COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
PIR 111	B	1	4	0	0	4	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	NA
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Dr. Avdi Smajljaj asmajljaj@epoka.edu.al
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Integrated second cycle study program in Law
Classroom and Meeting Time:
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:
Course Description:	Introduction political science is a core entry level course. It introduces the study of politics, its methodology and boundaries. Topics include core concepts of political science and how to study politics scientifically using various methods and theories. Some of these main concepts are: democracy, political systems, political culture, political participation, parties, and pressure groups, voting behavior, executives, legislative, judiciary etc. Theoretical explanations are based on and documented in political practice. Completing of this course should give students the ability of orientation in the political reality.
Course Objectives:

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	power
2	institutions
3	politics
4	representation
5	democracy
6	political systems
7	ideologies

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	-Class introduction, syllabus and requirements (2 hrs); What is Politics? (2 hrs)
2	-What is Politics? (1 hr); Political Ideas and Ideologies (3hrs)
3	-Political Ideas and Ideologies (1 hr); Politics and the State (3 hrs);
4	-Democracy and Legitimacy (3 hrs); Regimes of the Modern World (1 hr)
5	-Regimes of the Modern World (2hrs); Nations and Nationalism (1hr); Debate on Democracy Chapter (1hr)
6	-Nations and Nationalism (2hrs); Politics, Society and Identity (2 hrs); First Quiz
7	-Politics, Society and Identity (1hr); Political Culture and the Media (3 hrs)
8	-Representation, Elections and Voting (3 hrs); Parties and Party Systems (1 hr)
9	-Midterm Exam
10	-Groups, Interests and Movements (3 hrs); Constitutions, Law and Judges (1 hr)
11	-Constitutions, Law and Judges (2 hr); Political Executives and Leadership (2 hrs); Second Quiz
12	-Political Executives and Leadership (1hr); Assemblies (2hrs); Debate on Political Leadership (or another alternative can be decided during the class) (1 hr)
13	Multilevel Politics (4 hrs)

Prerequisite(s):
Textbook(s):	1-Andrew Heywood, Politics, Fifth Edition, London: Red Globe Press, 2019. 2- R. Garner, P. Ferdinand & S. Lawson, Introduction to Politics, Second Ed. Oxford: OUP, 20123-Michael G. Roskin, Robert L. Cord, James A. Medeiros, Walter S. Jones. Political Science: An Introduction Fourteenth edition, New York and London: Pearson, 2017
Additional Literature:	1-Douglas A. Van Belle and Kenneth M. Mash, A Novel Approach to Politics, Washington DC: CQ Press,20102- B. Axford; G. Browing; R. Huggins, B. Rosamand; An introduction to Politics, 2nd Edition; London and New York: Routledge, 2002 3- R.E. Goodin; H.D. Klingemonn; A New Handbook of Political Sciences; Oxford: Oxford University Press;1998
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage:
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	To demonstrate understanding of key concepts and theories in political science
2	To explain the determinants of political attitudes
3	To follow national and international politics
4	To understand various governmental and non-governmental actors involved in political process
5	To gain knowledge of various research methods in political and social sciences
6	To identify and analyze political beliefs and behavior
7	To formulate his/her own ideas and possible solutions for individual life and for issues in the society

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Integrated second cycle study program in Law Program
1	Fitimi dhe përdorimi i njohurive të avancuara në fushën e drejtësisë dhe jurisprudencës, mbështetur në tekstet mësimore, materialet dhe burimet e tjera shkencore.	4
2	Fitimi i njohurive rreth çështjeve dhe problematikave të fushës së drejtësisë, së bashku me analizën e aspekteve historike, shoqërore e politike.	5
3	Fitimi i njohurive rreth organizimit të shtetit.	4
4	Fitimi i njohurive rreth kapaciteteve të analizës lidhur me konceptet dhe ndarjet kryesore të degëve të së drejtës.	5
5	Përmirësimi i aftësive për të punuar së bashku me disiplinat kryesore të shkencave sociale dhe disiplinat e tjera të cilat janë të lidhura me drejtësinë.	5
6	Fitimi i njohurive rreth drejtësisë duke përthithur terminologjinë profesionale të fushës.	5
7	Përcaktimi i ngjarjeve dhe temave komplekse, nëpërmjet zhvillimit të diskutimeve dhe bërjes së sugjerimeve të reja në përputhje me hulumtimet e fushës.	4
8	Fitimi i aftësive në përdorimin e programeve kompjuterike dhe të teknologjisë së informacionit me qëllim arritjen e qasjes në dijen aktuale.	4
9	Përmirësimi i të menduarit kritik dhe aftësive në kryerjen e hulumtimit në mënyrë të pavarur.	3
10	Fitimi i njohurive për të folur në një gjuhë të huaj në një nivel të mjaftueshëm për të komunikuar me kolegët dhe për të kuptuar zhvillimet bashkëkohore në fushën e drejtësisë dhe të jurisprudencës.	3
11	Fitimi i aftësive për të respektuar vlerat shoqërore, shkencore dhe etike gjatë mbledhjes dhe interpretimit të të dhënave që kanë të bëjnë me zhvillimet shoqërore dhe atyre në drejtësi.	4
12	Ndërgjegjësimi në lidhje me rëndësinë e të drejtave të njeriut dhe mjedisit.	4

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	30
Quiz	2	5
Final Exam	1	40
Attendance		10
Other	2	5
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	4	64
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	2	32
Mid-terms	1	10	10
Assignments	1	4	4
Final examination	1	15	15
Other			0
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

There should be explored new ways of encouraging students to read beyond the textbooks.