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CMIST Undergraduate Courses

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84-104 Decision Processes in American Political Institutions

This is an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of politics and government in the United States. It familiarizes the student with the basic structures and processes of American government, but moves beyond the purely descriptive into the realm of the analytical. The…

84-110 Foundations of Political Economy

Political Economics studies the interplay between economics and politics. Politicians, for example, may deviate from welfare-maximizing policies due to political pressures. Conversely, the economic and political consequences of policy decisions can shape the choices of…

84-120 Introduction to US Constitutional Law

This course provides an introduction to the United States Constitution and the principles of constitutional law. Using landmark Supreme Court cases that have shaped the development of constitutional law in the United States, students will gain familiarity with legal…

84-215 Tomorrow's Professionals

Professionalism is the cornerstone of a healthy and productive workplace. It is a defining component of success, but it is not innate. Rather, professionalism is taught and learned. It should be practiced deliberately and developed over time and with experience. It is a…

84-226 International Relations

This course introduces students to the discipline of international relations (IR) and enables students to examine the causes of war and peace, the role of international institutions and non-state actors in world politics, and the forces that shape international political…

84-250 Writing for Political Science and Policy

Writing and briefing are essential skills in the policy discipline. This course will equip students with the tools necessary to enter professional policy-related domains. We will use a workshop format that promotes classroom discussions, small group work, and practical…

84-252 Briefing in the Policy World

Briefing is a critical skill for the policy world as it is the most direct and formal means of communication with the policy and or decision maker. One successful brief can fast-track a career, identify you as a subject-matter-expert, and open dialogue with…

84-266 Research Design for Political Science

This course develops foundational skills in causal inference and research design in political science. It prepares students to read, interpret, and critique research effectively, and helps them begin the process of learning how to conduct original empirical research in…

84-267 Data Science for Political Science

This course develops foundational skills in data science and quantitative analysis. The course provides students with hands-on experience in using and analyzing data to answer questions in international relations and political science. Students will…

84-274 An Introduction to Technology and War

“Advancements” in military technology over time have enabled countries to kill quickly, with pinpoint precision, and on a massive scale from thousands of miles away. Today, emerging technologies also empower state and non-state actors to use lethal…

84-275 Comparative Politics

This course is an introduction to the subfield of Political Science called Comparative Politics. In this subfield we use comparative methods to study and compare domestic politics across countries. In this course, we aim to learn about how political systems differ, discuss…

84-280 Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how many words are moving pictures––that is, movies––worth? The stories captured in movies shape our ideas about the world, our sense of right and wrong, and our hopes and dreams. They can…

84-304 In the News: Analysis of Current National Security Priorities

This discussion-based course will examine the headlines in international relations, defense, national security, and homeland security. We will follow major news stories, breaking down media coverage to go deeper, conducting our own unique analysis as a group but also…

84-306 Latin American Politics

The world's most unequal region is an area of contrasts. Ethnically diverse, stable and tumultuous, young and old, urban and rural, learned and illiterate, prosperous and poor, independent yet dependent. The disparities that have characterized the region since colonial…

84-309 American Political Divides and Great Debates

This is a dynamic course that delves into the complexities of political polarization in the United States. This course is designed not only to educate but also to actively engage students in the analysis of some of the most divisive and challenging issues facing the nation…

84-312 Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa

The spread and growth of terrorism on the continent of Africa has increased substantially over the last decade; this mini is an introduction to the major terrorism groups that operate in sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout the course, we will examine the nexus of the terrorist…

84-317 Defense PPBE in the Age of Emerging Technologies

This course offers a comprehensive, strategic inquiry into the Department of Defense Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Policy. Focusing on the critical intersection of emerging technologies and the future of warfare, students will undertake a thorough…

84-318 Politics of Developing Nations

Be it on our feet, in our grocery bags, or in the news, our daily lives connect us to people in the developing world. Despite such an intricate relationship, we tend to know very little about developing nations and their challenges beyond a common stereotype of poverty.…

84-319 Civil-Military Relations

Why do militaries (people with guns) ever obey civilians (people without guns)? Can we have a military strong enough to protect civilians, yet not so strong as to ignore or subvert civilian authority? What is the dividing line between civilian and military spheres of…

84-322 Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution

How can everyday people promote justice, equality, and democracy? Throughout history, many have looked to armed struggle and revolutionary violence. But over the course of the last century, nonviolent "people power" movements -- from Gandhi's salt march to the Arab Spring…

84-323 War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East

This course examines the drivers and dynamics of war and peace in the contemporary Middle East. It is structured around a series of key debates about different facets of conflict and violence in the region, such as the causes of rebellion, the reasons resistance…

84-324 The Future of Democracy

After the Cold War, Francis Fukuyama famously argued that humanity had reached the "end of history" insofar as liberal democracy had become the last viable form of government. Yet today, illiberal democracies and dictatorships persist, the world has witnessed the return of…

84-325 Contemporary American Foreign Policy

This course provides a survey of American foreign policy since World War I as a means of explaining why American foreign policy looks the way it does today. We will cover topics such as America's perennial battles between isolationism and internationalism, the creation of…

84-328 Military Strategy and Doctrine

While major interstate warfare has markedly declined since World War II, recent events illustrate that the causes and dynamics of major war remain some of the most important topics in international politics. This course will survey how the causes, conduct, and termination…

84-329 Asian Strategies

What are the strategies of leading Asian countries?  How do they intend to pursue their economic, political, and military goals in the years ahead?  What role will technology and information play in advancing their strategic objectives?  These…

84-332 Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues

This course will explore the recent redefinition of rights by the supreme court on such issues e.g. gun rights, vaccine mandates, reproduction, death penalty, voting, presidential immunity and affirmative action. The theme of the course will focus on different schools of…

84-334 The History and Practice of Economic Statecraft

The use of economic tools in a world of dense international economic networks to coerce other governments to achieve foreign policy aims is central to understanding the world we see and in augmenting our understanding of the wisdom of various policy options. Economic…

84-336 Implementing Public Policy: From Good Idea to Reality

Good public policy doesn't just "happen." Rather, successful policy is the result of thorough research, careful drafting, and successful navigation within the government or non-government organization whose leadership may ultimately promulgate it. The course begins with a…

84-338 Analysis of US Presidential Powers

This course will explore the evolution of presidential power and the underlying theories that support the expansion of the executive branch in contemporary politics. Some of the topics that will be covered include - emergency powers, presidential immunity, the "Steel…

84-339 Seminar in Public Policy Research

Public policy has high stakes. The taxes we pay, our access to medical care, the quality and composition of the military- all of these are the direct result of US public policy. Furthermore, public policy often touches on highly contested issues such as private gun…

84-348 Advocacy, Policy, and Practice

This course examines the role that advocacy and advocacy organizations play at all stages of the policymaking and implementation process, from grassroots to professional advocacy organizations, public facing communications initiatives to internal policy-focused actions.…

84-351 Bias, Objectivity, and the Media's Role in Politics

For decades, the pursuit of objectivity has guided media coverage, with organizations striving to present politics in a neutral, unbiased, and balanced manner. However, this modern development in news coverage has not been without its criticisms. This course offers an…

84-352 Representation and Voting Rights

What does it mean to be represented? Who is represented, who is not? What is the nature of that representation? In practice, does representation result in policy congruence? In this course, we will explore the concept of representation, what it means in theory,…

84-354 The American Experiment: Unraveling the US Electoral System

In 2022, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer noted that Americans are participating in a democratic experiment that Thomas Jefferson launched with the Declaration of Independence. The same unique and improbable system outlined by the Framers of the Constitution…

84-355 Democracy’s Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections

“Democracy’s Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections” offers a unique blend of political science and data analytics, focusing on the American electoral process with a special emphasis on contemporary elections. This course bridges…

84-360 CMU/WSP Internship Seminar

The internship is the experiential "core" of the Washington Semester Program. Students intern three days per week, for approximately 24-25 hours, in offices from Capitol Hill to the White House and including opportunities in cabinet agencies, nonprofit institutions,…

84-362 Diplomacy and Statecraft

Diplomacy and statecraft are the driving forces behind foreign policy and international politics. In the first part of the course, students are introduced to the concepts, theories, and history of diplomacy. Students survey examine key cases and statesmen and women in…

84-363 Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict

This course explores the multifaceted landscape of cyber conflict across three distinct layers of the Internet: the cyber-physical layer, the software layer, and the application layer. The course will investigate the strategic use of these Internet layers by governments,…

84-365 The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation

This course analyzes the drivers and dynamics of fake news and misinformation in social and political life. From conspiracy theories about COVID and climate change to misinformation about political violence and conflict, how can we characterize fake news and misinformation…

84-367 The Politics of Antisemitism

The course examines the phenomenon of antisemitism in contemporary international politics. Antisemitism is an old form of prejudice, but concerns about its growth and consequences are very present in the news today. Meanwhile, the term has also become something of a…

84-369 Decision Science for International Relations

Decision Science looks at choices from three interrelated perspectives: analysis, characterizing decision makers' options, in terms of expected effects on outcomes that they value; description, characterizing decision makers' beliefs and preferences; and interventions,…

84-370 Nuclear Security and Arms Control

This course introduces students to the importance and challenges of implementing safeguards surrounding nuclear energy and arms control. Students will learn the history of nuclear and conventional weapons proliferation, assess the effectiveness of current treaties export…

84-372 Space and National Security

Space systems contribute a great deal to America's security, prosperity, and quality of life. This course examines how space-based services provide critical support to military and intelligence operations and contribute to national security more broadly. The course is…

84-380 US Grand Strategy

What role should the United States play in the world? Should the U.S. solely protect its own borders or advance democracy, promote human rights, and contain aggressive countries? These are questions that Americans have wrestled with throughout modern U.S. history. In this…

84-383 Cyber Policy as National Policy

The decisions nations make in cyberspace have profound implications for both prosperity and sovereignty. The internet is a digital thread tying together peoples. The nature of our participation in this ecosystem is determined by policy makers. Cyber policy mirrors the…

84-387 Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict

This course analyzes the impact of remote systems and the cyber domain on national security. We will study the development of these technologies, how and why they have been used by state and non-state actors in conflict, their impact on the battlefield, and potential…

84-388 Concepts of War and Cyber War

This course examines traditional theories, concepts, and practices in international relations and warfare- conventional, unconventional, and modern- and relates them to the emerging dynamics of cyber war. The principle concepts examined in this course reflect, have shaped,…

84-389 Terrorism and Insurgency

This course provides an introduction to terrorism, insurgency, and civil war, covering the causes, dynamics, consequences, and policy responses to these forms of political violence. Insurgent and terrorist groups are some of the most important actors behind security…

84-390 Social Media, Technology, and Conflict

This course will examine the role that social media and technology have had on conflict at multiple levels, both between and within nations. Interconnectedness has expanded dramatically and continues to expand, allowing the formerly disconnected—individuals with…

84-393 Legislative Decision Making: US Congress

This course analyzes decision-making by the United States Congress. The course examines legislative behavior by focusing on the way Congress is organized (institutional and constitutional structure) and the ways legislators, voters, and various other parties interact…

84-405 The Future of Warfare

Warfare is constantly evolving. In the contemporary conflict environment, the prospect of large-scale conflict between near-peer states is converging rapidly with proxy conflicts and threats typically posed by nonstate and/or irregular actors and tactics. Competition…
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