Course ID: | POLS 4700. 3 hours. |
Course Title: | Constitutional Law: Powers |
Course Description: | Supreme court cases on the separation of powers, national and state regulatory powers, the federal system, and the role of the courts. |
Oasis Title: | Constitutional Law Powers |
Duplicate Credit: | Not open to students with credit in POLS 4700E, POLS 4700H |
Prerequisite: | POLS 1101 or POLS 1101S or POLS 1101E or POLS 1105H |
Semester Course Offered: | Not offered on a regular basis. |
Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
|
Course Objectives: | By the end of this course, students should be able to do the following:
(1) understand the concept of “constitutionalism” and how a written constitution
promotes the rule of law;
(2) understand the origin, purpose, strengths, and weaknesses of judicial review;
(3) understand the basics of constitutional interpretation (such as the
difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint, the arguments
for and against the use of “original intent” to clarify ambiguous
constitutional language, and whether the constitution should be read
literally or not);
(4) understand the constitutional underpinnings of the separation of powers
between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S.
government and be able to describe how and why the powers of the three
branches have evolved as they have;
(5) understand the concept of federalism and be able to explain the tensions
between “states’ rights” and the concept of national supremacy;
(6) understand the significance of the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,
the concept of state “police powers,” and Congress’s use of the Commerce
Clause to regulate both the transportation and production of goods;
(7) understand and critique the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in determining
the balance of power among the various branches and levels of government. |
Topical Outline: | 1. The Supreme Court, Judicial Review, and Constitutional Politics
2. The Development of Law: Comparative Constitutional Interpretation
3. Jurisdiction and Decision Making
4. Judicial Self-Restraint and Access Doctrines
5. Presidential Power: Foreign Affairs and Domestic Affairs
6. Legislative Power: Taxing, Spending, and Investigatory Powers
7. Congress: Membership and Immunities
8. Federalism
9. Economic Rights |
Honor Code Reference: | All academic work must meet the standards contained in "A Culture of Honesty."
Students are responsible for informing themselves about these standards before
performing academic work. The penalties for academic dishonesty are severe and
ignorance is not an acceptable defense. Also note that the course syllabus is a
general plan for the course and that deviations announced to the class by the
instructor may be necessary. (www.uga.edu/ovpi/academic_honesty/academic_honesty.htm) |