POSC 382 - U.S. Immigration Policy and Law

Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-D; Diversity
Development of U.S. immigration policy including theories, demographic trends, sources of immigration legislation, case law. Relationship of politics, policy, culture, social and economic status to racial and ethnic groups, women, and workers.

Strongly Recommended Preparation: Upper division status (greater than 60 earned semester units) and completion of lower division Area D1-3 requirements.
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Areas A1, A2, A3 and B4 with grade C- (CR) or better.
Possible Instructional Methods: On-ground.
Grading: A-F or CR/NC (student choice).
Breadth Area(s) Satisfied: GE-UD-D - Upper Division Social Sciences, Overlay - Diversity
Course Typically Offered: Variable Intermittently

Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Gain a historical perspective on U.S. immigration policy and the people who have migrated to the U.S. Analyze and debate contemporary immigration problems and formulate solutions.
Understand the sources and scope of federal power over immigration.
Be introduced to the field of Immigration law
Write a research paper on a topic in immigration or refugee policy and law.
Present the findings of their research paper to the class to develop their oral presentation skills.
Work in groups to analyze aspects of immigration and the law and present findings as part of a group project

UD-D. Upper-division Social Sciences Learning Outcomes

analyze how power and social identity affect social outcomes for different cultural and economic groups using methods of social science inquiry and vocabulary appropriate to those methods;
demonstrate an understanding of and ability to apply accurately disciplinary concepts of the social or behavioral sciences; and
demonstrate an understanding of and ability to effectively plan or conduct research using an appropriate method of the social or behavioral sciences.

Diversity Overlay Learning Outcomes

describe the histories and/or experiences of one or more U. S. cultural groups and the resilience and agency of group members;
identify structures of oppression and the diverse efforts and strategies used by groups to combat the effects of oppressive structures;
analyze the intersection of the categories of race and gender as they affect cultural group members’ lived realities and/or as they are embodied in personal and collective identities;
recognize the way that multiple differences (including, for example, gender, class, sexuality, religion, disability, immigration status, gender expression, color/phenotype, racial mixture, linguistic expression, and/or age) within cultural groups complicate individual and group identities.