POLS 271 Seminar on Political Campaigns

Campaign Semester provides Occidental College students with an opportunity to learn about political campaigns and elections through first-hand experience. Students receive a full semester of college credit (16 units) while volunteering full-time in a Presidential U.S. Senate U.S. House or gubernatorial campaign. The program is offered during Presidential and Mid-term elections. Students can volunteer for a Republican or Democratic campaign or a "minor" party if the campaign is set up to adequately supervise volunteers. In this course which will take place during the last five weeks of the semester students explore theoretical and applied concepts pertaining to United States political campaigns. Students will examine the role of money media candidates interest groups leadership gender race and political parties in terms of who wins and loses elections. Learning will take place through assigned readings professor lectures guest lectures from campaign experts and candidates and peer dialogues. Student learning will be assessed by their contribution to the classroom experience (discussion dialogue) discussion of assigned readings and examinations. Enrollment limited to students participating in the Campaign Semester Program. The program is open to all Oxy students regardless of major.

Students who participate in Campaign Semester take the following three courses (POLS 270, POLS 271, and POLS 272) simultaneously.