Political Science HONOURS PROGRAM

A Three Year B.A. (Honours) Course under 1+1+1 Regulations (2009) of University of Calcutta

Course Outcomes - Political Honours

Paper 1: POLITICAL THEORY

CO 1- Analysing what is Politics and explaining the approaches to the Study of Political Science- Normative,
Behavioral, Post Behavioral, Feminist.
CO 2- Assessing the theories of State (Origin, Nature, Functions): Contract, Idealist, Liberal and Neo-Liberal
Theories.
CO 3- Explaining the Concept of State Sovereignty: Monistic and Pluralistic Theories. Analysing the
changing concept of Sovereignty in the context of Globalisation.
CO 4- Classification of David Held's Democratic Theories.
CO 5- Understanding basic concepts of Liberty, Equality, Rights, Law and Justice.
CO 6- Assessing empirical Political Theory: System's Analysis, Structural Functionalism.
CO 7- Explaining Dialectical Materialism and Historical Materialism with special reference to relationship
between base and superstructure.
CO 8- Analysing the theory of class and class struggle.
CO 9- Describing the Marxist Approach to politics.
CO 10- Analysing Marx's concept of Freedom and Democracy: Nature, Features and Critique.
CO 11- Discussing Marx's Theory of State with special reference to Relative Autonomy of the State.
CO 12- Explaining Marxian theory of Revolution.
CO 13- Evaluating the major debates in Marxism: Lenin- Rosa Luxemburg debate on Political party.


Paper 2: COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

CO 1- Tracing the evolution of Comparative Politics as a discipline and drawing a distinction between
Comparative Politics and Comparative Government.
CO 2- Investigating the nature and scope of Comparative Politics.
CO 3- Analysing the approaches the approaches and models of comparison: systems analysis; structural
functionalism; and institutional approach.
CO 4- Critically analyzing the features of a liberal democratic and socialist political system with focus on
UK, USA and the People's Republic of China.
CO 5- Discussing the features of a federal system with special reference to USA and Russia.
CO 6- Conducting an intensive comparative study of the Executive (UK, USA, France and Russia);
Legislature (UK, USA and the PRC); the Judiciary (UK, USA and PRC).
CO 7- Critically looking at the rights of the citizens of UK, USA and PRC from a comparative perspective.

 

Paper 3: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN INDIA

CO 1- Introducing the Indian Constitution with a focus on the role of the Constituent Assembly and
examining the essence of the Preamble.
CO 2- Examining the Fundamental Rights and Duties of Indian citizens with a study of the significance and
status of Directive Principles.
CO 3- Assessing the nature of Indian Federalism with focus on Union-State Relations.
CO 4- Critically analyzing the important institutions of the Indian Union: the Executive: President; Prime
Minister, Council of Ministers; Governor, Chief Minister and Council of Ministers; The legislature:
Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Speaker, Committee System, State Legislature, The Judiciary: Supreme
Court and the High Courts: composition and functions- Judicial Activism
CO 5- Looking at the Constitutional Amendment Procedure with focus on the main recommendations of the
Constitutional Review Commission (Venkatachalliah Commission)
CO 6- Critically evaluating the Indian Party system -its development and looking at the ideology of
dominant national parties
CO 7- Evaluating the role of various forces on Indian politics: religion; language; caste; tribe; regionalism;
business; working class and peasants
CO 8- Evaluating the Electoral Process in India with focus on the Election Commission: Composition,
Functions and Role
CO 9- Investigating the New Social Movements since the 1970s:environmental movements,
women's movement and human rights movement.

 

Paper 4: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

CO 1- Explaining scope and subject matter of International Relations as an autonomous academic discipline.
CO 2- Approaches and methods to study the discipline through Political realism, Pluralism and Worlds
system's Model.
CO 3- Examining the issues of Underdevelopment, Terrorism, Regionalism and Integration that characterizes
the Post second world war order.
CO 4- Studying the role of Diplomacy, Propaganda and Military capabilities in the making of foreign policy.
CO 5- Explaining certain basic concepts like Globalisation in contemporary world order.
CO 6- Describing the Cold War phases and understanding the post Cold War era.
CO 7- Discussing the developments in European Ethno-nationalism since 1990's. Tracing the growth of
European Union
CO 8- Examining Indian Foreign Policy: Basic Principles, Evolution and Bilateral Relations.
CO 9- Evaluating the working of UN and its organs; Peace keeping Function and Human Rights.
CO 10- Analysing the Foreign Policy of USA and China.

CO 11- Studying the developments in third world countries in post world war II era like NAM: Relevance,
ASEAN, SAFTA and SAARC, OPEC, OAU, West Asia-Palestine problem after Cold War

 

Paper 5: WESTERN POLITICAL THOUGHT

CO 1- Providing an insight into the dominant features of Ancient Western Political Thought: Ancient Greek
political thought with focus on Aristotle and Plato; Roman Political Thought: its contributions with
special emphasis on the emergence of Roman law.
CO 2- Examining the features of Medieval Political Thought.
CO 3- Evaluating the Renaissance; political thought of Reformation; and Machiavelli.
CO 4- Critically examining Bodin's contributions to the theory of Sovereignty; Hobbes as the founder of the
science of materialist politics; Locke as the founder of Liberalism with focus on his views on natural
rights, property and consent; and Rousseau's views on Freedom and Democracy; Bentham's
Utilitarianism; and John Stuart Mill's views on liberty and representative government.
CO 5- Taking an insight into the following: Hegel's views on Civil Society and State; Utopian and Scientific
socialism: basic characteristics.
CO 6- Examining the varieties of non-Marxist socialism: Fabianism, Syndicalism, Guild Socialism, German
Revisionism.

Paper 6: INDIAN POLITICAL THOUGHT AND MOVEMENT

CO 1- Tracing the evolution of Indian political thought from ancient India to modern India.

CO 2- Analysing the nationalist thought of Raja Rammohun Roy.
CO 3- Assessing the nationalist thought of Bankim, Vivekananda and Tagore.
CO 4- Discussing the nationalism of Gandhi, M. N. Roy, Narendra Deva and Syed Ahmed Khan.
CO 5- Explaining the formation of the Congress in 1885.
CO 6- Tracing the Bengal Partition and the Swadeshi movement.
CO 7- Analysing the Gandhian Movements such as the Khilafat, Non Cooperation, Civil Disobedience
movements.
CO 8- Assessing the alternatives to the Indian National Congress- the Forward Bloc, Congress Socialist
Party, Communist Parti of India.
CO 9- Describing the movements against caste and untouchability, Ambedkar's views on Social Justic and
the depressed classes.
CO 10- Analysing the Working Class and Peasant movements under colonial rule
CO 11- Discussing the roots of communalism- Savarkar and Hindu Nationalism and Jinnah and the two nation
theory
CO 12- Estimating the contribution of the August 1942 movement, the INA and the naval uprising

 

Paper 7: POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY

CO 1- Studying the concepts of Power, Authority and Legitimacy in the context o society.
CO 2- Examining social stratification through the index of class, caste and elite.
CO 3- Evaluating the impact of Religion on society.
CO 4- Relating Gender and Politics
CO 5- Creating awareness among students about Nationalism and State building processes in Western
Europe and third world
CO 6- Establishing State –society interrelationship.
CO 7- Classifying the different types of Political systems.

CO 8- Discussing the approaches to the study of Political Culture. Evaluating the different agents of Political
Socialization and their interrelationships.
CO 9- Evaluating the concept and types of Political Participation.
CO 10- Discussing the relation between Military and Politics with reference to conditions and types of
intervention
CO 11- Studying groups in politics: political parties and pressure groups.
CO 12- Assessing the approaches to Political Communication; Electoral Behaviour
CO 13- Evaluating the concept of Political Development and Social Change- Role of Tradition and Modernity.

Paper 8: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

CO 1- Explaining the nature, scope and evolution of Public Administration; Private and Public
Administration; Principles of Socialist Management.
CO 2- Discussing making of Public Policy Making and methods of Implementation
CO 3- Analysing the major Concepts in Public Administration.
CO 4- Tracing the Challenges in the discipline of Public Administration like New Public Administration
(NPA); Comparative Public Administration (CPA) and Development Administration.
CO 5- Discussing the Ecological approach to Pub. Adm.
CO 6- Analysing the Administrative Processes: decision making; communication and control; leadership;
co-ordination.
CO 7- Discussing Weberian and Marxian theories of bureaucracy.
CO 8- Studying the Organisation of the Union Government and State Government.
CO 9- Examining the Institutions of Local Self Government in India
CO 10- Assessing the relationship between the Citizen and Administration: Lokpal and Lokayukt.
CO 11- Understanding the concept of District Administration in India.
CO 12- Examining the Institutions of Financial Administration in India.

CO 13- Analysing the Civil Service in India.
CO 14- Explaining the Planning and Planned Administration in India. Continuity and Change in Indian
Administration.
 

 

Program Outcomes - Political Science Honours

PO1- Effective citizenship: the course curriculum inculcates among students a basic understanding of the rights and
duties of citizenship and thereby to act as responsible citizens through the observation of important days such as
Independence Day, Republic Day and also spreading awareness in society through street plays based on specific
socio political issues such as domestic violence, disillusioned youth of the materialistic world etc.

PO2- Communication: Establishment of linkages between academics and civil society at large so as to successfully
address socio political problems. The fortnightly wall journal is a means for keeping the entire student
population up to date with political occurrences both global and domestic. Debates, seminars and panel
discussions are also regularly organised on relevant themes and participation is sought from experienced
resource persons. Some of the events in this regard have been an interactive session on the Presidential Election
In America with members of the American Senate, Senator Wayne Harper, a Utah State Senator (Republican
Party) and Mrs. Aruna Miller, a Maryland House Delegate (Democratic Party) and Mr. Greg Pardo, Assistant
Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate Kolkata; a panel discussion and debate on Role of the Media in Politics in
21st Century India

PO3 - Political Science and Society: understanding the inter relationship between policy decisions and its effects on
society. This is achieved through a comprehensive teaching of the practice of public administration in India.

PO4 - Critical thinking: the ability to analyse and predict socio political phenomena based on the study of existing
socio economic determinants and past experiences. This goal is achieved by training students in the different
methods and tools of investigation such as empirical research methods, survey research and data analysis of
subject responses. Some of the research projects carried out by the students are Water Supply and Sanitation
Provisioning in Schools in Kolkata; The Role of The Media in The 16th Lok Sabha Elections; Women's
Empowerment and Local Self- Government: Kolkata Municipal Corporation Case Study.


PO5- Individual and team work: Function effectively as an individual and as a member/leader in different social
settings. This aim is achieved through team research and presentations, especially inter college student seminars
which have addressed themes such as Diverse Paradigms of Indian Democracy: Crises and Challenges and
The Indian Parliament: A critical Retrospect and also by participating in the Youth Parliament competition
organised by the Department of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of West Bengal
 

 

Program Specific Outcome - Political Science Honours

PS0 1 - Building overall consciousness regarding national political history, international relations and present Indian
and Western political thinkers.
PSO2- Encouraging a comprehensive, comparative understanding of specific world constitutions such as UK, USA,
China, Russia, Switzerland and France.
PSO3 - Understanding the nature and developments in national and international politics PSO2 - Analysing the Indian
constitutional provisions, major legislations and reforms.
PSO4 - Critical evaluation of social, economic and political variables for a proper understanding of the plurality of
Indian society
PSO5 - Use of case study method for analysing the working of important international and regional organisations like
UN, EU, ASEAN etc.
PSO6 - Developing knowledge of administrative studies with special reference to Indian administrative structures and
practices.
PSO7 - Examining India's foreign relations with her neighbours and great powers.
 

Political Science General (Elective) Subject Course Outcomes

Paper 1: POLITICAL THEORY

CO 1- Explaining nature and scope of Political Science. Discussing different Approaches: Normative
approach (b) Behavioural Approach (c) Marxist Approach.
CO 2- Analysing the concept of Sovereignty of the State. Discussing Monistic Theory, Pluralistic Theory,
Doctrine of Popular Sovereignty.
CO 3- Evaluating the theories of the State: Contract theory, Idealist theory, Liberal and Neo-liberal theory,
Marxist theory and Gandhian theory.
CO 4- Discussing the nature of International Relations. Analysing the Liberal Approach and Realist
Approach of International Relations.
CO 5- Accessing the different theories and concepts of Marxism, like Dialectical Materialism and Historical
Materialism, concept of Class and Class Struggle, Revolution and Lenin's theory of Imperialism
CO 6- Explaining Schools of Jurisprudence, Theories of Law and sources of Law
CO 7- Methods of Representation, Political Parties and Pressure Group.
CO 8- Accessing the concepts of Rights , liberties and their relationship.
CO 9- Explaining the theories of Nationalism, Internationalism and fascism.



Paper 2: COMPARTIVE POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

CO 1- Examining diverse political systems: Liberal-democratic, Authoritarian, Socialist forms of political
systems.
CO 2- Exploring the Constitution of UK: salient features; the executive -the Crown, Prime Minister and
cabinet; the legislature: House of Lords, House Commons, speaker and Committees; Party System in
UK.
CO 3- Exploring the US Constitution: salient features; the executive: President; Legislature: Senate. House
of Representative; Speaker; Judiciary: the composition and role of the Supreme Court; Bill of Rights;
Party System.
CO 4- Making a comparative analysis of the following institutions of UK and USA: Legislature, Executive
and party systems.
CO 5- Exploring the Chinese Constitution: salient features in the light of the General Principles; the
Executive; Legislature; Judiciary; and the role of the Communist Party.

Paper 3: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN INDIA

CO 1- Outlining the basic values and philosophy of Indian Constitution as expressed in the Preamble.
CO 2- Studying Fundamental rights , duties and Directive Principles of State Policy.
CO 3- Examining Indian federalism through Centre-state relations.
CO 4- Evaluating the structures of government at the National level.
CO 5- Evaluating the structures of government at the State level.
CO 6- Examining the role of Political parties in Indian Democracy.
CO 7- Studying the Election Commission and electoral process in India.
CO 8- Assessing Judicial Activism in India with particular reference to Supreme Court.
CO 9- Studying the process of interaction between society and politics in contemporary India- Caste, tribe
and religion.
CO 10- Creating awareness about social movements and empowerment related to women.


Paper 4; CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES IN INDIA

CO 1- Explaining the determinants and features of Indian Foreign Policy.
CO 2- Evaluating the role of UN and assessing its relevance in future.
CO 3- Analysing the various dimensions of the working of the Indian Administrative system- PMO,
Cabinet Secretariat, UPSC (Recruitment and Training of civil servants)
CO 4- Understanding the concept of Human Rights. Assessing the availability of Human Rights in the
Constitution of India. Studying the State Human Rights Commission.
CO 5- Examining the dynamics of Globalisation.
CO 6- Understanding the working of Urban and Rural Self Government in India with special reference to
West Bengal
CO 7- Explaining the Processes and Procedures of Union and State Legislatures.