PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code	Course Name	Semester	Theoretical	Practical	Credit	ECTS
POL1351	Introduction to Political Science	Spring	3	0	3	8

This catalog is for information purposes. Course status is determined by the relevant department at the beginning of semester.

Basic information

Language of instruction:	English
Type of course:	Non-Departmental Elective
Course Level:	Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery:	Face to face
Course Coordinator :	Prof. Dr. HAKAN YILMAZ
Course Lecturer(s):	Prof. Dr. HAKAN YILMAZ
Recommended Optional Program Components:	None
Course Objectives:	We can start a political science course with the following motto: "Everyone is a political scientist!" Indeed, each of us is a political scientist in the sense that we all live in politics, experience politics, are influenced by political processes, and, on occasion, choose to take action to influence political outcomes. We all have an intuitive understanding of politics based on our personal observations, daily life experiences, what we've heard from our parents and friends, and the news we've seen on traditional and social media. The primary goal of this course is to enable us to go beyond our intuitive understanding of politics by arming ourselves with the fundamental concepts and methodologies developed over centuries by some of the greatest minds in political philosophy and political science. By doing so, we will be able to progress from our limited personal perspectives to a more universal, theoretical understanding of politics. We shall be able to cultivate a healthy skepticism toward the political ideas being presented to us. We will learn how to base our political arguments and assessments on appropriate methods and reliable evidence.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
1. Grasp the principal types of authority, the core focus of politics.
2. Identify predominant reactions individuals display towards political authority.
3. Develop a fundamental understanding of the primary branches of political science: national politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political philosophy.
4. Demonstrate a basic competency with regard to the quantitative and qualitative methodologies of political analysis.
5. Explain the principal issues in political science, including political ideologies, the state, political regimes, and political culture.
6. Evaluate political problems objectively by utilizing the concepts and methods acquired during the course.
7. Formulate policy proposals for resolving political and social problems.

Course Content

Theories of Political Science, Ideologies, States, Constitutions and Rights, Societies and Regimes, Political Culture, Public Opinion, Political Communication and the Media, Interest Groups and Parties, Elections and Electoral Processes, Representation, Legislatures, Executives, Bureaucracies, Judiciaries, Institutions and Democracy.

The teaching methods of the course include "Case Study Analysis, Discussion, Problem Solving, Lecture, and Reading."

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	Introducing the content of and the requirements for the course.
2)	Introduction: A discussion of some conceptual and methodological issues regarding social science in general and political science in particular. An overview of the historical development of political science in relation to the other social sciences
3)	Political Ideologies – Part 1: Liberalism and Socialism.	"Political Ideas and Ideologies", in Andrew Heywood, Politics, 4th ed., ch. 2
4)	Political Ideologies – Part 2: Conservatism and other modern ideologies.	"Political Ideas and Ideologies", in Andrew Heywood, Politics, 4th ed., ch. 2
5)	The State: Theoretical Approaches to State Formation and Types of State.	"Politics and the State", in Andrew Heywood, Politics, 4th ed, ch. 3
6)	Political Regimes	"Governments, Systems and Regimes", in Andrew Heywood, Politics, 4th ed, ch 12
7)	Overview of the Midterm Exam Topics
8)	MIDTERM EXAM
9)	Democracy	"Democracy and Legitimacy”, in Andrew Heywood, Politics 4th ed., ch. 4 “Assemblies”, in Andrew Heywood, Politics 4th ed., ch.14
10)	Political Parties and Party Systems	"Parties and Party Systems", in Andrew Heywood, Politics 4th ed., ch. 10
11)	Elections, Electoral Systems, and Voting Behavior	"Representation, Elections and Voting", in Andrew Heywood, Politics, 4th ed., ch. 9
12)	Political Culture and Democracy	“Political Culture and the Media", in Andrew Heywood, Politics 4th ed, ch. 8
13)	Identity Politics	“Politics, Society and Identity”, in Andrew Heywood, Politics 4th ed, ch. 7
14)	In-Class Essay

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:

Sınavlarda başarılı olabilmek için iki temel bilgi kaynağını gerektirmektedir:

1) Ders anlatımları.
2) Andrew Heywood, Politics (Hampshire and New York: Palgrave, 4. baskısı ve sonraki baskılar).

Zorunlu ders kitabının yanı sıra, aşağıdaki kitaplar ek kaynaklar olarak kullanılabilir:

Bertrand Badie, Dirk Berg-Schlosser, Leonardo Morlino, International Encyclopedia of Political Science, London: Sage, 2011.

Leonardo Morlino, Dirk Berg-Schlosser, Bertrand Badie, Political Science A Global Perspective, London: Sage, 2011.

This course necessitates two essential sources of information, notably for excelling in the examinations:
1. The professor's lectures.
2. Andrew Heywood, Politics (Hampshire and New York: Palgrave, 4th edition and subsequent editions).

Alongside the required textbook, the subsequent books may serve as supplementary resources:

References:

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Midterms	1	% 50
Final	1	% 50
Total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 50
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		% 50
Total		% 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities	Number of Activities	Workload
Course Hours	13	39
Study Hours Out of Class	13	157
Midterms	1	2
Final	1	2
Total Workload		200

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Low	3 Average	4 High	5 Highest

	Program Outcomes	Level of Contribution
1)	To prepare the students to become communication professionals by focusing on strategic thinking, professional writing, ethical practice and innovative use of traditional and new media.	2
2)	To be able to have the ability to explain and identify problems associated with the relationships between events and facts in the areas of public relations, persuasive communication, communication management, corporate communications.	3
3)	To be able to understand how an organizational culture works and how employees and leaders create messages as a communication tool.	3
4)	To be able to critically discuss and interpret theories, concepts, methods, tools and ideas in the field of public relations.	2
5)	To be able to create effective public relations plans using fundamental planning components that include situation analysis, public profile, objectives, strategies and tactics.	1
6)	To be able to analyze primary and secondary research data in the fields of perception and reputation management and corporate communication practices.	1
7)	To be able to develop creative and persuasive management skills in terms of reputation, employee relations, leadership and similar corporate practices.	3
8)	To be able to explain and describe business marketing activities, economics, business law and global business practices.	3
9)	To be able to search, write, and design articles, newsletters, and fliers, brochures, and announcements, in styles and formats appropraite various audiences, mediums and settings.	2
10)	To be able to to use information, communication technologies and computer software with the required level of public relations, marketing communication, persuasive communication, communication management, corporate communications.	3
11)	To be able to recognize national and international, social and cultural dimensions of public relations.	3
12)	To be able to apply theoretical concepts related to mass communication, consumer behavior, psychology, persuasion,sociology, marketing, and other related fields to understand how public realtions works.	3
13)	To be able to apply the underlying theories of communication and the necessities of work safety to different types of public relations processes and campaigns.	1
14)	To be able to take responsibility in an individual capacity or as a team in generating solutions to given scenarios which can occur in public relations processes.	3