1. To develop the students’ critical thinking and to reinforce the idea that Politics and Institutions can be interpreted in manifold ways.
2. To develop the capacities for self-assessment, self-improvement and team work.
3. To be efficient presenting information in an oral report.
4. To be able to explain the principles and major provisions of the three branches of government.
5. To be able to recognize the main ideological principles and political activity of the presidents studied.

Onsite classes: 40 hours. Classes (lecture and seminars) + other activities + tutorials + Presentations. Lectures will provide the theoretical explanations of the topics under discussion.
Seminars will explore the issues in more detail through analysis and discussion in individual and/or group work.
Seminars will be based on the interpretation of texts, statistics, maps, newspapers, movies…
Each reading together with the programed activities for each unit will prepare students for active discussion and further reflection in an associated seminar.
Materials will be provided by the lecturer at the beginning of the course or before every onsite class. They will include diverse materials, such as movies, academic articles, political/historical documents, websites, etc. Students may be supported through a platform (EPD), which will be used mainly for class communication.

Work hours: 85 hours. This time includes studying reading texts, seminar preparation, which involves fulfilment of written assignments, researching and working with other students to coproduce different kinds of assignments

125 horas

1,5

3,5

2

This course offers students the possibility of analyzing the presidential figure in the United States from a multifarious approach. Departing from the Supreme Law of the country, the students will have access to the most notable aspects of the American Presidency, from the causes (and, of course, the effects) for its creation, to the less known and more mundane aspects of this national symbol. The presidents of the United States will be scrutinized, then, through their role as national and international leaders to demonstrate whether their presidencies could be considered strong or weak. These inquiries will be based mostly on the presidents’ capacity to exercise their political influence over Congress and implement their executive value. Finally, we will learn about the relationship (if it exists) between the different US presidents and Spain.

General admission to the master's degree

Students should have acquired the desirable level in each of the competences specified in the assessment criteria:
1. Understanding and interpretation of the different formal aspects related to the three branches
2. Assimilation of the most important aspects about the American presidential figure
3. Recognition of the main ideological principles and political activity of the presidents studied
4. High standards of presentation and of written and oral English in all submitted coursework.
The final grade of the students will depend on their active and valuable participation in class (20%), class activities (20%), the preparation of an oral presentation (30%), an individual research paper (30%). Participation in class is HIGHLY encouraged and it will be assessed accordingly. Active participation will not only be restricted to the seminars, but also to lectures, which will also be conducted upon the comments and ideas posed by students.

Baptiste, H. Prentice and Rebecca Sanchez (2004). “American Presidents and their Attitudes, Beliefs, and Actions Surrounding education and Multiculturalism: Examining Presidents George Washington, James K. Polk, and Franklin D. Roosevelt”. Multicultural Education. 12.1: 33-40.
Golman, Jerry et al. (1989). The Challege of Democracy. Princeton, N.J.: Houghton Mifflin.
Lewis, David E. and James M. Strine (1996). “What Time Is It? Use of Power in Four Different Types of Presidential Time”. The Journal of Politics. 58.3: 682-706.
Lowi, Theodore J. (1984). “Ronald Reagan –Revolutionary?”. The Reagan Presidency and the Governing of America. Ed. Lester M. Salmon et al. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press.
Neustadt, Richard E. (1954). “Presidency and Legislation: The Growth of Central Clearance”. American Political Science. 48: 1954: 641-71.
Novak, Michael (1974). Choosing Our King. N.Y.: Macmillan.
Peterson, Paul E. (1994). “The President’s Dominance in Foreign Policy Making”. Political Science Quarterly. 109.2: 215-234.
Schlesinger, Jr. Arthur (1997). “Rating the Presidents: Washington to Clinton”. Political Science Quarterly. 112.2: 179-190.

The information on this sheet does not replace the subject program, which is the document where activities, material, readings and thematic content will be specified.
During the first week of in-person class, this program will be delivered in the classroom, and will also be available on the subject's virtual campus.