Faculty of Political Science

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1. Political Science and Public Administration  (BSc):
2. Aim of Program

The Faculty of Political Science at Girne American University was established in 2015 after its departments existing under the Faculty of Business and Administrative Sciences for many years. The Faculty is dedicated to research, understand and explain politics and international relations. The main motivation of the faculty is to educate students to enhance their vision in politics and international relations, challenge, construct, analyze and engage in  critical thinking and to probe relevant information and tools for investigation to generate their own answers. 

On completing the program, the students are expected to acquire competency in conceptual and historical information regarding administrative and political phenomena, critical and analytical thinking, the development of oral communication, written, and research skills in English, an inter-disciplinary approach to both regional and global conflicts as well as conflict resolution strategies, and theoretical and practical capability for development of leadership, team-work, decision making, and problem solving skills.

1. Degree Awarded

Bachelor of Sciences degree in Political Science and Public Administration

1. Employment Opportunities

The graduates have the opportunity to find jobs in diplomatic areas, public institutions, political parties, civil society organizations, international organizations, private companies and media as well as universities, strategic research centers and public opinion research companies. Thus, it is a widely preferred area of study in the recent years by young, talented and ambitious students looking for a good future career and position in society.

1. Educational Objectives

Develop critical, analytical and strategic thinking and enhance effective decision-making,

Demonstrate ability for team working, collaboration and leadership,

Have detailed knowledge about Political Science and Public Administration discipline and awareness of a variety of ideas, concepts and theories within this framework,

Acquire proficiency in English and utilize effective communication skills,

Gain IT skills which are conducive for research using various resources and databases,

Apply knowledge acquired into practical experience through internship before graduation,

Gain ethical consciousness and behavior required by the Political Science and Public Administration discipline,

Apply theoretical Political Science and Public Administration knowledge to contemporary problems challenging the states.

1. Educational Methods

 Lecturers teach/explain the topics using audio &visual  tools during  2/3 of course time, 1/3 of it is conducted as seminar style IAT interactive method principles.

 Research based activities such as; doing presentation and writing article related with course subject are executed by the students.

1. Graduation Requirements

Students have to complete 120 credits,

Students should be at least 2 CGPA or above,

Students are required  to do 30 days internship,

Students must also pass from four non-credit courses related with Turkish History and Languages.

 Explanation of Courses 

POLS 101 - Introduction to Political Science (3,0)3

This course introduces students to the discipline of political science. Basic definitions of the political process and the fundamental concepts used in studying politics are discussed. The course acquaints students with how political scientists think about society and provides a basis for more sophisticated research and understanding of empirical political theory, as well as skills for analysing political and social issues.

Textbook: Roskin, Michael G. & Cord, Robert L. & Medeiros, James A. & Jones, Walter, S. 2012. Political Science: An Introduction (12/E). Pearson.

PUB 102 - Introduction to Public Administration (3,0)3

Fundamentals of public administration and public policy: concepts, principles, and procedures; bureaucracy and factors of its continuous growth. Introduction to public policy process, policy implementation, principles of management in public administration, and of leadership in public organisations, budgeting, programme evaluation, and relations between central and local governments (principles of federalism) is presented and then a brief consideration of power and information hierarchy in public agencies and enterprises and issues relating to public privatisation is offered. 

Textbook: Shafritz, Jay M. & Russell, E. W. & Borick, Christopher P. 2012. Introducing Public Administration (8th Edition). Pearson. 

HIS 104 - World History & Civilizations (3,0)3

This course introduces the historical development of civilizations around the world, in terms of culture, economy, religion and politics. The course also focus on the rise and fall of the first civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece and Macedonia, Egypt, China, Roman Empire, early medieval states of the Western Europe, Byzantium, The Crusaders and Islam, Renaissance and Reformation periods, the Ottoman Empire, geographical and scientific discoveries, transformation of Europe and the relations between the rise of the Nation State and the development of culture.

Textbook: Cole, Joshua & Symes, Carol. 2012. Western Civilizations: Their History and Their Culture (Brief Third Edition) (Vol. 1). W. W. Norton & Company. 

POLS 202 - History of Political Thought (3,0)3

An analysis of the concepts of politics through the writings of major political thinkers, especially Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Marx and Mill is presented. Special focus will centre on the foundations of modern authoritarian and democratic politics. The course is a preparation to Contemporary Political Theory. 

Textbook: Rosen, Michael & Wolff, Jonathan. 1999. Political Though (Oxford Readers). Oxford University Press. 

PUB 204 - Public Policy Formulation & Implementation (3,0)3

The course reviews the complete chain of government decision making from policy formulation to its implementation and its evaluation in various public areas such as education, environment, health care and social welfare. The course covers the major elements and issues of government procedures and decision-making. It reviews the players, institutions and other factors affecting policy formulation and implementation in selected policy areas including non-profit organisations and the typology of interest groups. The objective of the course is to inform the student studying government management, business or public administration to understand both public - and private - sector development processes.

Textbook: Sapru, R.K. 2012. Public Policy: Formulation, Implementation and Evaluation. Sterling Publishers.

PUB 206 - Constitutional Law (3,0)3

A general and comparative introduction to constitutional law and public law for Turkey and other countries such as the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan. The course deals with the constitutional law as a political legal document as regards state and sovereignty, parliamentary democracy, liberalism and authoritarianism, citizen participation, plurality, and the principles of freedom and equality. 

Textbook: Hames, Joanne Banker & Ekern, Yvonne. 2013. Constitutional Law Principles & Practice, Delmar Cengage Learning.

POLS 301 - European Political History (3,0)3

Historical analysis of political and diplomatic relations between the great powers of Europe in the late XIX-XX century is presented and then the introduction of U.S. politics into the world power arena is included to the analysis. The emphasis is initially placed on the relations between Britain, France, Austria, Russia, Germany and the Ottoman Empire; the Eastern Question, German and Italian unifications, the Balkan Crisis, World War I and II. In the second half of the course, the emphasis will shift to the post-World War II diplomatic events: the peace conferences and settlements, the creation of the European Community, the history and political dynamics of the Cold War, and its European implications. 

Textbooks: Roberts, J.M. 1992. History of the World. London: Penguin Books.

Peacock, H.L. 1982. A History of Modern Europe 1789-1981. London: Heinemann Educational.

POLS 302 - Political Psychology (3,0)3

This course provides a psychological analysis of the political process, with special attention given to political socialisation and alienation as the two important political stages, which needs the utmost psychological attention in order to be well understood. 

Textbook: Houghton, David Patrick. 2008. Political Psychology: Situations, Individuals, and Cases. Routledge.

POLS 303 - Turkish Politics (3,0)3

This course aims to give a detailed knowledge and understanding of the scientific analysis of major political events in Turkey. Political structure, political culture, political system, election systems, party systems, ideologies and the basic political tendencies within the Ottoman-Turkish context is also be analysed from a sociological and historical point of view. 

Textbook: Zurcher, Erik J. 2004. Turkey: A Modern History. I.B. Tauris.

POLS 304 - Political Ideologies (3,0)3

Concepts and issues such as civil society, citizenship, nationalism, liberalism, conservatism, feminism, socialism, national-socialism, fascism, racism, sexism and other various new social movements and political ideologies is discussed both in theory and in actual practice. The course also connects ideologies to a broader social and economic system. 

Textbooks: Ball, Terence & Dagger, Richard. 2011. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal (8/E), Pearson.

Baradat, Leon P. 1988. Political Ideologies: Their Origins and Impact, Prentice Hall. 

PUB 304 - Programme Evaluation & Auditing (3,0)3

Public programme evaluation and productivity improvement. Stages of scientific and practical development: efficiency, budgeting, management, privatisation, auditing, etc. Types of evaluation: front-end analysis, process evaluation, problem monitoring, impact evaluation, synthesis and auditing methods. Fundamentals: definition, objectives, measures, study plans, etc. Detailed study of the major three innovations: The Bottom Line, Inspectors, and Total Quality Management. Scientific, technical, ethical problems associated with programme evaluation. 

Textbook: Johnstone, Karla & Gramling, Audrey. 2013. Auditing: A Risk-Based Approach to Conducting a Quality Audit. Cengage Learning.

PUB 305 - Public Finance & Budgeting (3,0)3

Fiscal functions and institutions in public sector. Typology of public budgeting process. Allocation, distribution and public choice: social goods and distribution. Structure of public expenditure and financial policy: expenditure evaluation, programmes and case studies. Principles of taxation: tax equity and tax incidence, excess burden and taxation effects. Tax structure: individual income, corporate income and other taxes. Fiscal federalism: principles and structure –case studies of different countries’ fiscal hierarchy. 

Textbook: Nice, David C. 2001. Public Budgeting. Cengage Learning. 

POLS 306 - Research Methods (3,0)3

This course is an introductory course to research methodology including research process and techniques, data collection, processing and analysis, findings and interpretation. The students will also complete a research project of their own and will learn to use scientific methods. 

Textbook: Neuman, W. Lawrence. 2003. Social Research Methods. Pearson Education Inc.

POLS 307 - Domestic Politics of Cyprus (3,0)3

Domestic of Politics of Cyprus is a departmental elective course which aims to enlighten students about the political parties and political life in northern Cyprus with a particular focus on the effects of internal politics on Cyprus Dispute. 

Textbook: Ker-Lindsay, James. 2011. The Cyprus Problem: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press.

PUB 307 - Public Policy Analysis I, (3,0) 3

The course deals with how public policies are decided, evaluated and planned in the complex system of bureaucracy, politics, law and economy and through the interaction of public and private entities, citizens and public bodies.  It starts with first how certain social demands and needs come into the agenda of public bodies and then are decided and turned into initial formulations and then how public policies are decided legally in political and bureaucraic bodies. The course offers several  case studies in the form of public projects and plans to teach how public system decides.

Textbook: Kraft, Michael E. 2012. Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives, 4th Edition. CQ Press.

POLS 308 - Civil-Military Relations (3,0)3

Civil-Military Relations is a departmental elective course that focuses on the literature of civil-military relations with a particular focus on Turkish democracy experience.

Textbook: Danopoulos, Constantin P. 2004. Civil-Military Relations, Nation-Building, and National Identity: Comparative Perspectives. Praeger. 

PUB 308 - Public Policy Analysis II, (3,0) 3

The course follows the course PUB 307 Public Policy Analysis I and offers the detailed analysis of how public policies, once decided, are put into practice and implemented stage by stage through concrete programs and projects,  analyzing financing, tendering and controlling processes as well as making the final evaluation of the policy in terms of its starting point, purpose, objectives and realization. 

Textbook: Kraft, Michael E. 2012. Public Policy: Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives, 4th Edition. CQ Press.

POLS 401 - Political Sociology (3,0)3

This course aims to give detailed knowledge and a required formation regarding fundamental subjects of political sociology to students from various programmes of the Faculty. In addition it aims to teach students how to reach the required knowledge and to equip themselves with the ability of analytical thinking. Another objective of the course is to re-examine political experience and the socio-political structure of various cases including Turkey. In accordance we will frequently try to understand the relationships between some sociological-political theories and certain aspects of our own societies in practice. 

Textbook: Giddens, Anthony. 2000. Sociology, Polity Press. 

PUB 402 - Comparative Public Administration (3,0)3

Comparative study of public sector structures and reforms in the developed industrial countries (US, Canada, France, UK, Germany, Spain, Scandinavia, Holland, as well as countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and Turkey). Issues, pertaining to the “DPM” formula, developed by the Chicago School of economics – Deregulation, Privatisation, Marketization, and their significance for public administration Different countries’ experiences with adapting their public structures and strategies to the constantly changing needs of growing economy and social problems. 

Textbook: Chandler, J.A. 2014. Comparative Public Administration. Routledge. 

PUB 403 - Local Government & Administration (3,0)3

The course is concerned with the relationship between central and local governments; responsibilities of municipalities and other local administrative units in delivering services, generating resources, evaluating and controlling municipal programmes. It also considers democratic and participatory function of local governments as well as problems and theories of urban and regional politics.

Textbook: Bowman, Ann O’M & Kearney, Richard C. 2011. State and Local Government: The Essentials. Cengage Learning. 

POLS 407 - Global Political Economy (3,0)3 

This course discusses key international political economic issues using a case based approach. Topics: Economic and political challenges of trade liberalization for both industrialized and developing nations, the role of natural resources and foreign direct investment in economic development, regionalism, global capital flows and financial crises, strategic trade and competition. The course also deals with political globalization as regards economic globalization and the dissolution of international system into a global one.

Textbook: Ravenhill, John. 2014. Global Political Economy. Oxford University Press.

POLS 408 - Media Politics (3,0)3

The course deals with the production of information, image and news within political and ideological processes and with the relationship between political system and media. The course also analyze how political system communicate with the citizens anf contribute to the formation of public space and how citizens impact on politicians, bureaucrats by implementing a public control system. 

Textbook: McQuail, Denis & Siune, Karen. 1998. Media Policy – Convergence, Concentration & Commerce, Euromedia Research Group, SAGE Publications.

POLS 409 - Nation State & Nationalism (3,0)3

This course covers nationalism and nation building in historical perspective. Ethnicity, national consciousness and ethnic nationalism will be analysed in an international comparative framework. The course deals with nationalism in the context of nation state and its building process and hence offers some aspects of state theories in general and social-cultural integration of people and citizens into a general social whole. 

Textbook: Malesevic, Sinisa. 2013. Nation-States and Nationalisms: Organization, Ideology and Solidarity. Polity. 

POLS 410 - Gender Politics (3,0)3

The course concerns male-female relations and gender identities in political life and puts special emphasis on the development of feminist theories and shows that gender identities are socially produced and have impacts on civil society and political power. Gender politics also considers woman question and woman movements in particular. 

Textbook: Krook, Mona Lena & Childs, Sarah. 2010. Woman, Gender, and Politics: A Reader. Oxford University Press. 

POLS 412 - Theories Of Democracy (3,0)3

The course introduces conceptions of democracy from antiquity to modernity and post-modernity and deals with antique, liberal-plural democracy, social-democracy and socialist democracy, radical post-modern democracy. The course focus on liber theory of democracy and democratic institutions in particular.

Textbook: Terchek, Ronald J. & Conte, Thomas C. 2000. Theories of Democracy: A Reader. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.  

POLS 413 - CONTEMPORARY HUMAN RIGHTS (3,0)3

This is an introductory course on the theory and practice of international human rights. The full range of human rights issues-international, national and non-governmental- will be covered. The course also analyses Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law War of Law in the context of human rights violations of the recent periods. 

Textbook: Neier, Aryeh. 2013. The International Human Rights Movement: A History (Human Rights and Crimes against Humanity). Princeton University Press.

POLS 414 - International Environmental Politics (3,0)3

This course will focus on applying divergent theoretical approaches to analysis of the causes, consequences for resolvability of international environmental issues, and look at how these issues in turn affect the future of international relations. 

Textbook: Brenton, Tony. 1994. The Greening of Machiavelli. London: Earthscan Publications Ltd.

POLS 415 - Political Parties & Election Systems (3,0)3

This course is designed to introduce the student to some basic aspects of the Turkish social structure; such as politics, system of norms and economy, population, modes of residence, social classes and family will be other important issues of concern. 

Textbooks: Michels, Robert. 1966. Political Parties. Free Press.

Dalton, Russell J. & Farrell, David M. 2013. Political Parties and Democratic Linkage: How Parties Organize Democracy. Oxford University Press.

POLS 416 - Theories Of State (3,0)3 

The course is concerned with the theories of state according to its classical, liberal, conservative, Weberian, Marxist and Post-modern conceptions and forcuses on the modern state, its functions and political-bureaucratic organization in particular, and its relation to society, law, economy and international system. Finally, the course concerns fordist, Keynesian, welfare and nation characteristics which under change and dissolution. 

Textbook: Vincent, Andrew. 1991. Theories of State. Wiley-Blackwell.

POLS 417 - Contemporary Political Theory (3,0)3

This course outlines the history of political thought of more recent thinkers, all of whom have reformulated classical political theories in the twentieth century, such as V. Lenin, Frederich Hayek, Antonio Gramsci, Hannah Arendth, Lousi Althusser, Michael Focault, John Rawls, Andre Gorz, Jurgen Habermas, Ralph Miliband, and Francis Fukuyama, Manuell Castells, and David Harvey. 

Textbook: Kymlicka, Will. 2001. Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Introduction. Oxford University Press.

POLS 418 – Lobbying (3,0)3

This course is concerned with explaining the concept of lobbying and different techniques of lobbying for interest groups in modern democratic political life.  

Textbook: Guyer, Robert L. 2007. Guide to State Legislative Lobbying, Third Edition. Engineering THE LAW, Inc.

STJ 030 - Internship (NC) 

The internship is compulsory for the students at the end of third year. Its period must be minimum of 30 calendar days and students are required to prepare a report.