Department of Politics

Please check back for upcoming events.

USF BSU Call to Action
USF Faculty Association President Sonja Poole’s Statement
Gleeson library resource page with links to anti-racism resources and eBooks
Dr. Clarence Jones Statement on the National Crisis
Paradox and Promise: “A Nation’s Story: ‘What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” (Frederick Douglass)
“America, This Is Your Chance” Michele Alexander Op-Ed in New York Times, linking to further reading and viewing suggestions
Equal Justice Initiative
ACLU Know Your Rights at a demonstration
How to protest during a pandemic and still keep everyone safe
Othering & Belonging Institute readings, interviews, podcasts & workshops
The Movement for Black Lives policy agenda, actions, webinars & resources
“The Case for Uppercase: Commentary on style, dignity, and Black culture”, Christian Science Monitor
Zaneta Rago-Craft, “You may be your Black Colleagues Amy Cooper,” The Professor Is In
Andre Flynn, et al., The Hidden Rules of Race: Barriers to an Inclusive Economy
Melvin Leiman, Political Economy of Racism
#BlackLivesMatter PGI Micro-Syllabus
David Phoenix , The Anger Gap: How Race Shapes Emotion in Politics (Cambridge University Press, 2019).
Megan Ming Francis, Civil Rights and the Making of the Modern American State (Cambridge University Press, 2014)
Terry Smith, Whitelash: Unmasking White Grievance at the Ballot Box (Cambridge University Press, 2020)
Daniel Q. Gillion, The Political Power of Protest: Minority Activism and Shifts in Public Policy (Cambridge University Press, 2013)
Jamila Michener, Fragmented Democracy: Medicaid, Federalism, and Unequal Politics (Cambridge University Press, 2018)
Paul Butler, Chokehold: Policing Black Men (New Press, 2018)
Gillion, Daniel, The Loud Minority: Why Protests Matter in American Democracy (Princeton University Press, 2020).
Alex Vitale, The End of Policing (Verso Press, 2018)
Kellie Carter Jackson, Force and Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2019)
Kellie Carter Jackson, “The Double Standard of the American Riot.” The Atlantic, June 1 2020.
Justin Ellis, “Minneapolis had this Coming,” The Atlantic, June 9 2020.

Fall 2025 Course Listings

Politics Major Courses

Note: Course listings are subject to change - last updated on April 4, 2025

Course	Course Name	Course #	R	Time	Room	Units	Core
	Introductory Sequence (two 100-level courses required)
POLS 100-01	Ideas and Institutions (McBride)	40916	Y	TR 9:55 am - 11:40 am	CO 106	4	E
POLS 100-02	Ideas and Institutions (Friedman)	40917	Y	TR 9:55 am - 11:40 am	CO 417	4	E
	Thematic Seminars (two 200-level courses required)
POLS 210	Immigration and Citizenship (Coll)	41962		MWF 1:00 - 2:05 pm	LM 343	4
POLS 222	Approaches to Political Research (Murphy)	40919		TR 2:40 - 4:25 pm	ED 201	4	E
POLS 250	Politics of Social Movements (Durazo)	40920		MWF 10:30 - 11:35 am	LM 346A	4
	300 - Level Electives (five 4-unit courses required) Plus Politics Service-Learning/Internships (one 4-unit course required) & Senior Capstone Course
POLS 322	Politics of American Justice (Kessler-Mata)	40921		MWF 11:45 am - 12:50 pm	LM 141B	4
POLS 324	African-American Politics (Taylor)	40922		MW 4:45 pm - 6:25 pm	LM 141A	4
POLS 335	Political Power and Constitutional Law (Taylor)	40923		TR 6:30 pm - 8:15 pm	LM 365	4	E
POLS 338	Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective (Friedman)	40924		TR 2:40 pm - 4:25 pm	LM 352	4
POLS 350	International Law and Organizations (Zartner)	40925		MW 2:15 - 4:00 pm	LM 141A	4
POLS 351	Global Conflict Resolution (Zunes)	40926		T 6:30 - 10:10 pm	ED 104	4
POLS 355	United States Foreign Policy (Zunes)	40927		TR 2:40 - 4:25 pm	LM 346A	4
POLS 370	USF in DC: Seminar (TBA)	40928		TBA	TBA	4
POLS 371	USF in DC: Internship (TBA)	40929		TBA	TBA	8	SL
POLS 372	USF in DC: Research (TBA)	40930		TBA	TBA	4
POLS 392	SpTp: Global Food Security (Dowd-Uribe)	40931		TR 9:55 -11:40 am	MH 122	4
POLS 396	Public Admin Internship (Kessler-Mata)	40932		F 2:13 - 3:20 pm	ED 103	4	CEL
POLS 397	Fieldwork in Pub Int Org (Durazo)	42056		F 1:00 - 2:05 pm	CO 315	4	CEL
Politics Research Courses
POLS 492	SpTp: TBA (Kessler-Mata)	40935		MWF 10:30 - 11:35 am	LM 141B	2-4
POLS 495	Senior Politics Honors Seminar (Weiner)	40936		TR 12:45 - 2:30 pm	ED 102	4
	LSAT Prep (does NOT count toward politics major.)
POLS 92-01	LSAT Prep Course (Bronson)	40914		U 6:00 - 9:00 pm	KA 163	2
POLS 92-02	LSAT Prep Course (Bronson)	40915		W 6:30 - 9:30 pm	KA 367	2

Legal Studies Minor Courses

Course	Course Name	Course #	Time	Room	Units	Core
	Core Course:
POLS 322	Politics of American Justice (Kessler-Mata)	40921	MWF 11:45 am - 12:50 pm	LM 141B	4
SOC 354	Sociology of Law (Santos)	41030	TR 12:45-2:30 pm	KA 167	4
	Domestic Justice:
BUS 301-01	Business Law (Harding)	40117	MWF 11:45 am-12:50 pm	KA 167	4
BUS 301-02	Business Law (Harding)	40118	MWF 2:15-03:20 pm	KA 163	4
BUS 301-03	Business Law (Monroe)	40119	MW 4:45-6:25 pm	KA 311	4
BUS 301-04	Business Law (David)	40120	R 6:30 -10:10 pm	KA 111	4
POLS 335	Political Power and Constitutional Law (Taylor)	40923	W 6:30 - 10:00 pm	LM 141A	4	E
SOC 357	Criminology (Richman)	41031	MWF 10:30-11:35 am	KA 263	4
	Global Justice:
BAIS 350	International Law and Organizations (Zartner)	40248	MW 2:15 - 4:00 pm	LM 141A	4
POLS 350	International Law and Organizations (Zartner)	40925	MW 2:15 - 4:00 pm	LM 141A	4
SOC 302	Global Inequalities and Social Justice (Saeed)	41021	TR 2:40-4:25 pm	LM 365	4
	Field Placement/Internship:
POLS 396	Public Admin Internship (Kessler-Mata)	40932	F 2:13 - 3:20 pm	ED 103	4	CEL
POLS 397	Fieldwork in Pub Int Org (Durazo)	42056	F 1:00 - 2:05 pm	CO 315	4	CEL
	*Electives: Note: Domestic Justice and Global Justice courses may also be used as Electives within the Minor**
BUS 491	Honors: Business Law (Griffis)	40178	TR 4:35-6:20 pm	KA 111	4
POLS 399	McCarthySFUrban Policy Fellows (Brahinsky)	40934	M 11:45 am - 3:25 pm	LME 1225	4	F, CEL
SOC 325	Critical Approach to Race/Ethnicity (Shin)	41027	MW 2:15-4:00 pm	KA 267	4
	LSAT PREP (Does NOT count towards Legal Studies minor)
POLS 092-01	LSAT Prep Course (Bronson) - non-POLS Credit	40914	U 6:00 - 9:00 pm	KA 163	2
POLS 092-02	LSAT Prep Course (Bronson) - non-POLS Credit	40915	W 6:30 - 9:30 pm	TBA	2
	Internships:
	Internships for POLS 396 and POLS 397 must be law-related

Criminal Justice Studies Minor

Course	Course Name	Course #	Time	Room	Units	Core
	Core Course:
POLS-322	Politics of American Justice (Kessler-Mata)	40921	MWF 11:45 am - 12:50 pm	LM 141B	4
SOC 357	Criminology (Richman)	41031	MWF 10:30-11:35 am	KA 263	4
	Politics:
POLS 335	Political Power and Constitutional Law (Taylor)	40923	W 6:30 - 10:00 pm	LM 141A	4	E
	Sociology:
SOC 354	Sociology of Law (Santos)	41030	TR 12:45-2:30 pm	KA 167	4
	Field Placement/Internship:
POLS 396	Public Admin Internship (Kessler-Mata)	40932	F 2:15 - 3:20 pm	ED 103	4	CEL
POLS 397	Fieldwork in Pub Int Org (Durazo)	42056	F 1:00 - 2:05 pm	CO 315	4	CEL
	Electives: Note: May be substituted for the Politics or Sociology Elective within the Minor**

	LSAT PREP (Does NOT count towards Criminal Justice Studies minor)
POLS 092-01	LSAT Prep Course (Bronson) - non-POLS Credit	40914	U 6:00 - 9:00 pm	KA 163	2
POLS 092-02	LSAT Prep Course (Bronson) - non-POLS Credit	40915	W 6:30 - 9:30 pm	KA 367	2
	Internships:
	Internships for POLS 396 and POLS 397 must be law-related

Peace and Justice Studies Minor

Course	Course Name (Instructor)	Course #	Time	Room	Units	Core
	Intro Courses:

	Social and Economic Justice:
ECON 372	Development Economics (Katz)	40505	TR 4:35 - 6:20 pm	LM 241B	4	CD
POLS 322	Politics of American Justice (Kessler-Mata)	40921	MWF 11:45 am - 12:50 pm	LM 141B	4
SOC 302	Global Inequalities and Social Justice (Saeed)	41021	TR 2:40-4:25 pm	LM 365	4
SOC 325	Critical Approach to Race/Ethnicity (Shin)	41027	MW 2:15-4:00 pm	KA 267	4
	Peace and Conflict:
BAIS 375	Colonialism and Empire (Zarobell)	40249	MWF 10:30-11:35 am	KA 367	4
POLS 351	Global Conflict Resolution (Zunes)	40926	T 6:30 - 10:10 pm	ED 104	4
	Ethical Approaches:
THRS 136	Holocaust and Genocide (TBA)	41077	W 11:45 am-3:35 pm	KA 363	4	D3
THRS 270-01	African Theol/Cosmologies (Dube)	41088	MW 2:15 - 4:00 pm	LM 344	4	D2, CD
THRS 270-02	African Theol/Cosmologies (Dube)	41713	MW 6:30-8:15 pm	CO 418	4	D2, CD
THRS 361	Religion and the Environment (Mickey)	41093	TR 2:40- 4:25 pm	CO 314	4	D2
	Social Movements
POLS 338	Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective (Friedman)	40924	TR 2:40 - 4:25 pm	LM 352	4
THRS 125	Soc. Justice, Activism & Jews (Mandell)	41075	MW 2:15-4:00 pm	Gleeson 213	4	D3
THRS 130	Jews, Judaisms, and Jewish Identities (Bar-Gabai)	41076	R 2:40-6:20 pm	LM 346B	4	D2
	Internships
	Any PJS-related USF Service-Learning (SL) class can count towards the Internship requirement with the approval of the Program Director. In other words, a variety of internship and SL classes can count towards PJS internship requirement provided the content is PJS-related.
	Also note that students who participate in Living-Learning Communities (LLCs), such as Erasmus, Esther Madriz and Martin Baro, can fulfill some of the required courses for the minor, depending on whether the content of the courses is PJS-related.
	Davies Seminar often times fulfill a requirement for the minor as well, depending on the topic. For approval, please contact the PJS Chair
	A list of additional offerings is available from the program and on the Politics website every semester. For further details or to add the minor contact the current PJS chair, Prof. Marco Durazo at mdurazo@usfca.edu.

Welcome, here you will find student resources for the USF Department of Politics.

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Graduate

Undergraduate

Politics Minor
Public Policy Minor
Criminal Justice Studies Minor
Legal Studies Minor
Peace and Justice Studies Minor
Urban Studies
Public Service and Community Engagement Minor
2+2+3 Law Degree Program
3+3 Law Degree Program
4+3 Law Degree Program