Fall 2026
Federal Government (Federal constitution & topics)
Instructor: Dr. Kristen Ross
Email: kross1@lamarpa.edu
Phone: 832-674-1266
Office Hours: Virtual by appointment
Additional Contact Information:
Origin and development of the U.S. Constitution; structure and powers of the national government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; federalism; political participation; the national election process; public policy; civil liberties and civil rights.
American Government 4th Edition
Krutz, Waskiewicz; Free Web Version
ISBN-13: 978-1-961584-92-1
Openstax, Rice University
Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.
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1. Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.
3. Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government.
5. Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system.
6. Analyze the election process.
7. Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
8. Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics
Communication skills: students will demonstrate effective written, oral, and visual communication.
Critical thinking skills: students will engage in creative and /or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions.
Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional national and/or global issues.
Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view. Empirical and Qualitative skills: Students will demonstrate applications of scientific and mathematical concepts
Chapter 1 - American Government and Civic Engagement
Chapter 2 - The Constitution and Its Origins
Chapter 3 - American Federalism
Chapter 4 - Civil Liberties
Chapter 5 - Civil Rights
Chapter 6 - The Politics of Public Opinion
Chapter 7 - Voting and Elections
Chapter 8 - The Media
Chapter 9 - Political Parties
Chapter 10 - Interest Groups and Lobbying
Chapter 11 - Congress
Chapter 12 - The Presidency
Chapter 13 - The Courts
Chapter 14 - State and Local Government
Chapter 15 - The Bureaucracy
Chapter 16 - Domestic Policy
Chapter 17 - Foreign Policy
Unit 1 Assignment/Discussion 1 - September 6th
Unit 2 Assignment/Discussion 2 - October 4th
Midterm - October 11th
Unit 3 Assignment/Discussion 3 - November 1st
Semester Project/Paper - November 15th
Unit 4 Assignment/Discussion 4 - December 5th
December 4th, 2026 at 8:00am-December 7th, 2026 at 11:59pm.
POINTS GRADE SCALE
A: 900-1000
B: 800-899
C: 700-799
D: 600-699
F: 0-599
Unit Assignments (4) - 400 points
Semester Project (1) - 200 points
Discussions (4) - 200 points
Midterm Exam - 100
Final Exam - 100
Late work is not accepted in this course, unless due to verifiable personal illness or emergency and always at the discretion of the instructor.
Make-up work and exams are given at the discretion of the Instructor. In cases of personal illness or emergency, with proper documentation, the instructor will allow make-up work, but only if the student requests one immediately upon return to class.
Using AI to complete any assignments is strictly prohibited. This includes the use of Grammarly and other wordsmith websites. Your work should be completely your own. Any student caught plagiarizing/cheating/ using AI will automatically receive a 0 on the assignment. Any student caught plagiarizing/cheating/using AI more than once will receive a 0 as the final grade in the course.
As this is an online course, there is no attendance policy, but discussion posts will be counted as class participation. Each student must create their own post for the grade (including posing an original question) and then answer two of their classmates’ questions each week to receive attendance and participation points.
DROP POLICY
If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified drop date as listed on the Academic Calendar. If you stop attending class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course.
STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT
For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately six to nine hours per week outside of class in a 16- week session OR approximately twelve to eighteen hours in an 8-week session. Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time in this course as in the traditional, face-to-face class.
Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.
If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.