Suggested Courses

UW-Madison has various elections-related courses for both graduate and undergraduate students. Many of these courses are taught by affiliated faculty.

To see current and future class listings, students must log into their My UW Student Center and use the Course Guide application.

Undergraduate Students

Political Science 100: Topics in Political Analysis – Electoral History of the U.S. and Wisconsin

Political Science 305: Elections and Voting Behavior
Psychological and social components of voting behavior, current electoral trends, role of voters in the governing process.

Political Science 373: Introduction to Survey Research
Theory and practice of survey research; planning, sampling, questionnaire construction, interviewing, content analysis, machine tabulation, analysis of data. This course is cross-listed with Journalism 373 and Urban Research Planning 373.

Political Science 402: Wisconsin in Washington Internship Course
This course offers the opportunity to apply many things learned in the classroom to the professional world and to apply things learned in the professional world to a student’s liberal arts education. Interning will introduce students to the professional world of political organizations giving them the chance to enhance professional skills, build a network of contacts, and explore possible career choices. This class stresses active reflection, self-assessment, and the honing of critical thinking and writing.

Political Science 410: Citizenship, Democracy, and Differences
A service-learning course designed to foster enhanced understanding of citizenship and civic engagement. Basic democratic theory, empirical research on political participation, functions and regulation of nonprofit organization.

Undergraduate or Graduate Students

Political Science 511: Campaign Finance
Examination of campaign finance, including: the philosophical rationale behind campaign finance regulations, the history of regulatory frameworks, the influence of campaign contributions on decision making, campaign finance laws in other countries, and reform proposals.

Political Science 515: Public Opinion
Formation of opinions within and among the political publics; their role in the development of governmental policy.

Political Science 537: The variety of institutions which are used to structure elections and representation around the world; voting rules, the structure of the legislature, cabinet formation, constitutional engineering and the art of political manipulation.

Political Science 601: Topics in Political Science – Elections Reform in America

Journalism 618: Mass Communication and Political Behavior
Interrelationships of news media, political campaigning, and the electorate. Impact of media coverage and persuasive appeals on image and issue voting, political participation and socialization.

Journalism 676: Media Bias and Political Behavior

Graduate Students

Political Science 821: Mass Political Behavior
An empirical analysis of the role of mass publics in political life and the factors which determine the formation and expression of political beliefs and attitudes.

Political Science 829: Political Communication
This course examines the role of communication in American politics. Topics covered include the communication of politics (e.g., communication by politics elites, effects of mass media and interpersonal communication on political attitudes) as well as the politics of communications (regulation of political communication, policy issues, etc.).

Political Science 873: American Political Parties
Reviews major approaches to analyzing political parties and understanding their developmental changes. Examines the parties in operation and the relationship of parties to the state and society.

Journalism 880: Politics in the Digital Age

Political Science 900: Public Opinion

Law 940:  The Law and Democracy Law 940: The Law and Democracy