Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

American National Government (Face-to-Face)

POLS 1100-03

Course: POLS 1100-03
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Political Sci Criminal Justice
CRN: 31645

Course Description

Source of democratic ideas and principles of the constitutional system. Cultural, group, party, and governmental influences on the process of public policymaking. The administration and impact of public policy. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: American Institutions

Required Texts

Textbook: Ginsberg, Benjamin, Lowi, Theodore J., Weir, Margaret, Tolbert, Caroline J., and Campbell, Andrea L. 2025. "We the People: Essentials Edition" 15th edition. Norton & Company. ISBN: 9781324085454


Learning Outcomes

American Institutions:  Upon successful completion of the General Education American Institutions requirement, students will be able to:

a.  Synthesize:  Analyze, contextualize, and interpret primary and secondary source documents to understand the history, principles, form of government, and economic system of the United States;

b.  Sources and Evidence:  Locate, evaluate, and use historically, politically, and economically relevant information and data to develop and enhance information literacy and research skills;

c.  Communicate:  Communicate effectively about the history, principles, form of government, multicultural populations, and economic system of the United States;

d.  Examine: Engage diverse viewpoints that contribute to a constructive dialogue about the history, principles, form of government, and economic system of the United States; and

e. Apply:  Apply historical, political, and economic perspectives and methods as appropriate to address big questions or threshold concepts pertaining to the history, political system, and economic system of the United States.


Course Requirements

Grading Policy


The final numeric grade will map to the final letter grade according to SUU's standard number to-letter grade conversion scheme. Final grades ending in .5 or higher are  automatically rounded up to the nearest whole percentage point.

A: 94-100
A-: 90-93
B+: 87-89
B: 84-86 
B-: 80-83 
C+: 77-79 
C: 74-76 
C-: 70-73  
D+: 67-69 
D: 64-66 
D-: 60-63
F: 0-59  


Syllabus Quiz

On the first Friday of the course, you will be required to take a syllabus quiz. This will consist of just a few questions on the policies laid out in the syllabus. This is worth 5% of your grade and will be posted on canvas. The purpose of this quiz is to ensure that you are fully aware of the expectations of you going forward in the course and the policies therein.

Attendance: 

To assess participation grades, I look for significant evidence that you are doing more than simply coming to class and passively waiting for the material to sink in.  It is important to note that good attendance is a necessary but not sufficient condition for getting an A for participation.  I keep track of who is attending and who participates in discussions.  I understand that some people do not like to speak in public.  For those people, I view office hour visits and emailed questions/comments related course material as reasonable substitutes for participation in class.  Indeed, office hour visits often represent greater commitment to the course than other forms of participation.

A note on attendance:  I do take attendance BUT I do not take points off for individual absences.  Nor do I care why you miss any one class.  If you just feel like you can’t handle school some day and want to go play or stay home and curl up in a ball, that’s fine with me.  That said, I do pay close attention to the overall pattern of attendance.  If you miss many classes and then show up with a doctor’s note for one of them, I will still focus on the large number of absences that were not excused.  I do take long term commitments that cannot be avoided into account.  So if you have a known issue that will cause numerous absences, let me know at the beginning of class so we can work out a way to deal with the potential conflicts.  Here are some examples of the kinds of issues that might warrant this:  health problems, varsity sports, military obligations, etc

Attendance and Participation Rubric  
A – Student attends almost every class while consistently demonstrating that he or she has completed and understands the assigned readings by participating in class discussion meaningfully. 
B – Student only attends most class meetings while completing all readings and actively participating in a meaningful way.  
C – Student attends almost every class but regularly fails to demonstrate completion of readings or participate in any meaningful way. 
D – Student only attends most class meetings and regularly fails to demonstrate completion of readings or participate in any meaningful way.  
F – Student regularly arrives late or misses class entirely, does not complete assigned readings, does not engage in class discussion meaningfully, or is disruptive or disrespectful.  


Attendance and Participation is worth 20% of your grade. 


Inquizitive

Inquizitive is the online e-learning component of the textbook. If you want, you can get 100% on each inquizitive quiz. The purpose of the inquizitive assignments are to test your understanding of the material. However, unlike a regular quiz, you do not have a set number of questions to do. There is just a maximum amount of points. When you answer incorrectly, the inquizitive system will prompt you to the area in the book where the answer can be found. 

Your inquizitive assignments are due every Friday at 11:59 pm and are worth 20% of your final grade. 


Exams

You will have 3 exams throughout the semester. Each exam will take place in the testing center on campus. I will give you 3 days to complete the exams–Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If for any reason you cannot complete any exam, you will take your makeup exam in person on the scheduled date of the final exam. 

These exams are worth a combined 30% of your grade. Each exam only covers the material in each section. 




Election Project


At the beggining of the semester, students will choose a competitive election to follow for the semester (https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings). Each week they will provide an update of how the race is unfolding. They will be given a prompt that is either aligned with the course material or the timing of the campaign season. During the final week of October, you will be asked to give a short presentation over your race, the major events, and who you expect to win.

Your weekly updates are worth 15% of your grade. Your presentation is worth 10% of your grade. Your presentation cannot be turned in late. 


Syllabus quiz | 5%
Attendance/Participation | 20%
Inquizitive | 20%
Election Project | 25%
Three Exams | 30%
Total | 100%

Course Outline

Week | Readings
Week 1 | Chapter 1: Introduction: The Citizen and Government
Week 2 | Chapter 2: The Founding and the Constitution
Week 3 | Chapter 4: Civil Liberties, Chapter 5: Civil Rights
Week 4 | NONE EXAM 1
Week 5 | Chapter 3: Federalism
Week 6 | Chapter 6: Public Opinion
Week 7 | Chapter 7: Media
Week 8 | Chapter 8: Political Parties
Week 9 | Chapter 9: Campaigns
Week 10 | NONE EXAM 2
Week 11 | Spring Break around here
Week 12 | Chapter 10: Congress
Week 13 |Chapter 11: Presidency
Week 14 | Chapter 12: Bureaucracy, Chapter 13: Courts
Week 15 | Final Exam
Finals Week | All makeup exams

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

With the exception of exams, all late assignments will receive a 4% penalty per day (max 50%).

If you miss an exam--for any reason--you will take a makeup exam, in person, on the scheduled date of the final exam. 

Attendance Policy

To assess participation grades, I look for significant evidence that you are doing more than simply coming to class and passively waiting for the material to sink in.  It is important to note that good attendance is a necessary but not sufficient condition for getting an A for participation.  I keep track of who is attending and who participates in discussions.  I understand that some people do not like to speak in public.  For those people, I view office hour visits and emailed questions/comments related course material as reasonable substitutes for participation in class.  Indeed, office hour visits often represent greater commitment to the course than other forms of participation.

A note on attendance:  I do take attendance BUT I do not take points off for individual absences.  Nor do I care why you miss any one class.  If you just feel like you can’t handle school some day and want to go play or stay home and curl up in a ball, that’s fine with me.  That said, I do pay close attention to the overall pattern of attendance.  If you miss many classes and then show up with a doctor’s note for one of them, I will still focus on the large number of absences that were not excused.  I do take long term commitments that cannot be avoided into account.  So if you have a known issue that will cause numerous absences, let me know at the beginning of class so we can work out a way to deal with the potential conflicts.  Here are some examples of the kinds of issues that might warrant this:  health problems, varsity sports, military obligations, etc

Attendance and Participation Rubric  
A – Student attends almost every class while consistently demonstrating that he or she has completed and understands the assigned readings by participating in class discussion meaningfully. 
B – Student only attends most class meetings while completing all readings and actively participating in a meaningful way.  
C – Student attends almost every class but regularly fails to demonstrate completion of readings or participate in any meaningful way. 
D – Student only attends most class meetings and regularly fails to demonstrate completion of readings or participate in any meaningful way.  
F – Student regularly arrives late or misses class entirely, does not complete assigned readings, does not engage in class discussion meaningfully, or is disruptive or disrespectful.  

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.