American Democracy Scholar Certificate

Return to: Social Sciences

Students who enroll in the ADSC take four core courses and a 3-credit “practicum” (15 credits total). These courses immerse students in the debates leading to and surrounding the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, especially regarding the principles of a democratic republic and the concepts of inalienable rights to life and liberty, government by consent of the governed, representation, and the rule of law. These courses also critically examine the “imperfect” nation that was founded and trace the history of efforts to “form a more perfect union” through amendments to the Constitution and the expansion of citizenship and civil rights. Some comparative analysis of democracies around the world will be included. Students also gain an understanding of the contemporary American political system, the policymaking process, and the debates over the uses and abuses of political power.