American Founding and Constitution, Minor

The American Founding and the Constitution minor is designed to deepen your understanding and engagement with the foundational principles and documents of the United States. Through discussion-based courses, you will critically analyze primary texts, speeches, and historical documents to grasp the legal, philosophical, political, and historical underpinnings of American institutions. This program fosters critical thinking about the origins and meaning of Founding principles, encourages scholarly research into constitutional questions, and promotes informed civic participation.

Curriculum

The interdisciplinary minor requires students to complete six 3-credit courses. These courses cover a range of disciplines including History, Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics. Students must complete coursework in four core areas and choose two electives.

1. Core Areas
   • The Philosophy of the American Revolution
   • History of the American Revolution
   • Debates on the Constitution
   • Political Economy of the Founding Era
2. Electives
   • Elective 1
   • Elective 2