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Baxter's POLITICAL  

SCIENCE   Page 

 

          

    My name is Chris Baxter, and I am an assistant professor of political science at the University of Tennessee at Martin.  This web site is designed to serve as an introduction to U. T. M.'s political science program and services and my role in them.  In addition to teaching courses in American government and public administration, I also serve as pre-law advisor and as coordinator of U. T. M.'s legislative internship program.   

 

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 Please feel free to browse these pages to learn about our exciting opportunities at U. T. M., and if you have any questions, please contact me at cbaxter@utm.edu.

 

Teaching

 

    For a complete discussion of U. T. M.'s political science degree programs and degree requirements, please visit our departmental web site.  What follows is a discussion of only the courses I personally teach.

    In the area of American government, I teach the following courses (course descriptions are from the U. T. M. Catalog; dates indicate the usual semesters I teach the course):

  • POSC 210-220  AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS:  A survey of the origins, structure, and functions of the political system in the United States on the national, state, and local levels.  210:  Development of American constitutionalism, federalism and intergovernmental relations, parties, interest groups, elections, civil rights, and civil liberties.  220:  The executive, legislative, and judicial branches at national, state, and local levels.  Domestic policies, budgetary processes, defense and foreign policy issues. (two sections of one, or a section of each, each semester)

  • POSC 333  THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS:  An examination of the structure, roles, powers and functions of the Presidency and Congress.  Review of the interactions between the executive and legislative branches with regard to law making, the budgetary process, policy development and implementation, military and foreign policy and other areas of constitutional responsibility. (fall of even-numbered years)

     

In the area of public administration, I teach the following courses:

 

  • POSC 314  INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS:  An in-depth examination of the historical evolution, growth, and contemporary status of fiscal, political, and legal relationships between the national, state, and local governments.  The course emphasizes federal policy and financing of state and local governments within the context of grants-in-aid programs. (fall of odd-numbered years)

  • POSC 353 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW:  A study of the role of government agencies in the legal process.  Review of the problems associated with administrative rulemaking and the enforcement methods and extent of checking public agencies. (every fall)

  • POSC 361 INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION:  A study of bureaucracy in the United States.  Emphasis on the environment of public administration, management of programs, and human behavior in organizations. (every spring)

  • POSC 362  PUBLIC POLICY:  A study of the process and substance of contemporary public policies in the nation and states.  (every fall, by me or staff)

  • POSC 363  FINANCING PUBLIC POLICY:  A study of the various approaches used in formulating budgets for local, state, and national governments.  Emphasis will be on viewing the budget as reflecting goals of public policy.  Course will include a review of some of the unique differences between the governmental budgetary process and that in the private sector. (fall of even-numbered years)

 

Research

 

    In addition to my teaching areas, I am also interested in the study of judicial politics, particularly judicial selection and judicial behavior in the state and federal courts.  See my External Links page for a list of some of my favorite courts-related sites.

 

Service

 

    As I mentioned above, I provide pre-law advising services to students across the U. T. M. campus and serve as coordinator of our legislative internship program.  Since 2005 I have also served as the College of Business & Public Affairs' coordinator for the First-Year Initiative for freshmen and other students new to U. T. M. 

 

Christopher M. Baxter, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Political Science

Dept. of Management, Marketing, & Political Science

The University of Tennessee at Martin

225 Business Administration Building

Martin, TN  38238

cbaxter@utm.edu

 

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