colasante
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think POLS 220 should be a required class regardless of major. While it's important to journalists for obvious reasons, I think people don't realize the untapped potential in state and local government. Citizens have a voice, and it doesn't have to go unheard. Examples from earlier posts like a town's fight to win "home rule" or a recycling center being shut down without townspeople's approval should be incentive enough to take this course. As the saying goes: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. There is much to be gained in educating Americans not only about our nation's history or why things are the way they are, but also to inform them that nobody is above the law and that collectively they have the power to exercise their beliefs.
ReplyDeleteLet's say, hypothetically, Morgantown city officials were considering a midnight curfew to keep students from partying and being out late throughout the week. I highly doubt any student would be a fan. So what to do? There's nothing to do, right? Wrong. City Council meeting. Bam. Handfuls of people might not scare government, but hundreds (maybe thousands considering the hypothetical situation) of outraged students would certainly persuade. But imagine no one knew that they could influence that decision? A course in local government would have taught them otherwise.
This course not only provides useful knowledge should the need for it ever occur, but also encourages participation in local government. You do not have to be a politician to make a difference, however big or small. It's important to get involved and be part of a community, because it’s not just President Obama’s decisions affecting you; it’s also the decisions of those a little closer to home.
-Lauren Caccamo
I think that being informed and knowing state and local government is always useful and could potentially be useful for many different majors such as Social Work, journalism, political science and so on. However, I do not believe that all departments should require POLS 220. If this course was required, there could be conflicting schedule times keeping someone from taking a class that is pertinent to their major.
ReplyDeleteI'm a social work major and as far as I can tell, all of the basic classes for undergraduates are included in the major requirements.
Having said that I believe that people can benefit tremendously from knowing state and local government. Being informed on issues and policies where you reside could give you the opportunity to advocate or get involved in a matter that you would like to see changed in your community.
I think that it is important for every major to take a state and local political science course. Whether you like it or not, state and local politics are going to be affecting you in one way or another.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is especially useful in the Journalism career track. There are a lot of people that if they weren't forced, they wouldn't take this class, those who are more interested in sports reporting or anything other than politics. When we get out there in the job market, we don't know what our first job is going to be. For all we know, our first beat is going to be state and local government. If we're completely uneducated in the subject, that could easily cost us credibility and a job.
-Natalie Price
Understanding state and local governments is crucial to any student, but especially to Journalism majors. The majority of articles written have to do with the state or local government in that area in some way. Local government includes the school board, the local municipality, the police station, as well as countless other utilities. For someone to pursue a career in journalism, it is definitely a necessity to understand how the state and local governments work. One event that brings in a large audience is the elections that take place every two or four years. The amount of people interested in the news during election periods increases drastically. Many people are only interested in national issues that receive a lot of attention, when in reality, the smaller issues being focused on in the local government are the more important ones, in that they affect the individual more.
ReplyDeleteThe downsides to being required to take a local government class are few. It takes away from being able to schedule another class, but students are able to pick and choose certain classes to take anyways in order to fulfill their GEC’s. Most students are able to take any class that specially interests them that is not required for their major. Most classes that interest students or are considered important are usually included in their requirements for their major anyways. Other than this, there really isn’t a downside to learning some new information, especially information that is involved in our everyday lives.
I think that it should definitely be a requirement just not for me as an advertising major or for journalism majors to take POLS 220 but I think it should be required for most if not all majors. The reason for that is because I know at least for me, in high school we didn't focus on state and local governments but mostly just federal government so its something that I've never really had taught to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's another course we should be required to take in place of this course because anything else that would be that important I'm sure we'd have the opportunity to take it as a GEC or just be required to take it in general.
I'm a Danish exchange student (like Michael Madsen), and like him, I take this class as a replacement for another Danish class.
ReplyDeleteI think POLS 220 has the potential to be an important class because you acquire knowledge of cooperation between the various states and their relationships to each other, and furthermore you get to know about the individual states' relations to the Government.
I can easily follow Reid Widders argument that this class shouldn't be a requirement for every majors, especially if you've had something similar in high school or in similar classes. But if you have no knowledge about states and local government then I would think that it's important, because you through this class acquire knowledge about the community and society you live in - especially at the local level. My impression is that it's at this level you can make a difference. The american system is from my perspective (as an danish exchange student) very interesting because in Denmark we don't have the same federalist system as the U.S. (we have a representative democracy), and through classes like POLS220 I can achieve a knowledge about how a federal system works in practice. What we learn about federalism is mostly based on theoretical guidelines and the examples we're give are often superficial and inaccurate. This class allows me to get more detailed examples where they are put in perspective of the theory.
The following link describes very well the difference between Denmark and the U.S. emphasizing how different our society is. It's all of these differences that makes it so interesting for me to study in the U.S.
The link is from a blog by Erica Grieder who is a senior editor at Texas Monthly.
http://www.ericagrieder.com/1/post/2013/05/a-few-differences-between-the-united-states-and-denmark.html
- Denise Tetangco
Knowing about state and local governments is important as a Journalism major because when you are first starting out in the journalism field you will most likely be writing/reporting for small, local papers and news stations. While not only useful to journalism majors, I think everyone should be required to take POLS 220. State and local government includes parts of everyday life that we will encounter if we don't already. It is crucial for citizens to understand how state and local governments work for us to have a fully functioning community.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what one's major is it is crucial to be aware of local and state governments. If one knows the right avenue to take in local governments it becomes a lot more responsive in getting needs met. Any person no matter class or job occupation can get rational needs met to better their towns. The problem is many people do not realize local governments give everyone this oppurtunity to interact so closely with local government representatives. It is especially important that West Virginia University students realize that if they sent an email to a local government official it could take only a few short hours to get a response. People living in larger cities like Chicago do not have this luxury of their local government being so responsive. Morgantown is a progressing town and if more students voiced their opinion it could help the city evolve even more.
ReplyDeleteJournalism students must and should be required to take POLS 220. Whether or not they are going to be out reporting on local, state, or national news regarding their government, it should be a fundamental knowledge for all journalists. Most journalists in the workplace may find themselves doing a story that may require them to know a good bit about politics or the inner workings of government. With the basic knowledge that can be gained by taking a class for one semester is extensive for those pursuing the fields of journalism.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the school of Journalism should require students to take POLS 220, but I do not agree that everyone should take the class. POLS 220 can be very informational for most people, but why have students pursuing other majors to pay for a class that is not moving them into the right direction? Instead High Schools should require all students to take a class similar to POLS 220. Colleges should not require students to take classes that are not required by their major.
Eric Russo
Journalism Major
I completely agree with you. I took State and Local Gov't in high school, so I feel as though I am repeating my past a little. And your last statement couldn't be more true, as I do not think Math and Science should be required for a major that won't need it one bit.
DeleteDanielle Fegan
Social Work
I think taking a political science class should be required for all majors. It is important to be an informed citizen and everyone should know about who governs them and how their government works, since it will probably have a direct impact on their lives. However, I am a journalism major (TVJ), and we are required to take both political science 110 and 220. Political science classes might be beneficial to some journalists, but for most it probably has nothing to due with where they plan on going with their careers. I think journalist majors should only have to take one political science class, that goes over all the basics. A lot of the material we learned in 110 seems to be retaught in 220, so why not just combine the classes? This way journalist, and perhaps other majors, can take one political science class and another class that will be more beneficial to their major. Lets be honest, we have to take a lot of classes in college and learn a lot of things that we will probably never use in the future, but in the end it will make us smarter individuals with a more well rounded education; that's why many people come to college in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI myself am a Journalism major and I think it's important to take POLS 220. Everyone should take some kind of Political Science class to understand how our local and state governments work. Journalism students are going to be dealing with the public and writing news reports and need to have an understanding of how the inter-workings of our political systems work. It's a journalists job to present accurate facts to the public who may not have such a deep understanding of politics. Also, just being a member in society it is very important to know how voting and what regional differences between states and local governments exists.
ReplyDeleteSamantha Strejeck
I am a Social Work major and before I took Political Science 102, I would have said that these types of courses should not be required nor are important. After taking 102 I strongly believe that Political Science 220 should definitely be required for all majors. Before taking these classes I use to hate learning about government and politics and how they work. I still do not find it that interesting, but I know that in the future if I do not understand how our government works then I could be unsuccessful in certain areas. When first entering social work I did not think that learning these things would be important but after seeing how deep social work is these types of courses are really going to help me succeed in my career. Social work is about helping others and advocated for others, and lots of the issues that people go to social workers about have to do with government somehow. Most of the requirements to get help for your family and children are set by the government. If I do not understand how the government works and the way things are done, then how am I going to be a successful social worker?
ReplyDeleteI believe POLS 220 should be a required course for Journalism students, and students in general. In one way or another, every single person is affected by the state and local government that they live under. Everyone should have at least a basic understanding of how these governments work so that they can do their best when doing their civic duty.
ReplyDeleteJournalism students should also be required to take this class. While we all aspire to be covering national issues and working exactly where we want to be, the reality is that almost all of us will have to start at the bottom, covering local traffic, murders, and local and state government bodies. This class will give journalism students the basic background preparing them for the long climb up to the big time.
Charles Clarke
Journalism Major
I do believe that this course is beneficial for a Social Work major, like myself. However, I don't think that it should necessarily be required, but rather an optional elective for the major. I feel as though our two required policy courses will hit what is needed to be known, and I'm sure that some of us would have loved to take another course (Social Work or other) in place of this, or even to have extra time to complete all of our required service hours. I do, however, definitely believe that we should be required to take Spanish courses considering about twenty percent of our population will Hispanic by 2015 or so. As social workers we work with all types of people, but not all of them will be able to speak English. I wouldn't like to see an agency or other turn someone away because of a language barrier.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Fegan
Social Work
I think that it is important for students of any major to be educated on state and local government. However while I believe it is the duty of every American to understand the way the American government works to some extent on every level, intimate knowledge of the inner workings of state and local government may not necessarily be used by students of all majors. It is important for Journalism students to know about state and local government because, for many of us, our careers will almost certainly involve interaction with some form of government be it local, state, or federal, as the media and the government are often working side by side. People graduating with a degree in theater, for example, may not necessarily every have to apply their knowledge about state and local government. However, every student should be required to take the course because it is important to understand how state and local government works if one ever needs to address a concern to state or local officials, or tries to make a change within the community, etc. I do not believe that state and local government should be taught as a high school course instead because learning the information in an adult setting at an adult level makes it more useful in adult life when interaction with government most usually occurs.
ReplyDeleteCaitlyn Lewis
Journalism Major
POLS 220 should be required for all students because it is crucial for all people of today's society to have knowledge of and understand the government surrounding them; therefore, with that knowledge we can have a better understanding of the issues and problems that our world faces on a daily basis. If the course isn't required for all majors, it should at least be required for journalism students because we use this information daily whether it be in writing, broadcast, or reporting. It is vital that all students leave college with a full understanding of the government and how it is ran and also, how they solve issues.
ReplyDeleteOne good thing about school, in general, is that it allows for students to be able to exercise their learning ability outside of a stuffy school building. In grade school, most students are basically told what to do and how to do it with little to no say so in their schedules and what they would like to help better themselves in the long run. College allows students to grow outside of their home states and really take that first stepping stone into independence just by making their schedules. But, most campuses require General Education Courses (GEC's). To most students, it is a complete waste of time and totally demeans what being a college student is all about. A lot of students say that GEC's hinder them, drops their G.P.A.'s and rears their focus on what they truly want to do. According to CollegeXpress.com, these classes help students who do not have a declared major, broaden the learning spectrum, and and make students more well-rounded. But what about students who have a set agenda in a set major?
ReplyDeleteSeeing as though I am a Political Science major, I am actually enjoying 220. But for someone in a Biology major, for example, 220 may not be a thrill. But, although it may not be the most interesting class, it would actually benefit that Biology major to potentially know what is going on in science and knowing what your state government is doing in order to further certain research seems pretty important to me. And although that Biology major may not be learning the actual craft inside a lab (for example), they would be educated on the back end with different projects being funded or endorsed by the government. With that said, I believe POLS 220 can work for practically all majors because most careers involve some work with the state. Whether it is funding, communication, or just support. With GEC's, students become more aware of issues they never knew and although it can become time consuming, it will better help than hurt once graduating from college.
Within my major, there is a required minor requirement and specific classes that have to be taken for each concentration. One class I believe should be required is some sort of Public Relations or Public Speaking course. Even if your aim in the major doesn't involve being in the public eye, it is still important to know how to speak. Especially in a manner that allows other people to understand and absorb the information you are giving without having to read between the lines. You can have all of the information about whatever subject matter but if you are not able to deliver that information, then it is a waste of breath.
Jacqueline Johnson
Political Science Major
http://www.collegexpress.com/articles-and-advice/majors-and-academics/articles/college-academics/general-education-courses-not-waste-time/
Since I'm actually a political science major, I may be biased, but I think all majors, especially those involving journalism, need to understand the fundamentals of state and local government. 220 is a very beneficial class as it allows those who most likely would have otherwise been mildly oblivious, to understand how federalism works in the United States. For most people, they probably think they need to know the minimum amount about it and go on with their lives. Sadly, many if them would be right, since many do not think they're required to understand government. However, a lot of us would probably feel much better knowing that journalists covering our local area have an understanding about how the regional and state governments function. Knowing state and local laws, procedures, rights, and structure allows for a deeper analysis and better story for journalists that want to make their work stand out. So knowing how our local government systems work is not only valuable for the making the journalist seem more informed, but it can also make or a break a story.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin Sawyers
DeletePolitical Science
I dont think that the school should require students in the school of journalism to take pols 220. I am a student in the school of journalism and not only did I have to take 220 but I also had to take 120. Though I do not disagree that learning and knowing about state and local government isn't important I feel that it should not be a requirement. And if it should then they should choose between 120 and 220 but not have both to be a requirement. I don't know about other high schools but i know in mine i was required to learn about state and local government and that is where i now know the basics. I feel that what I will learn in this class is definitely important and good knowledge to know but I dont see how it will help me prepare for my career choice that I am going in. And if for some reason i come across a time where i need to know it for my career i will have to reteach and research it my self again because i know that one semester of learning this is not going to stick with me. And all it does is add one more stress obstacle to my goal of graduation. I dont know any other class that should be required but i think something closer to my major
ReplyDeleteI believe all college students should take some form of POLS. While it may not be important for every major everybody should have a little bit of knowledge of how there government is ran. However, I don't believe that it should be a major requirement if the class has nothing to do with what you ultimately want to do with your major. As a journalism major the class makes some sense, but not every major has ties to politics.
ReplyDeleteI’m majoring in social work and I do believe that we should have to take POLS220. I say this because in life we need to know about our local and state government. I believe it plays a role in my field because in social work we need to know the wrongs and the rights in the court room and government. In state and local government it comes to actually knowing about the law and politics and how citizens try to influence the government. I don’t really have a problem with this course. I find it quite interesting and think it’s very knowledgeable.
ReplyDeleteAs a Journalism major and a United States citizen, I do believe that POLS 220 should be a required course. There are many benefits of studying state and local government; the first of which we talked about in class when we talked about why we should study state and local politics by looking at newspapers. When doing research on the correlation between Journalism majors and political science I came across the definition of political Journalism and political advertising. These are major jobs available to Journalism majors. Whether it is a political campaigns advertising, a news broadcast on politics, or a newspaper article on politics, it is important to know about politics to accurately report about them.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, even though political sciences may not required for every major, I believe that it is part of our duty as citizens to be knowledgeable about state and local government and (POLS 102) American government to be able to express our right to vote in state, local, and American government. As stated in the link below, I agree with the fact that “political science lies in the fact that all of us live within political systems and we are affected by the changes in the global political economy. Hence, political scientists become valued and important as they provide the lens through which we can understand the global political economy.”
http://www.managementstudyguide.com/political-science.htm
Although I am not particularly excited about this course, I do think it should be required for Strategic Communications majors and most other majors. It's important to keep up with politics, especially locally. Any field should have a basic knowledge about how the government works. However, the effectiveness of this course might change my answer about whether or not it should be mandatory. Someone said that they forgot everything they learned in another POLS class because the material was so boring. Ask me again after finals if I think it should be required.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. I'm not exactly jumping up and down for what's to come in this class, but it's definitely important. I see political science classes as a necessary evil, so to speak. I think it's a good point, however, that you bring up the actual effectiveness of the course. I'm hoping to retain as much as possible, but I guess only time will tell.
DeleteI am in the journalism school as an advertising major. Taking this class as a requirement will benefit advertising majors as well as other students. Knowing your target audience, demographics, political issues, and understanding government structure is the key to a successful advertising campaign. Advertising is used to attract consumers to a specific product, event, politics, and ideas. The main point of advertising is to appeal to the masses. Advertising used in political campaign should avoid being offensive and should be focused on the topic so that it can drive the point across. It is important to have knowledge of the basics of government when creating an ad campaign for local, state and national political campaign. Being knowledgeable of government will give you an understanding of your target audience and an upper hand when creating advertisements to support the campaign.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a small town in the suburbs of New York City. In this town the majority of tax dollars go towards the school district. Many of the town residents are elderly and their children have already graduated. In the last election for town mayor one of the candidates wanted to gain the support of the older generation so the campaign focused on lowering taxes for this particular segment of the town population. The campaign team had to have basic knowledge of tax structure in the area and town demographics. On the other hand there are many people in my town who want a quality public school education for their kids and others who believe that having a good school will increase the property value of their homes. Having a basic understanding of the government, demographics, and what the people want from their leaders will ensure that the advertising campaign is successful.
I am a political Science major and believe that it is critical that political science majors be required to take Pols220. History has taught us that the political makeup of a country determines key factors such as the freedoms given to its society, whether it thrives economically and its security among others, and state and local government happens to be the building pieces of the whole makeup; making, at the very least, basic comprehension of its institutions important for all sectors. I must admit that, like Jane Abenir, I initially felt a bit disadvantaged in this course as an international student who doesn't have knowledge of some of the intricacies of the US government, but later came to appreciate the broader knowledge pols220 imparts. Through the analysis of the different political cultures in the specific regions discussed in class, I could extrapolate similarities with my home countries (South Africa) in ideas about why might one region might, for instance, be more liberal than the other, a skill transferable to many other places and important for political science students. In addition, students who are planning to affect any sort of change in the political sphere in the US needs to understand local and state government as it is where the average citizen's needs are most voiced, thus preparing them for a more meaningful time in service.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Social Work major I do believe it’s important to take POLS 220. The social work program here at WVU mainly emphasizes on rural Appalachian area so knowing how the government works around West Virginia would fit perfectly for my major. By studying the state and local government of West Virginia it will give be a basis on how rural area governments are ran. Being from Atlantic City I never got to experience any type of rural area government.
ReplyDeleteRetaining to being a Social Work Major I really don’t think there is a better course for me to be taking instead of POLS 220. With POLS 220 retaining to politics and politics being very influential Social Work they both intertwine perfectly together..
I believe departments should require students to take Pols 220: State and Local Government. As a television journalism major with a minor in political science I can see the importance of why such a class would be implemented in that track; so we become less ignorant of our surroundings, more importantly we are able to understand the fundamentals of why and how the establishment which provides us with necessary resources works.
ReplyDelete"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."- Nelson Mandela
The importance of this come from the fact that if we go without Pols 220, we would have to assume the ignorance of the subject from students who have not taken the course. There is no way to gauge whether or no those students have the knowledge and capacity to interact and understand the inner-workings of the society which they live. Thus the importance for the implementation of Pols 220 to a majority of departments.
-Zach Abe
Quote Source: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_education.html#3kLsVYGYgUmRA1e7.99 copyright 2001
This class is required for my major and even if it wasn't I would still want to take it. I would want to take it because I believe it falls into the category of subjects every American should know at least a little bit about. Another subject that falls into this category would be Personal Finance. While these courses aren't required for every major, they are still worth taking. State and local government is good to know about because as others in this blog post said, it is the best chance for participation. While we hear about huge stories on the news and have our opinions of them after the fact, learning about state and local government may allow us to influence which stories come onto national news. Personal Finance is a subject that is even more important to learn about. Managing income, saving, and investing are things every grown up ought to know. Money will play an even greater role as we age. These types of classes will benefit you in the future because they can improve your quality of life. If you apply what you've learned. You can't say that about every major course or GEC.
ReplyDeleteI also like the fact that it is required for multiple majors. Even if your major isn't political science you may learn something that fascinates you and opens up a whole new interest.
I agree that Reid Widders is saying there is repetition between 102 and 220. The first week and a half of 220 was covered in 102 and probably even history 152 and 153. But that may be necessary to get our brains flowing again...
What is different will be the classes later, because 102 and history classes didn't go too in depth into HOW the state and local govs operate. That will be the beneficial part of the class.
In my opinion the answer is yes. I’m an accounting major with hopes of attending Law School and I believe this class is absolutely necessary, even though it is not a requirement for my major. (I may be a little biased.) In order for us to understand the ever-changing world around us, the rules and regulations we must abide by, and reasons behind the actions our leaders and governments take, we must have some background or education in the political science arena. By requiring us to take a political science course centered on state and local politics, our departments are expanding our horizons. They are ensuring that we, as business people, doctors, lawyers, etc., understand our communities, their purposes, and can become a functional, productive, and instrumental part of society. The benefits of this class far outweigh the disadvantages. Although I could be using the time I apply to this class to study for one of my major classes, this class is providing me with lasting and important information about the most crucial section of government. The reason I say it’s most crucial is because it’s the one that most directly affects us and those around us. We deal with our local and state governments on a daily basis; whether it’s simply abiding by their individual laws/rules or as involved as becoming one of the leaders.
ReplyDeleteIn support of my opinion, Rose State College states:
“As the global world changes and America adjusts to deal with these issues, political science offers insight into how and why these events occurred. Our society is interdependent with the majority of world due to economic systems, trade agreements, and information exchange. This reality makes the world a smaller place, meaning worldly events have a direct influence on American communities. It is important for students to be able to understand how these events directly affect their community and their lives.”
-Trinity Gray
If you would like to view the page quoted above its URL is: http://www.rose.edu/politicalscience. The part I quoted is under the department overview section. The welcome section also contains a little insight into why these political science courses are important.
I think liberal arts majors should be required to take POLS 220 because a basic understanding of state and local government can be beneficial to career paths within liberal arts. Political matters, especially locally, affect liberal arts careers more so than say the hard sciences on a daily basis and a basic understanding of state and local government can help students better function within society. Being a political science major myself, I believe the concepts covered in POLS 220 are key building blocks within the major, regardless of any specific track. POLS 220 will help better educate students to make informed decisions within the political realm, even if this just merely means voting each election.
ReplyDeleteI have an interesting perspective on this because I am political science turned journalism major. I think that knowing the basic structure of our government is crucial to being a constructive member of society. I am a little bias because I truly enjoy learning about politics, but there really are some crucial values in taking a political science course. POLS 220 offers students a breakdown of the most relevant form of government. At a time where politics seems to consume every aspect of life, college students should value civic knowledge. Understanding our government and political system allows students to become more educated, thoughtful, and motivated in performing their civic duties.
ReplyDeleteI don’t feel that this requirement will take away from other subjects. College is about receiving a well-rounded education and I believe that government and politics is a very large component of that. No matter your profession, you will always have to interact and participate with the government to some extent. I would say that a political science course is even more valuable than a foreign language class. There is only a handful occasions that you would need to have extensive knowledge in a foreign language. It is our role as citizens to vote and participate in politics and education on the matter is key.
I would go a step further and also require students to also take POLS 102. I think that is coincides perfectly with POLS 220 and offers a complete look at the national scale of politics. POLS 102 discusses elections, media, campaigns, and the basic structure of the federal system. With both courses required, a student will get an entire view of politics on all levels and be better prepared to participate in government.
All things considered, I believe that POLS 220 should be a requirement in all academic departments.
Caitlin Worrell
Journalism Major
I agree that all students should be required to take this course. Everyone should at least be somewhat aware of their local government, even if it is on a basic level like we learn in this class. I'm not saying it's the most exciting class ever, but nonetheles it is a course that is important and should be required for all majors.
DeleteI feel political science is an important topic that all students should be involved in at some point in their college career. It is vital that we all have a basic understanding of how state and local governments operate. While not everyone has to constantly keep up with every political detail occurring in their state, it is imperative to have that basic idea. Enhancing one's knowledge, even in a class they may not be too enthralled to take, is still beneficial to that person's overall character.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if political science is not a person's cup of tea and they genuinely detest it, I think we should not be required to take more than one course. Especially if a student is overwhelmed by the amount of other strenuous classes he or she takes, I feel it is unnecessary to keeping adding classes a student truly does not need in their future career path.
Personally, I am majoring in political science and believe that POLS 220 is very important for my degree. Whatever branch of government I choose to pursue for my future career, an extensive knowledge of state and local government will add an advantage to my perspective of the interconnected framework of our society. Because the federal and state governments have a mutual exchange of benefits, it is necessary for a political science major to understand the direct influence each area of government has on the other branches.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I think all majors should require POLS 220, because it provides an extensive explanation of an ordinary citizen’s role in government. Our in class discussions proved that the majority of students don’t fully comprehend the relationship between geographic and demographic factors in the patterns of a citizen’s tendency to participate in government. However, I think as citizens of this country, students should be engaged in understanding their individual role in the government, such as voting and voicing their opinions. In a previous post, a classmate commented that taking POLS 220 was crucial in order to prepare for a potential opportunity as a government employee. In contradiction, I think POLS 220 is imperative for all students, because, despite your occupation, it is necessary to fulfill your role in government as a citizen.
-Mariah Mandy
Taking state and local government is an important class to take even if your major doesn't require it. I believe that some departments should make it a requirement because it is so important to learn about the government that impacts your life the most. In my major of geography, if you want to become a city planner then this class is required. I am glad they require it for this part of their major because you need to know and work with your local government as a city planner http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/urb_reg_planner.htm. There are many benefits to taking state and local government. It will help you learn the form of government that impacts your life the most, you can help your community make better laws, and change the way your community or state is governed. Overall I think that taking state and local government should be a required class to take.
ReplyDeleteMe being i Journalism major i feel it is very important for students to take POLS 220. Its important to at least have a general idea of what is going on with the government and how it works. I believe this class should be required for most majors because everyone living in WEst Virginia as well as America is affected by state and local government.
ReplyDeleteWhile my major isn't technically journalism, it is public relations out of the school of journalism. As much as I'm not totally comfortable in political science classes, I find it's been a good thing so far. I'm not the most political person, but even as just a citizen, knowing the basics is extremely important. In PR specifically, you never know when you're going to need to know these things. Not to mention I'd hate to be ignorant in a subject that is relevant every day.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it really takes away an other class opportunities from me. I've always wanted to be more informed on government, even though it's not my favorite subject. I took POLS 102 last semester and event though it took me a minute to warm up to it, I'm actually kind of glad I was required to take it. I can't guarantee that I'd take this class if it wasn't required, so it's probably a good thing that I have to. I expect to keep the knowledge I gain in this class forever. I'm also hoping it will motivate me to stay involved in what our state and local government is doing. I know that having even the most basic information on how state and local government work will benefit me in working with the public. You never know who you're going to need to talk to. I think it might be beneficial to everyone though if 220 was a GEC, though. It worries me that there are so many people my age out there who are still unsure of how our political systems function.
-Andrea Oliver
I am an advertising major, out of the school of journalism, and I don't necessarily agree with the fact that I had to take Political Science 220, but I understand why. Since Advertising is based out of the school of journalism, it only seems right if you are required to know what's going on in the world via the political side. By understanding what's going on in the government, it makes it easier to follow leads and eventually write stories because you already have a solid base of knowledge.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that I had to take Political Science 220 didn't take away any other class opportunities. Meaning, there is no other class i would want to take in it's place. Honestly, I know very little about what's really going on today in politics so taking this class will be very informative. Taking this class also helps out in my other classes for the fact that I am a history minor, and am taking numerous history courses this semester, Political Science 220 can help when it comes to discussing and understanding different government structures.
-Nick Pastor
As a journalism major, I do see the importance of taking political science classes (particularly POLS 220) to understand the government and the way it works. After all, much of journalism revolves around society and we find that politics and government can tie in to nearly all news stories in one way or another. If you don't understand how the government works, you could misinform your audience in a story.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think the issue comes up in that not all journalism majors intend to report on government-related issues. There are many facets of journalism and the majors within the school. Students can go into photography and visual journalism, advertising, TV production, and not to mention the four minors offered in part by the School of Journalism which give students more of a specialization. While law is a part of all those industries, journalism majors take a different class related to media law and maybe POLS 220 then shouldn't be required. I would rather see it as an option. For example, at one point journalism students were required to take either Accounting, Business, or another class I don't remember, but any of the three choices went toward fulfilling the same requirement. I would like it better if POLS 220 was included in something like that, so people who weren't focusing on government and politics didn't have to take it.
Either way, I don't have a choice in the matter and POLS 220 is a class I have to take, so I'll go along and take it without complaint (mostly). Maybe a class like this will inspire me to try changing the requirement instead of blindly following it.
I think that this course is an invaluable class for journalism students, if only for the assignment where students take on a local or state issue and try to bring about some change. It gives future journalists the knowledge for how to contact their leaders, as well as the proper channels to use. For new journalists in all likelihood will be covering the world of local politics as they start their careers, knowing the value of a solitary voice, how to organize and distribute a message, and how to contact the powers that be are crucial to thoughtful journalism.
ReplyDeleteAs a history major, I personally feel POLS 220 is a nice accent to a history degree. Understanding how state and local government has shaped the past is just as important as knowing the what and where of the past. State and local government, and actually any political science course, provides the how and why answers to a lot of questions a historian is faced with. It is is hard to talk about the civil war, for example, without ever understanding states rights and how the states made their arguments when leaving or joining the Union.
ReplyDeleteOn an additional note, I think every student should take at least state and local government. It affects you every single day. As a good citizen, we should all be able to understand our state and local government and their actions so we can be involved and prevent only a few people from having too much power. Honestly, I'd advocate for taking national government courses as well. If you don't know anything about what they can do versus what you can do and what has already been done, then we might as well stop calling ourselves a democratic republic.
I think that all students should be required to take some sort of political science class.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it may not be a very interesting course, it is important that people in our society know how the government works, seeing as how the government affects everyone. This course gives a basic understanding of the government so that we can be informed citizens.
Another option, as mentioned by Eric Russo, would be requiring high school students to take a political science course before graduating. My high school required students to take economics and participation in government before they could graduate.
Louise Bachand
Social Work Major
My major is not Journalism, it is Education, yet I still feel that it is important that my department requires students like myself to take Political Science 220. As a future educator, it is important that I understand the relationship between state and local governments. It is also important that I understand the political and bureaucratic processes behind them. As a voter, I am also concerned with understanding how my local, state, and national governments work.
ReplyDeleteThere are several benefits to taking this course. Aside from providing a background in Federalism and political parties, it will give insight into policies of local, state, and national governments, which will help me understand how citizens form interest groups. These interest groups influence institutions of state and local governments, as well as Executive and Legislative Branches of government. It will also be important in understanding policy outcomes with regard to Education and taxes. There will be particular personal interest in week 14 in late November when the class topic will be Education policy.
I don’t feel that there is any type negative trade-off that I’m experiencing by taking this course. It is a valuable experience that should be required for those pursuing a career in Education. I feel that it will broaden my understanding of how society works, and will be a needed course if I continue my pursuit of a career in Education that focuses on Social Studies. I also look forward to the final project. It will be interesting trying to narrow in on a goal that I would like my local or state government to accomplish, and seeing if any response is taken on their part.
David Wells
Pursuing Masters in Secondary Education with Teaching Certification
I, along with many of my other classmates, agree that pols220 is a great course to require students to take. West Virginia University offers a very wide variety in the course options. You can learn everything from how to identify types of rocks to ancient philosophy. Now some may see other classes as more entertaining or more interesting, but I argue that most other classes relay information that is less useful in one's basic day to day living. It is hard to get a group of people to totally agree to anything, unless you find yourself alone on a secluded island with only a passive aggressive roommate named Wilson for company.
ReplyDeleteState and local government is everywhere and is the framework of society’s everyday function. Our country is founded on the beliefs that citizens should have a say in how a government makes decisions and learning how the government works is the first step in making positive changes. Everything from taxes to food production is determined by the government and learning how to play and understand the political process is very important for the future. Voting is perhaps the most important process to understand and pols220 will show just how the current voting rights came about and how to use them properly. Knowing the laws and how the government is setup allows for many more advantages in one’s personal life than just being able to regurgitate memorized information regarding how long it took certain rock formations to form.
The fact of the matter is that government is the only thing that keeps order and a way of life going. It’s always going to be around and everyone should be educated on how their local and state government runs.
I am a Public Relations major and I have to take POLS 220. I, however, do not take it because I have to, but because I want to; because I believe it is truly important and interesting; and I believe that all majors should be required to take it. Learning about government on either the Federal or State level is very important. Everybody should learn how state and local government works. I believe this because most majors at some point are going to have to deal with either the state or local government in their future job and they should know the laws and know how to work each system. The other benefit is learning about your rights. Yes everyone knows the bill of rights, but a lot of people don't know the rights and laws that protect them in certain states or counties. This is extremely important so you know when someone or some company is trying to do something illegal and violate your rights.
ReplyDeleteFor me this class doesn't really take away from any other classes. Yes this is a class I had to take, but i was interested in it regardless. But if I had to choose a class outside of this one that I believe everyone should take it is ECON, just so people know the basics of the economy and how it works.
-Michael Swanson
As a Social Work major, it is very beneficial for me to take POLS 220. It is important to know the history of state and local governments obtained their powers and how they function. Social Workers are tied closely to state the state government and politicians. Almost all Social Work organizations are government funded so it is beneficial for me to understand how state and local governments budget money and how power is distributed.
ReplyDeleteAs a television journalism major, the only reason that I am taking this class is because the j-school lists it as one of the requirements that are needed for graduation. My goal in life is to become a sports commentator on tv or radio or maybe even the host of my own sports talk show so this class won't really be important to the things I will be dealing with on a regular basis. However I can still understand the value of taking this class especially if it is being used as just a general way to educate me about the functions and processes of local government.
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't want to end up as another one of those people who is completely ignorant when it comes to what is going on around them in their local community and I think this class is a great way to get to that point. Even though I probably won't learn everything there is to learn about why voter participation varies from state to state in this class, I can certainly gain enough of an understanding to get by with most of the things I plan to do in my future career. I think this class is definitely something that should be required of every student in every major.
-Adam Woodring
As a public relations major and history minor, I believe that taking Political Science 220 is an extremely important part of a well-rounded education. Knowing the specifics of how state and local government work, not only in West Virginia but in other states as well, is valuable for a few reasons. First, it helps us to understand how our political system directly affects us. Just because we don’t see a rule or law directly impacting our lives does not mean that it isn’t. Second, this class is a visual to the way democracy works in the United States. As we discussed in class, one state may have completely different laws as compared to another state, and I think it is important for everyone to understand why this is and how it is possible for this to happen. Third, I think that every young adult should have to take some type of United States political science and government class, whether it be American Government or State and Local. The U.S. political system is a complicated one, and mostly every American citizen has an opinion about it or feels a certain way about it. Without knowing the basics of how this complex system works, we will never be capable of being a part of successful change. In conclusion, taking this class is pivotal for any major. This class applies to every young adult, whether they are a PR major like me, a geology major or have hopes of going to med school. Politics affects each and every one of us and knowing even just a bit about it is beneficial in the long run.
ReplyDeleteI think that Political Science 220 should be a required course for every major. This is not because I neccesarily think that it relates to the degrees that most of us are earning. I do however think that learning about how our state and local governments work is important since most of us probably have little to no idea how it works. Personally, I do not know much about the functionality of state and local government, so being in this class will help me gain a better knowledge of it.
ReplyDeleteOn top of learning about how state and local government works there is one other benifit of being in this class. That benefit is learning how, and experiencing the process of communicating with local officials. Maybe not now, but at some point in all of our lives I'm sure there is going to be times where we are not happy with the way the elected officials in our town are doing something. Now, because of the experience from this class we have the ability to communicate how we are feeling with them. Overall, I do think that political science 220 is a useful course that should be a requirement.
My major is Public Relations. I believe that Political Science 102 and 220 should be required for my major. In my opinion, Public Relations and Political Science are intertwined. Public relations practitioners have to be careful what they say and how they say it when a company is stuck in a bad scandal, so it's important to have a general idea of the law and how it generated. Not only do I think it’s beneficial for Public Relations majors, but for all majors. Political issues dominate our lives. Understand these issues are especially important in the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with many views of the other students. I am a Public Relations major, however I used to be a political science major. I feel that it is crucial for students in all majors to learn about political science. Knowledge of the government, especially state and local, is pivotal in being an educated person. It is important to know how to change policies or actions that one does not find is working, and through PolSci 220, we get to have a better understanding of how we can try and change policies within our state and local government.
ReplyDeleteThe knowledge that comes with a understanding of how government works provides one with a certain confidence to be able to communicate certain viewpoints. I feel that this class is a great learning experience for every major because, as we all know, politics plays a major role in everything we do.
When I first signed up for Pols220, I did not expect to enjoy nor feel that there was any relevance to this course and a real world application for me in the future. However, after attending class, my views have changed. As a student in the school of journalism, I have learned many valuable tools and skills that will benefit me in my future career. I feel that Pols220 will only add to these skills.
ReplyDeleteNow, don't get me wrong, do I think that knowing how the Constitution was created and who made what decision in a court room 200 years ago is important? No. However, understanding how our government works, who we need to talk to as citizens with issues and knowing our rights is VERY important. Being journalism students can mean an opportunity in many different careers, but the majority of us will most likely need to know these things. Writing stories on local politicians, knowing who to talk to, to get information on current events can all relate back to this class.
One part of this class that I think is relevant is our project on petitioning an local official. This seems like a real world situation that may be a frequent part of many of our careers.
I believe this class, after a change of heart, can and will be beneficial and a necessary part of the curriculum for journalism students.
If a country consider itself a democracy, I think it's essential that the population is educated in questions regarding political science. What we have talked about in class so far and what I assume we will get into later on, topics regarding how and why the power is divided the way it is, are things that I think every person with a college degree should be aware of. For that reason I believe that every student earning a degree in whatever field should be required to take some political science classes.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time I think most people walk through life without ever taking any initiatives towards social change because they frankly don't care enough to do so. I personally come from a long line of politicians. My mother is a member of the Swedish parliament and I think she get off too easily most of the time. We don't question our politicians and we don't hold them accountable to the extent that we should. People don't know who is to blame and who they should turn to when they want to achieve change in society and that is the primary reason for why everyone should be required to learn about the political system in college. Most people are comfortable letting others rule society freely, but those that aren't should be informed enough to know what to do. Winston Churchill put it very well when he said that "the best argument against democracy is five minutes with the average voter". I think WVU and any serious institution of higher learning should strive to make their students more than an average voter.
-Carl Bojesson
I'd first like to address this class as a journalism requirement, and then as a requirement for my majors. For a journalism major, I absolutely do believe this should be a required class. While there are fields of journalism that may fall somewhat outside of the scope of what is discussed in this class, there is something to be said for having a backup plan. Looking at the front page of the (digital) Dominion Post today, roughly half of the stories posted have to deal with either state or local government. The fact is, a very large portion of journalistic work has to do with politics, and having that knowledge in case your first option doesn't quite pan out is always a bright idea.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, my majors are psychology and philosophy. I absolutely do not think it should be a required major for psychology (a psychologist only really needs to know the laws that apply to their practice. Sure, you could still be politically active, but that's your prerogative.)
Philosophy is a little bit tricky. You can go into philosophy with a specialization in pre-law, and in this case I think it's been handled quite well. Pre-law only "requires" three additional courses, but this course is a recommended one (along with quite a few others.) Understanding how the laws you deal with on a daily basis were created is a valuable part in the extensive knowledge you ought to have as a lawyer. Still, it seems to me that recommending this class rather than requiring it makes the most sense, simply because having over 39 credit hours to simply obtain your major seems a bit overkill to me - particularly in philosophy.
I believe it is very much required that us as students take basic level Political Science courses here at WVU whether your an engineer, business student, or even in the School of Journalism. Political Science teaches us about the foundation of the United States of America, it educates students not only on a national level but also a State and Local level. Today, some students lack the ability to even explain simple concepts such as the Constitution or The Bill of Rights, if POLS were demanded by the curriculum, students would be well educated on the way our government and society runs. Whether it was at WVU or at my former High School, I have encountered many people on the way who knew so little on how the country was founded, let alone the current state of our president and vice president, that is just un acceptable to me and feel as though EVERY student should be required to learn basic level POLS.
ReplyDeleteI can truly say that learning how the Federal government and the State government make laws and interact with eachother is truly interesting. Some benefits would be to learn how jurisdictions are set, requirements by law enforcements that differ between states, educating students on how local and state elections work and to encourage them to find a candidate that best suits them, and even to learn the overall basis on how the states gained some power from the feds. I truly can state that after taking many courses and electives here at WVU, i have gained a lot more knowledge from two introductory courses into POLS than my time studying Geology or Geography, or even Art History. I believe it is absurd to require students to learn about those subjects instead of learning the foundation of our nation. Without POLS we have nothing, no country, no laws, no jurisdiction, no military, therefore this is why I believe POLS should be required to our students here at WVU.
-Christopher Damiano
Just like many of my other classmates, I am of the opinion that Political Science 220 should be a required class for my major, as well as most other majors. I'm a social work major and I know that in order to succeed in my field, I need to know how politics work and a working background in government is necessary. No matter how much I may want to be in a more interesting class, I must admit that it's not a bad thing to have to take some classes that you might not otherwise take, simply because they are required. At least this class will help us learn things that may be used on a practical level. There are plenty of other classes that we have to choose from, as a requirement for our GEC's, that are more there to simply make us well rounded, rather than really further our specific major. ( http://registrar.wvu.edu/current_students/general_education_curriculum ) I think this class serves to do a little of both.
ReplyDelete-Heather Johnson
As my major is political science I am required to take this class as well. This class is a good class to take regardless of your major because it helps students understand how our government works on a small scale. I have to take this class because I need to know how every level of government works for my degree. But I believe this class should be taken by students in other majors as well because our government is important and we should want to know how the system works at a local level and how to use the system if we need use it.
ReplyDeleteJacob Powers
Yes I believe that journalism major should take POLS220 because learning about state and local government can be very crucial not only for journalism majors but all majors. Having knowledge on how the government function should be important to everyone. It gives one a foundation on the system and it can be applied in one's life. This class isn't in the way for me since it doesn't require any prerequisite or core to be taken.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is nothing more beneficial and journalism majors should take polsci 220 as a way to broaden their views of the world we live in.
ReplyDeleteI am a senior advertising major and i do believe that POLS220 should be a required class. While most journalism students may never actively pursue a career in politics, most will be reporting on something similar. Journalism students should know the ins and outs of how our government systems works and be able to form pertinent news around current issues. If a student doesn't know how the system works, they will never be able to put together a reliable political story.
ReplyDeleteI was never really a fan of political based classes until i took one last semester, i learned so much and was able to form stronger views about our government Before i was just basing everything i said off of what i saw on TV but now im able to understand what goes on behind the scenes and make a valid argument. So i think, regardless of what major you are. you should have some sort of political knowledge to make informed decisions that effect this country
Streven Aquino
I do feel it is important for a Public Relations major as myself to be required to take Pols 220. It is very important for journalism majors to understand the concepts and actions of state and local governments. Without an understanding of basic political science, how are we supposed to be a knowledgable reporter or outlet to the media? I am in a JRL 426 (Political Affairs Writing) and the course is revolved around how to properly report governement affairs. If I was to have no background in political science, I would not be able to correctly do my job as a journalist.
ReplyDeleteI am a journalism major and I feel that unless you are going into a field say political journalism that it should not be required. There are some professions that do not require any knowledge. Many students will not pursue a career in politics and therefor waste time in a class that doesn't benefit them.
ReplyDeleteThough State and Local governments do a lot in terms of things for the town it often goes unnoticed unless you are looking for it. I personally dont feel like I am going to use any of this outside of class. I am going into a sports field and am probably not going to think about politics outside of the presidential election. State and Local governments are important to know about because it affects living and what not but most people do just fine knowing absolutely nothing.
Brittany Crossetti
As a social work major I think it is very important to be required to take the POLS 220 class. As a social worker I will have many roles that I must take on for my job. One of these roles is an advocate for people that may not have the resources to make the change they need to make. Taking the POLS 220 class gives me a lot of insight on state and local governments. Furthermore, most social service agencies are funded by the state. It is important that I know about local and state government rules and policies as much as possible. Also, the assignment where we must attempt to get a state or local government to do something we want them to do will be very good practice for my future career. In every email from our department the last line is always "Be the change you wish to see in the world"- Gandhi. This quote emphasizes what social work is all about. POLS 220 shows us how to technically go about making these changes and how we are able to get new laws addressed and passed. Even though POLS 220 may be more difficult for me and not as interesting as my small scale, hands on social work classes, but I believe it will be a very beneficial class for my future career as a social worker.
ReplyDelete-Leann Brown
Jordan Pack
ReplyDeleteAs a Public Relations major, I feel as though it is very important to take at least one or two political science classes during their college career. PR majors tend to ALWAYS be aware of the news and current events, so when it comes to any particular political news or even murder trials, having knowledge of how state and local governments work is extremely important in helping you be more knowledgeable about these things.
As a PR practitioner, I could end up having a job in politics or involved with politics and/or politicians. It's important to be aware of how our governments work individually and as a whole. We should want to know how "the powers that be" work inside and out.
Jordan Pack
My major is Television Journalism and I feel that it is important for students to take political science classes to gain knowledge about our government system. For instance, if a person wanted to be a reporter, a lot of stories deal with governmental issues and not having the proper education about how our government works, you will look uneducated and not succeed in your career. Having one major does not mean you should just be educated in that one specific field but rather students should take classes of all sorts of different topics.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Clarke
I am a Journalism major and I believe that this class directly correlates with my major. It is important to understand the basics of government if you intend on writing about it. A large portion of journalism directly deals with political issues and this class is going to teach us the basics. However, I do not believe that some majors should be required to take this class. Although taking a variety of classes should make you a well-rounded student, I believe it is a waste of time and money. If the university required only major specific classes, I believe that students would have a better grasp on their major and would be able to do better in their intended field.
ReplyDeleteI myself as a journalism student do not believe that this class is absolutely necessary to my curriculum. Indeed, knowing your government is very important, and as an American it is a civic duty to know your government, and Know what is going on in the world around us, I do also believe that a lot of people at this age are completely ignorant to what's going on around them because they live in a plume of smoke and alcohol induced thought, or at least that's the majority of people I know anyway. However, this, and every other class I can think of that I have taken that I may never apply, comes directly out of my pocket. If schooling were free, maybe it wouldn't be so irritating, however, we all know we pay a pretty penny to sit through any class, and to sit through a class that may never be applied simply because "you have to" in kind of public high school-esque to me. I myself am considering going to law school one day, so in my case I think this class is good for me, but that doesn't mean everyone wants (or really even needs) this class. I'm not trying to undermine what this class is, or what it is about, but the fact many students are forced to take something they really won't apply or really don't care about is really pointless, but hey WVU has to make it's money, but I won't go there. Bottom line, no, I do not think this class should be required, but I do think it is something worth knowing, if just depends on how apathetic you happen to be.
ReplyDeleteI am an Advertising major in the school of Journalism, agreeing with the fact that POLS 220 is a very important course that should be taken by everyone. This is for the people who hate politics, if you have no clue whats going on in the local government and you are suppose to do an Ad for a congressman running for office it'd be easier on you if you had a little background in political science to execute what your commercial or internet Ad should be about.
ReplyDeletePOLS 220 is a required course for my major, the government impacts us whether we know it or not. So having a general idea on how the government works even if it is just your local branch will benefit you tremendously. As a citizen knowing more then others will help become a better citizen in your town. For students in Communications i feel that this course is very important or any major for that matter, but we will see if it benefits us at the end of the semester.
Kevin Downes
I am a Public relations Major and I think it vital for my profession to have a strong understanding of politics and how it correlates to local government. People in PR often work with local firms that rely heavily on local government issues. On top of that, I believe all majors should be required to take multiple Political science courses. The reasoning behind this is because our Democracy relies heavily on having informed and proactive citizens. If generations begin to remove this education process it will only lead to social, economical and personal liberty issues down the road.
ReplyDeleteOur democracy relies heavily on having people who are informed and possess an understanding
I do believe that students in the school of journalism should be required to take political science courses and same goes for all majors. It is especially important to have a background in political science for journalism majors because as you stated in class, a lot of stories that young journalist will be writing about are at one point or another going to deal with matters that are happening in the political world. However, I believe that as college students it is also time to start understanding how the different branches work, what they do, and how. As citizens of the United States we need to know how our government works to make important decisions on voting, knowing more about policy outcomes, ect. As a senior in college I know that I personally want to have a background in political science; for example after taking 120 it helped me understand more while watching the debates for the presidential election. Before when I had watched them in the past I was clueless to what they were talking about and sometimes I still am on certain issues but the course definetly gave me a better understanding. In conclusion I think that it is very important not only for my major but should be required for all.
ReplyDeleteAs a Journalism Major, I feel that taking a political science class should be required for various reasons. The federal government is the country's largest employer. Local and State government provide everyday services for our citizens. The material that is learned in these classes can be highly applicable at the state and local levels. Being journalism major my goal is to be a journalist, I need to follow up with news and importance to our country. By taking these classes it gives us a different outlook on our country and the way its ran. Political science helps you understand and build competence in oral and written expressions. I feel that every citizen has a responsibility to know how the government works. The understanding of society will make you much more knowledgable and perhaps give you a chance to market yourself when applying for a job. It's not always "who you know" in some or more cases its "what you really know"
ReplyDeleteAs an Advertising major, i feel that it is a strong necessity to teach POLS 220 as well as other political science classes because it is important to know how our government works and how our nation has become what it is today. A hand-full of people in the young generation do not know how the government operates and it essential to know how the government, both federal and state can affect even one person. The benefits of knowing about state and local government can really give you insight on how your state or city operates. I feel that this class will enhance the chances of people to either vote or get more involved in their local government. As an advertising major it is imperative to know what it is you're advertising because you can draw up some actions that may offend. For me personally, Political Science isn't something i find myself to get too involved in not because i don't feel it is important. I just see myself majoring in Advertising towards the direction of music.
ReplyDeleteI am a social work major and I do believe that Political Science 220 should be a required class for my major to graduate. I think it is a big part of the social work aspect because we need to learn the laws that the state and local governments put in place because as a social worker your always intertwined with the laws they produce in your everyday work life as a social worker. Also since Political Science as to do with the government it makes it even more beneficial for the social work majors because social work agencies are funded by the government. So you should be familiar with the rules and regulations that they put into place because it makes for you a better and more well rounded social worker. In the end you will need to know about the laws because you will be using them in the work place 24/7.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Political Science 220 needs to remain a requirement for journalism, if not all majors. The information provided in this course is invaluable to all students.
ReplyDeleteWhile many might not realize it, it is this class that will provide students with the knowledge of how they can directly interact with their government. It is through the channels of state and local government that people have to get things done. Therefore, this class should be a requirement, no matter the major.
Brianna Jarcy
I am a Journalism major and I would have to agree that this class should be required for all majors. I think that we, as citizens, have the civic duty to be somewhat involved with our government. Whether that is simplly voting in elections or running for local government posistions, it is our responsibility to participate. To paricipate one should be educated on the way that the system works and how one can effetively make be heard if he or she desires to make some kind of difference. I also think that people are more directly affected by the government at a state and local level and that what we learn in POLS 220 will help us understand reasoning of certain situations.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Kearse
It is important for all citizens to understand the structure and functions of the local government. Local government has the greatest and most direct impact on the way we conduct business and interact within our community. No matter how large of a hometown we have, we can directly influence the policies and laws that our local governments approve. This is why, regardless of major Pols 220 should be a required course. It is very important to understand the functions of government on both the national and more importantly the local level.
ReplyDeleteI am a political science major and for many obvious reasons pols 220 is required. I absolutely believe in the benefits of learning about your state and local government. I agree completely that it is required for political science majors and I also believe that It should be required for majors like journalism. Journalist report in writing, media,and other forms factual events to the public and for those events to be factual they need to be well informed and well educated to have the knowledge to do so.
ReplyDelete