Pols 403 Online Spring/Summer 2012
Course Theme Video (with sound):
COURSE NUMBER: Pols 403 Social and Health Policy and Administration (all online sections)
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Morris
OFFICE: ADMIN BUILDING 3063
TELEPHONE: 250-960-5931
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course looks at the welfare state and social programs in Canada, including British Columbia, the USA and elsewhere. It focuses on the emergence, administration and debates over reform of public health care.
Apart from the text, all materials are available online. There is no set time a student must be logged in to the course. However, assignments do have specific due dates. The class can be taken from anywhere in the world with reliable Internet access (note: China and a few other countries may block access).
REQUIRED READING
- Fierlbeck, Catherine. Health Care in Canada: A Citizen’s Guide to Policy and Politics. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2011. [Available for purchase through UNBC bookstore, in person or online]
- On-line readings as assigned within the class website.
GRADING
- 20% Participation (commenting on topics and the contributions of other students)
- 16% Short answer questions (answer 2 – one before the midterm and one after – worth 8 marks each; 250-400 words each)
- 32% Open book take-home midterm (4 short answer questions, 8 marks each, 250-400 words each)
- 32% Open book take-home final (4 short answer questions, 8 marks each, 250-400 words each)
Students may earn an extra mark with a top three standing in the optional Super Fun Bonus Quiz, a multiple choice quiz on political trivia.
Students are required to create an avatar (upload a digital image of themselves) in the first week of class, as part of their participation requirement.
For information on how the web course is set up and how you will access it and navigate in it, please see “Web Course Help” (above) or click here.
Extensions on assignments are not permitted except due to illness or a serious extenuating circumstance. The student must inform the instructor before the due date and provide documentary evidence. The student must provide the instructor with a draft of the assignment at the time indicating that substantial progress has been made. Late assignments receive a grade of zero. There will be no early or late exams to accommodate any travel or other requests. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. The minimum penalty for plagiarizing any written assignment will be course failure. More severe sanctions may be sought. Consult the university calendar and the instructor, for more information on plagiarism. Students are expected to work independently on all assignments, including the exams. The instructor will review assignments for collusion. Instances of shared work on assignments will be treated as plagiarism. A student who because of a disability requires special academic accommodations should contact the instructor and the Access Resource Centre.
Spring and Summer 2012 Political Science Courses
Registration is now open for:
POLS 316 – Municipal Government and Politics (web course)
July 03 to August 10, CRN 30320
POLS 327 – Leadership & Ethics in Local Government (web course)
May 07 to June 15, CRN 30319
PHIL 201 – Philosophy of Science (classroom course)
TR 9:00 to 11:50, May 07 to June 15, CRN 30264
Polar Day February 8-9, 2012
UNBC will be hosting Polar Day on February 8th and 9th to celebrate and highlight research and teaching in the polar and northern regions of the world. There are many opportunities for students, faculty and staff to participate in this unique and diverse exploration of the Polar regions.
Highlights of Polar Day will include a film-making course and film presentation by Mark Terry, an award winning documentary film maker and explorer and a presentation on Indigenous Land Use in the Canadian Arctic by Dr. Hugh Brody, a world-renowned anthropologist and Arctic scholar who has been involved for the last 35 years in Aboriginal issues in Canada and throughout the world.
Join the conversation about Polar education and research at the Polar Café, learn about northern and Polar research taking place at UNBC at the Polar Expo and experience the Polar regions at the Polar Theatre.
Polar Day Schedule
Film-making Workshop
Wednesday February 8th, 2:00-4:00 pm (Room 5-176, UNBC)
Mark Terry will be hosting a film-making workshop where he talks about documentary filmmaking in general, and how to produce a professional feature film independently and get it sold for television broadcast domestically and internationally. He will also be speaking about how the documentary can be used to bridge the gap between science and policy on the international stage, referring in particular to his own experiences and success working with the United Nations and the scientists of ArcticNet and the British Antarctic Survey.
Film: “The Polar Explorer”
Mark Terry (Canadian Explorer and Documentary Film-maker)
Wednesday February 8th, 7:00-9:00 pm (Room 7-212, UNBC)
The Polar Explorer was made in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme and was presented to delegates and world leaders attending COP16, the Climate Change Conference in Cancun last December. The film reports on the latest scientific discoveries related to climate change at both polar regions. It features the only footage ever taken of the world’s biggest iceberg, the Petermann Ice Island, a chunk of ice five times the size of Manhattan that broke from the Petermann Glacier in Greenland creating a considerable threat to rising sea levels and pressure on oceanic fault lines. The film’s director, writer and producer Mark Terry – winner of this year’s Gemini Humanitarian Award – is touring with the film to continue his mission of educating the world of these new environmental discoveries that will impact on all of us. “The land ice is melting at a much faster rate than any of us had previously realized,” he said. “A larger volume of fresh water is now being added to the world’s seas posing a threat to coastal communities around the world.” Mark Terry will be present for the evening screening and will answer questions following the film.
Polar Expo and Cafe
Thursday February 9th, 9:30 am-1:00pm (Wintergarden and Doug Little Lounge, UNBC)
The Northern Research Group will be hosting a Polar Expo, highlighting research being done at UNBC on the Arctic and Antarctic regions, and a Polar Café with our Polar Day guests, Hugh Brody and Mark Terry.
“Indigenous Land Use in the Canadian Arctic” Dr. Hugh Brody (Anthropologist and Canada Research Chair in Aboriginal Studies, University of the Fraser Valley)
Thursday February 9th, 1:00-3:00 pm (Room 7-238, Weldwood Theatre, UNBC)
Canada led the world in methods of researching indigenous land use. Pioneering work in the high Arctic was followed by studies in the subarctic and on the north Pacific coast. Hugh Brody worked on many of these studies and played a part in the shaping of northern research in the crucial period between 1971 and 1981. He then had the job in the 1990s of taking the lessons learned in Canada and applying them in the case of the first indigenous people’s land claim in southern Africa. His presentation will explore what this work achieved – especially in relation to indigenous knowledge in “scientific” research, and look at what it can show about the future of research in northern Canada. The presentation will begin with a clip from Hugh Brody’s 1974 film, THE PEOPLE’S LAND, allowing the voices of the Inuit and their relationship to both history and knowledge to set the themes.
For more information about Polar Day contact Gary Wilson (wilsong AT unbc Dot ca) or Sonja Ostertag (ostertag At unbc DOT ca)
Student Jobs: Ministry of Transportation
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be hiring recent graduates for full time, regular positions in our
Pols 320 Winter 2012
So you want to be a politician?
(Or at least, learn how to make them squirm?)
Pols 320 is for budding cabinet ministers, interest groups leaders and public opinion makers. You will learn how to write media releases and briefing notes, give inspiring speeches and survive testy press conferences. Students will also learn all aspects of the public policy process, and the fundamentals of political research.
COURSE NUMBER: Pols 320 Canadian Politics and Policy Winter 2012 [CRN#10338]
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Morris
OFFICE: ADMIN BUILDING 3063 – Office hours Tues/Thurs 1-3PM or by appointment
TELEPHONE: 250-960-5931
CLASS TIMES: Mon/Wed 11:30am-12:50pm – Room: LIB 5-157
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Pols 320 introduces the theoretical concepts and methods relating to the public policy process and its analysis, including public opinion surveys and statistical analysis. This knowledge will be applied to current domestic public policy issues. Students will conduct a public opinion survey as a group, and release the results to the media and community.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will learn all aspects of the public policy process, the fundamentals of political research and the key tasks of communications professionals that work for political parties, government and corporations.
REQUIRED READING
- Shively, W. Phillips. The Craft of Political Research. 8th ed. USA: Pearson, 2011 [earlier editions are acceptable]
- Web and library reserve readings as assigned in the syllabus
GRADING
- Midterm (four short answer questions, five marks each): 20%
- Press Conference Simulation (in small groups, and videotaped): 10%
- Speech (3-5 minutes, plus Q&A): 10%
- Media Release (1 page): 5%
- Talking Points (1 page): 5%
- In-class Participation: 10%
- Group Research Project: 15%
- Final (five short answer questions, five marks each): 25%
- Three students will earn a bonus mark with the “Super Fun Bonus Quiz”
Group Research Project: This class will apply the information on social science methodology being taught in class to the real world. Working together, students will decide on a research interest in a public policy issue area, plan a research design to study the interest, collect fresh data on their research interest, assess the data, and then present it in written form as a report, and to the media in class. Some class time is set aside for this project, but students will also be required to gather their data outside of class (one week of classes is cancelled to reflect this).
Note: The press conference simulation will be videotaped. Students will not be identified by name in the video, which will only be shown to the class. The video will be destroyed after the semester. Registration in this class shall imply consent to be videotaped. If a student does not consent to be videotaped, they will not be able to participate in the assignment and should contact the instructor. The group research project assignment may also involve students being recorded by video and/or audio means and the same provisions for the press conference simulation noted here are also in effect.
Extensions on assignments are not permitted except due to illness or a serious extenuating circumstance. The student must inform the instructor before the due date and provide documentary evidence. The student must provide the instructor with a draft of the assignment at the time indicating that substantial progress has been made.
Late assignments receive a grade of zero. There will be no early or late exams to accommodate any travel or other requests. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. The minimum penalty for plagiarizing any written assignment will be course failure. More severe sanctions may be sought. Consult the university calendar and the instructor, for more information on plagiarism. A student who because of a disability requires special academic accommodations should contact the instructor and the Disability Services Centre.
Pols 403 Winter 2012
Course Theme Video (with sound):
COURSE NUMBER: Pols 403 Social and Health Policy and Administration[CRN#10342]
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Morris
OFFICE: ADMIN BUILDING 3063 – Office hours Tues/Thurs 1-3PM or by appointment
TELEPHONE: 250-960-5931
CLASS TIMES: Wednesday/Friday 8:30-11:20AM (Jan 4-Feb 10 only) – Room: AGO 7-158
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course looks at the welfare state and social programs in Canada, including British Columbia, the USA and elsewhere. It focuses on the emergence, administration and debates over reform of public health care.
REQUIRED READING
- Gratzer, David (ed.). Better Medicine. Canada: ECW Press, 2002. [Free, full-text online through UNBC library and Google Books]
- Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada [The Romanow Report]. Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada (Final Report). Canada: National Library of Canada, 2002. [available free here]
- On-line readings as assigned within the class websiteGRADING
- 5% Practice Exam Question – Jan 13 (15 minutes)
- 35% In-class Midterm – Jan 20 (2 hours)
- 15% Politics Simulation – Feb 1
- 10% Participation
- 35% In-class Final – Feb 10 (2 hours)
ASSIGNMENT DETAILS
Practice Exam Question (5%), Jan. 13: To help students know what to expect for the midterm and final examinations, an in-class question will be given on this day. Students will have 15 minutes to answer one out of three short answer questions, in 250-400 words.
In-class Midterm (35%), Jan. 20: In two hours, answer five out of seven short answer questions, worth seven marks each, in 250-400 words each. Spelling and grammar count. Questions are based on all materials covered to the date of the exam. The questions will refer to the lectures and the readings.
Participation (10%): General discussion in our class. We want to speak in class to learn from each other and better understand the class materials.
Political Simulation (15%), Feb. 1: Our class will conduct a mock federal parliament, in class, 8:30am-11:20am. It will be student-run and student-led. All students will have roles to play. They are expected to perform and act according to their role, and will be evaluated in this regard.
In-class Final (35%), Feb. 10: In two hours, answer five out of seven short answer questions, worth seven marks each, in 250-400 words each. Spelling and grammar count. Questions are based on all materials covered to the date of the exam (except for the political simulation), but will focus on topics from after the midterm (it is still kind of cumulative, because topics from before the midterm, such as basic terms like federalism and issues such as funding and spending, can never be avoided). The questions will refer to the lectures and the readings.
Super Fun Bonus Quiz, Jan. 25: This optional quiz is multiple choice political trivia. There is no way to study for it and it is based on no class readings or lessons. The top three students will earn an extra mark toward their final grade.
PLEASE NOTE
The press conference simulation may be videotaped. The video will only be shown to the class. The video will be destroyed after the semester. Registration in this class shall imply consent to be videotaped. If a student does not consent to be videotaped, they will not be able to participate in the assignment and should contact the instructor.
Early or late exams for accommodating travel or work requests will absolutely not be accommodated. Extensions on assignments are not permitted except in case of illness or due to a serious extenuating circumstance. Late assignments receive a grade of zero.
The minimum penalty for any student caught plagiarizing on any written assignment will be failure in the course; more severe sanctions may be sought. Anyone who is unclear with the meaning of plagiarism is advised to consult the university calendar and the instructor.
A student in this course who because of a disability requires special academic accommodations should contact the instructor and the Disability Services office.
Pols 403-603 (online) Outline Fall 2011
Course Theme Video (with sound):
COURSE NUMBER: Pols 403 Social and Health Policy and Administration (Online) CRN 5011, 5012, 50432
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Morris
OFFICE: ADMIN BUILDING 3063
TELEPHONE: 250-960-5931
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course looks at the welfare state and social programs in Canada, including British Columbia, the USA and elsewhere. It focuses on the emergence, administration and debates over reform of public health care.
REQUIRED READING
- There is no required text (Gratzer, David (ed.). Better Medicine. Canada: ECW Press, 2002. [also free, full-text online through UNBC library and Google Books]; and Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada [The Romanow Report]. Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada (Final Report). Canada: National Library of Canada, 2002. [available free here] will be used extensively)
- On-line readings as assigned within the class website will be required
GRADING
- 2% Students are required to create an avatar (upload a digital image of themselves) in the first week of class
- 14% Participation (commenting on topics and the contributions of other students) – 7 marks in period up to midterm; 7 marks in period between midterm and final
- 14% Short answer questions (answer two – one before the midterm and one after – worth seven marks each; 250-400 words each)
- 35% Open book, take-home midterm (5 short answer questions, 7 marks each, 250-400 words each)
- 35% Open book, take-home final (5 short answer questions, 7 marks each; 250-400 words each)
Students may earn an extra mark with a top three standing in the optional Super Fun Bonus Quiz, a multiple choice quiz on political trivia.
For information on how the web course is set up and how you will access it and navigate in it, please see “Web Course Help” (above) or click here.
Extensions on assignments are not permitted except due to illness or a serious extenuating circumstance. The student must inform the instructor before the due date and provide documentary evidence. The student must provide the instructor with a draft of the assignment at the time indicating that substantial progress has been made. Late assignments receive a grade of zero. There will be no early or late exams to accommodate any travel or other requests. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. The minimum penalty for plagiarizing any written assignment will be course failure. More severe sanctions may be sought. Consult the university calendar and the instructor, for more information on plagiarism. Students are expected to work independently on all assignments, including the exams. The instructor will review assignments for collusion. Instances of shared work on assignments will be treated as plagiarism. A student who because of a disability requires special academic accommodations should contact the instructor and the Disability Services office.
Pols 403 (in-person) Fall 2011
Course Theme Video (with sound):
COURSE NUMBER: Pols 403 Social and Health Policy and Administration[CRN#50432]
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Morris
OFFICE: ADMIN BUILDING 3063 – Office hours Tues/Thurs 1-3PM or by appointment
TELEPHONE: 250-960-5931
Class times: Wednesday/Friday 8:30-11:20AM (Sept 7-Oct 14 only) – Room: AGO 7-158
Class website: http://healthpols.wordpress.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course looks at the welfare state and social programs in Canada, including British Columbia, the USA and elsewhere. It focuses on the emergence, administration and debates over reform of public health care.
REQUIRED READING
- Gratzer, David (ed.). Better Medicine. Canada: ECW Press, 2002. [Free, full-text online through UNBC library and Google Books]
- Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada [The Romanow Report]. Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada (Final Report). Canada: National Library of Canada, 2002. [available free here]
- On-line readings as assigned within the class website
GRADING
- 5% Practice Exam Question – Sept 16 (15 minutes)
- 35% In-class Midterm – Sept 23 (2 hours)
- 15% Politics Simulation – Oct 7
- 10% Participation
- 35% In-class Final – Oct 14 (2 hours)
Students may earn an extra mark with a top three standing in the optional Super Fun Bonus Quiz, a multiple choice quiz on political trivia.
Extensions on assignments are not permitted except due to illness or a serious extenuating circumstance. The student must inform the instructor before the due date and provide documentary evidence. The student must provide the instructor with a draft of the assignment at the time indicating that substantial progress has been made. Late assignments receive a grade of zero. There will be no early or late exams to accommodate any travel or other requests. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. The minimum penalty for plagiarizing any written assignment will be course failure. More severe sanctions may be sought. Consult the university calendar, the political science overview and the instructor, for more information on plagiarism. A student who because of a disability requires special academic accommodations should contact the instructor and the Disability Services office.
Pols 333 Outline Spring 2011
COURSE TITLE: Politics and Government of BC [CRN#30340]
COURSE NO: Pols 333
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Morris
TELEPHONE: (250) 960-5931
E-MAIL: jasonm@unbc.ca
OFFICE: ADMIN BLDG 3063
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
- What makes British Columbia perhaps the most interesting (and unusual) of provinces in Canada when it comes to politics and government? This question will be examined with reference to BC’s colourful history and characters, political culture, economy, system of government, political parties and relationship with its First Nations
- Students will be able to actively debate contemporary and historical matters of importance relating to politics, political institutions and the economy of BC from a position of both reason and confidence.
REQUIRED READING
- Howlett, Michael, Dennis Pilon and Tracy Summerville (eds.). British Columbia Government and Politics. Canada: Emond Montgomery, 2010
- Online readings as assigned
GRADING
- 2% Students are required to create an avatar (upload a digital image of themselves) in the first week of class
- 14% Participation (commenting on topics and the contributions of other students) – 7 marks in period up to midterm; 7 marks in period between midterm and final
- 14% Short answer questions (answer two – one before the midterm and one after – worth seven marks each; 250-400 words each)
- 35% Open book, take-home midterm (5 short answer questions, worth seven marks each, 250-400 words each)
- 35% Open book, take-home final (5 short answer questions, worth seven marks each; 250-400 words each)
Students may earn an extra mark with a top three standing in the optional Super Fun Bonus Quiz, a multiple choice quiz on political trivia.
For information on how the web course is set up and how you will access it and navigate in it, please click here.
Extensions on assignments are not permitted except due to illness or a serious extenuating circumstance. The student must inform the instructor before the due date and provide documentary evidence. The student must provide the instructor with a draft of the assignment at the time indicating that substantial progress has been made. Late assignments receive a grade of zero. There will be no early or late exams to accommodate any travel or other requests. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. The minimum penalty for plagiarizing any written assignment will be course failure. More severe sanctions may be sought. Consult the university calendar and the instructor, for more information on plagiarism. Students are expected to work independently on all assignments, including the exams. The instructor will review assignments for collusion. Instances of shared work on assignments will be treated as plagiarism. A student who because of a disability requires special academic accommodations should contact the instructor and the Disability Services office.
Pols 403-603 Spring/Summer 2011 Outline
Course Theme Video (with sound):
COURSE NUMBER: Pols 403/603 Social and Health Policy and Administration (Online)
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Morris
OFFICE: ADMIN BUILDING 3063
TELEPHONE: 250-960-5931
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course looks at the welfare state and social programs in Canada, including British Columbia, the USA and elsewhere. It focuses on the emergence, administration and debates over reform of public health care.
REQUIRED READING
- There is no required text (Gratzer, David (ed.). Better Medicine. Canada: ECW Press, 2002. [also free, full-text online through UNBC library and Google Books]; and Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada [The Romanow Report]. Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada (Final Report). Canada: National Library of Canada, 2002. [available free here] will be used extensively)
- On-line readings as assigned within the class website will be required
GRADING
- 2% Students are required to create an avatar (upload a digital image of themselves) in the first week of class
- 14% Participation (commenting on topics and the contributions of other students) – 7 marks in period up to midterm; 7 marks in period between midterm and final
- 14% Short answer questions (answer two – one before the midterm and one after – worth seven marks each; 250-400 words each)
- 35% Open book, take-home midterm (5 short answer questions, 7 marks each, 250-400 words each)
- 35% Open book, take-home final (5 short answer questions, 7 marks each; 250-400 words each)
Students may earn an extra mark with a top three standing in the optional Super Fun Bonus Quiz, a multiple choice quiz on political trivia.
For information on how the web course is set up and how you will access it and navigate in it, please see “Web Course Help” (above) or click here.
Extensions on assignments are not permitted except due to illness or a serious extenuating circumstance. The student must inform the instructor before the due date and provide documentary evidence. The student must provide the instructor with a draft of the assignment at the time indicating that substantial progress has been made. Late assignments receive a grade of zero. There will be no early or late exams to accommodate any travel or other requests. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. The minimum penalty for plagiarizing any written assignment will be course failure. More severe sanctions may be sought. Consult the university calendar and the instructor, for more information on plagiarism. Students are expected to work independently on all assignments, including the exams. The instructor will review assignments for collusion. Instances of shared work on assignments will be treated as plagiarism. A student who because of a disability requires special academic accommodations should contact the instructor and the Disability Services office.
