NCHU Course Outline

Course Name	(中) 政治學(0427)
	(Eng.) Political Science
Offering Dept	General Education Center
Course Type	Required	Credits	3	Teacher	Jou Fei Huang
Department	General	Language	English	Semester	2026-SPRING
Course Description	Politics is not only about elections or politicians. It shapes the rules we live by, the public services we rely on, and the decisions that affect our everyday lives—such as education, transportation, healthcare, and the environment. This course is designed for students with no prior background in political science and introduces the basic ideas of politics in a simple and accessible way. In this course, students will learn how democratic systems function, how governments make decisions, and how public policies are formed. We will also discuss the complex issue of cross-strait relations and explore how to understand, evaluate, and interpret political information. In particular, students will learn how to stay calm, think critically, and avoid being misled or overly alarmed by misinformation and false news. Through lectures, simple case examples, and classroom discussions, students will examine how power is distributed within government and how different political choices affect society. Students will also be encouraged to discuss and debate important questions, such as how democracy should work and whether there are better ways to make collective decisions. This course is conducted in English to help students build confidence in expressing ideas and participating in discussions in a global context. For Taiwanese students, developing the ability to engage with the international community is increasingly important, and this course offers a supportive and interactive environment to strengthen those skills. To ensure that language is never a barrier to learning, students may submit written assignments in Chinese if needed. What matters most in this course is not perfect English, but the quality of your ideas, critical thinking, and active participation. For international students, the course provides a unique opportunity to engage directly with Taiwanese students, exchange perspectives, and gain deeper insights into Taiwan and its society. In an era shaped by generative AI, meaningful face-to-face discussion and human interaction are more valuable than ever—and this course is designed to create exactly that kind of learning experience.
Prerequisites				self-directed learning in the course	Y

Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%)			Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives
Course Objectives	Competency Indicators	Ratio(%)	Teaching Methods	Assessment Methods
By the end of the course, students will be able to: 1. Understand the basic structure of government and how political power is exercised; 2. Explain how public policies are made and why political decisions often involve trade-offs and conflicts; 3. Recognize their role as citizens and identify simple ways to participate in public affairs, such as voting, discussion, and civic engagement.			Exercises Discussion Lecturing	Attendance Oral Presentation Quiz
Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule
Week Course Content Week 1 Why we need to study politics? The importance of empowerment. Week 2 Why do we need a government? Week 3 What is democracy? Week 4 TBD Week 5 TBD Week 6 TBD Week 7 TBD Week 8 Mid-term exam Week 9 TBD Week 10 TBD Week 11 TBD Week 12 TBD Week 13 TBD Week 14 TBD Week 15 TBD Week 16 Final exam self-directed learning    01.Participation in professional forums, lectures, and corporate sharing sessions related to industry-government-academia-research exchange activities.    02.Viewing multimedia materials related to industry and academia.    03.Preparing presentations or reports related to industry and academia.
Evaluation
TBD
Textbook & other References
Learning materials will be provided in class.
Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website
https://joufeihuang.weebly.com/teaching-2594523416.html
Office Hours
TBD
Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs(Link URL)
09.Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure   10.Reduced Inequalities   13.Climate Action   16.Peace and Justice include experience courses：N

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Update Date, year/month/day：2026/01/08 22:54:05	Printed Date, year/month/day：2026 / 1 / 09
The second-hand book website：http://www.myub.com.tw/