Political Science (POLI) 357
Political Philosophy: Hobbes to Human Rights (Revision 3)

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Delivery Mode: Individualized study online
Credits: 3
Area of Study: Social Science
Prerequisite: None
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
POLI 357 has a Challenge for Credit option.
Overview
Political Science 357: Political Philosophy: Hobbes to Human Rights introduces early modern and modern political philosophy. The course provides a solid grounding in the content of Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan, John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Social Contract, John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty, and Harriet Taylor Mill’s “Enfranchisement of Women.” Attention is also given to the political writings of Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels.
Outline
Part 1: Re-Ordering Political Philosophy: The Individual
- Unit 2: Hobbes on Human Nature
- Unit 3: Hobbes on Civil Society
- Unit 4: Locke: An Overview
- Unit 5: Locke's Politics
Part 2: Modern Political Philosophy
- Unit 6: Rousseau
- Unit 7: The Rights of Women: Wollstonecraft
- Unit 8: Harriet Taylor and John Stuart Mill
- Unit 9: Marx
- Unit 10: Human Rights
Conclusion: Re-visioning Continues
Evaluation
Your final grade in Political Science 357: Political Philosophy: Hobbes to Human Rights is based on the grades you achieve in the assignments. To receive credit for the course, you must achieve a course composite grade of D (50 percent) or better. Students are advised that some universities require a minimum grade to receive transfer credit for a course.
Activity | Weighting |
---|---|
Assignment 1: Participation | 20% |
Assignment 2: Comparative Essay | 20% |
Assignment 3: Research Presentation | 25% |
Assignment 4: Critical Synthesis | 35% |
Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
All of the readings and study materials are provided online.
Challenge for Credit Course Overview
The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, and intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.
Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
- Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
- Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures
Challenge Evaluation
To receive credit for the POLI 357 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the examination.
Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 3, February 8, 2018.
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Updated November 19 2018 by SAS