Kevin Luhrs, MPA - Teaching

POS3733: Research Design for Political Scientists

Semester: Fall 2025

Role: Instructor of Record

Method of Delivery: Lecture

This course introduces students to the basic principles of research design and scientific inquiry, covering the research process from developing a research question to constructing models of political and social data. Students will learn how these concepts are systematically applied to answer important questions in empirical political science research. Additionally, we will explore a variety of research designs, including experimental, field, and quasi-experimental approaches. This course will also cover how to operationalize, objectively measure, and model political and social concepts to address empirical questions. To further this aim, we will examine the logic of linear regression and how to interpret regression outputs. My goal is to provide students with an intuitive understanding of how researchers model political and social concepts, without becoming entangled in the complexities of statistical programming or deep statistical theory.

POS2041: Introduction to American Government

Semester: Fall 2025

Role: Instructor of Record

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"In this course, students will investigate how the national government is structured and how the American constitutional republic operates. it covers the philosophical and historical foundations of American government, including but not limited to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and all its amendments, and the Federalist Papers. The course examines the branches of government and the government’s laws, policies, and programs. It also examines the ways in which citizens participate in their government and ways their government responds to citizens." (Course description for POS2041)

POS2041: Introduction to American Government

Semester: Summer B 2025

Role: Instructor of Record

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"In this course, students will investigate how the national government is structured and how the American constitutional republic operates. it covers the philosophical and historical foundations of American government, including but not limited to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and all its amendments, and the Federalist Papers. The course examines the branches of government and the government’s laws, policies, and programs. It also examines the ways in which citizens participate in their government and ways their government responds to citizens." (Course description for POS2041)

POS2041: Introduction to American Government

Semester: Summer A 2025

Role: Instructor of Record

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"In this course, students will investigate how the national government is structured and how the American constitutional republic operates. it covers the philosophical and historical foundations of American government, including but not limited to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and all its amendments, and the Federalist Papers. The course examines the branches of government and the government’s laws, policies, and programs. It also examines the ways in which citizens participate in their government and ways their government responds to citizens." (Course description for POS2041)

POS3734: Research Analysis for Political Scientists

Semester: Spring 2025

Role: Instructor of Record

Method of Delivery: Lecture

In Research Analysis for Political Scientists (POS3734), the second course in the Political Science department’s research methods sequence, students move from understanding research concepts to working directly with quantitative data. Building on what they learned in Research Design (POS3733), this course helps them explore real-world political and social questions through data analysis using real-world datasets, such as CCES and the ANES datasets. By the end, students will have a working knowledge of the R programming language and a solid foundation in descriptive and inferential statistics—tools essential for advanced study in the social sciences.

POS3733: Research Design for Political Scientists

Semester: Spring 2025

Role: Instructor of Record

Method of Delivery: Lecture

This course introduces students to the basic principles of research design and scientific inquiry, covering the research process from developing a research question to constructing models of political and social data. Students will learn how these concepts are systematically applied to answer important questions in empirical political science research. Additionally, we will explore a variety of research designs, including experimental, field, and quasi-experimental approaches. This course will also cover how to operationalize, objectively measure, and model political and social concepts to address empirical questions. To further this aim, we will examine the logic of linear regression and how to interpret regression outputs. My goal is to provide students with an intuitive understanding of how researchers model political and social concepts, without becoming entangled in the complexities of statistical programming or deep statistical theory.

POS3733: Research Design for Political Scientists

Semester: Fall 2024

Role: Instructor of Record

Method of Delivery: Lecture

This course introduces students to the basic principles of research design and scientific inquiry, covering the research process from developing a research question to constructing models of political and social data. Students will learn how these concepts are systematically applied to answer important questions in empirical political science research. Additionally, we will explore a variety of research designs, including experimental, field, and quasi-experimental approaches. This course will also cover how to operationalize, objectively measure, and model political and social concepts to address empirical questions. To further this aim, we will examine the logic of linear regression and how to interpret regression outputs. My goal is to provide students with an intuitive understanding of how researchers model political and social concepts, without becoming entangled in the complexities of statistical programming or deep statistical theory.

POS2041: Introduction to American Government

Semester: Spring 2024

Role: Teaching Assistant

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"In this course, students will investigate how the national government is structured and how the American constitutional republic operates. it covers the philosophical and historical foundations of American government, including but not limited to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and all its amendments, and the Federalist Papers. The course examines the branches of government and the government’s laws, policies, and programs. It also examines the ways in which citizens participate in their government and ways their government responds to citizens." (Course description for POS2041)

INR3016: Global Issues for Contemporary Politics

Semester: Spring 2024

Role: Course Manager*

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"This course promotes the understanding and analysis of significant trends in the emerging new world system and relates those trends and events to domestic politics and society in other nation states. The course also compares and analyzes comparative trends in political institutions, systems and changes in public policies in the world community." (Course description for INR3016)

*Drafted quiz questions and course materials, managed the day-to-day operations of the course (including grading and curating readings), and assisted students with course-related concerns.

INR3102: Real World Policy

Semester: Spring 2024

Role: Teaching Assistant

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"The course is designed to provide an in-depth study of today’s foreign policy challenges and the American policy-making process. Regarding the policy-making process, the course will cover: how government works, with a focus on the National Security Council; an overview of today’s foreign policy debate; how to write a paper and a memo to the president; and how to write an op-ed. Topics will include: the “wars” (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, terrorism, cyber), nonproliferation (nuclear issues, Iran, North Korea), Big emerging powers (China, India, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa), Africa’s other key countries (Sudans, Congo, Nigeria, others), Environment (climate, water, food crisis), Trade, Illiberal democracies, the Middle East, including the Arab Spring/Winter and the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, and Latin America." (Course description for INR3102)

POS3734: Research Analysis for Political Scientists

Semester: Fall 2023

Role: Teaching Assistant*

Method of Delivery: Lecture

"This course introduces students to research methods in political science using empirical data. The course will emphasize basic statistical techniques used in empirical data analysis to include measures of central tendency and dispersion, cross-tabulations, mean comparison, analysis of variance, correlation, and linear regression. By the end of the course students will be required to use the knowledge obtained in from both research methods courses in this sequence to develop an original research paper, including original data analyses, which may be presented at an undergraduate conference." (Course description for POS3734)

*Reinforced concepts in R programming and descriptive/inferential statistics during lab time, tutored students in R and statistics during office hours, and monitored exams for academic integrity

INR3102: Real World Policy

Semester: Fall 2023

Role: Teaching Assistant

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"The course is designed to provide an in-depth study of today’s foreign policy challenges and the American policy-making process. Regarding the policy-making process, the course will cover: how government works, with a focus on the National Security Council; an overview of today’s foreign policy debate; how to write a paper and a memo to the president; and how to write an op-ed. Topics will include: the “wars” (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, terrorism, cyber), nonproliferation (nuclear issues, Iran, North Korea), Big emerging powers (China, India, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa), Africa’s other key countries (Sudans, Congo, Nigeria, others), Environment (climate, water, food crisis), Trade, Illiberal democracies, the Middle East, including the Arab Spring/Winter and the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, and Latin America." (Course description for INR3102)

INR3016: Global Issues for Contemporary Politics

Semester: Fall 2023

Role: Course Manager*

Method of Delivery: Distance Learning

"This course promotes the understanding and analysis of significant trends in the emerging new world system and relates those trends and events to domestic politics and society in other nation states. The course also compares and analyzes comparative trends in political institutions, systems and changes in public policies in the world community." (Course description for INR3016)

*Drafted quiz questions and course materials, managed the day-to-day operations of the course (including grading and curating readings), and assisted students with course-related concerns.