Power & the American Presidency ((3 Credits))

Catalog description

This course provides students a comprehensive understanding of the nature of the American system of government, in particular the Office of President. Students examine how the President is elected and how she/he governs in a system of checks and balances provided by the co-equal branches of Congress and the Supreme Court. In this regard, the course examines how the domestic powers of the office are both defined and constrained, while the powers of the presidency in foreign affairs are less so. In addition, the American system of government is viewed in the larger context of the European parliamentary system. Prerequisites: U.S. History I or II, preferably the latter.