2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Constitutional Studies Minor

The Constitutional Studies minor provides interdisciplinary training in the politics, history, and philosophy of constitutional government. As an interdisciplinary liberal arts major, it aims to help students achieve the following outcomes: to gain general knowledge of constitutional government in the United States and abroad and to develop effective communication, analytical and critical thinking skills. While completing this minor might constitute excellent preparation for law or graduate school, it is not a prerequisite for any further study of the law.

I. Minor Program Requirements

Twenty-one semester credits. To satisfy the interdisciplinary requirement, students must complete courses from at least three different disciplines below (History, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Theology).

Foundations in the American Constitutional Tradition (6 credits required):

PO 104American National Government

3

or

HI 121US History I

3

 

PO 216American Political Thought

3

Students must complete credits from each of the following three concentrations:

The American Founding and American Constitutional History (3 credits):

HI 121US History I

3

HI 122US History II

3

HI 322Slavery and the Civil War

3

PO 104American National Government

3

PO 210Intro to Constitutional Law

3

PO 216American Political Thought

3

PO 230Montana State Politics

3

PO 315Congress and the Presidency

3

SO 314Sociology of Law

3

Comparative Constitutionalism and International Law (6 credits):

HI 241History Modern Middle East

3

HI 251Introduction to East Asia

3

HI 271History of Modern Latin America

3

HI 291Modern African History

3

PO 102Intro Comparative Politics

3

PO 242State & Nation in World Politics

3

PO 243Political Economy

3

PO 321Citizenship: Think Global, Act Local-ND

3

PO 344Contemporary Global Issues CD

3

PO 348International Negotiation Simulation-GD

3

Constitutionalism: History and Philosophy (6 credits):

PHIL 256Social & Political Philosophy

3

PHIL 31520th Century European Philosophy

3

PHIL 324Ethical Theory

3

TH 263Modern Catholic Social Teaching

3