Course Overview This course explores the classical theories and methods used in political science research. Students will develop an understanding of the major theories of political science and the methods used to study them. The course will introduce the basic knowledge and theories about political ideologies, the political system, political participation, and international relations. Moreover, the course will also introduce students to the major research designs used in political science, including field, survey, and experiment studies. The course is lecture-based, with presentations by the students. The students need to attend the class and complete the assigned reading before the class date. Reference Book: Andrew Heywood. Politics. 5th Edition, Macmillan International Higher Education/Red Globe Press, 2019. Course Requirements and Grading Policy Participation (30%) This is a graduate lecture, and students are expected to attend all classes and actively participate. Students are expected to complete all the assigned readings and contribute to class discussions. In-Class Presentation (20%) + Research Paper (50%) The main requirements for the course are an in-class presentation and a research paper (about 7 pages, double-spaced) on a current issue that relates to political science. The students need to analyze this issue from the perspective of at least one assigned reading and give their own opinions. From week 12 to week 13, students need to give a Presentation (5-7 minutes) on this issue and the related reading(s). Specifically, the presenter needs to introduce the main argument and finding of the reading, explain how to understand the current issue from the perspective of that reading, and finally discuss whether you agree or disagree with that perspective. The final research paper will be due on January 3rd (one week after our last lecture)