Undergraduate
Minor & Certificate in American Constitutional Democracy
The Kinder Institute and College of Arts & Science’s Minor and Certificate in American Constitutional Democracy are designed for University of Missouri undergraduates of any major who wish to pursue an in-depth, interdisciplinary course of study that focuses on the philosophical origins and historical evolution of the United States’ political system, culture, and traditions, as well as their continued global impact and relevance.
Whether preparing for a career in law, public policy, or a related field—or simply interested in exploring the United States’ ongoing experiment with democratic governance—students minoring in American Constitutional Democracy will gain a broad understanding of the currents of thought and historical conditions that have shaped and re-shaped political life in the United States from the founding of the nation to the present day. The shared curriculum for the Minor and Certificate also provides students with an opportunity to further contextualize their examination of democratic culture and processes through internships that hone practical skills, as well as study abroad programs and coursework that focus on the study of constitutional democracy from a global perspective.
Students can visit declareaminor.missouri.edu or declareacertificate.missouri.edu to file for one of these degrees, and any questions about the Minor or Certificate can be directed to Kinder Institute Director of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Thomas Kane, KaneTC@missouri.edu. Note: While courses for the Minor and Certificate can be applied toward non-Constitutional Democracy Bachelor’s degrees, students cannot receive credit for both the ACD Minor and ACD Certificate.
A list of Fall 2023 classes that can be applied to the Minor or Certificate, which mirrors courses that can be applied to the B.A. in Constitutional Democracy, can be found below.
ACD Minor Requirements
A minimum of fifteen (15) credits of approved coursework are required for the Minor, and at least three (3) of those credits must come from an internship, study abroad class, or other approved experiential course. In addition, students are required to take courses from at least two different disciplines to receive the ACD Minor.
To declare the degree, students can simply go to declareaminor.missouri.edu and follow the steps from there. Students should wait until they have completed six credit hours of coursework for the Minor before officially declaring it.
See the curriculum tab below for a full list of courses associated with the Minor. Any questions about applying a class toward the Minor that is not listed in the official curriculum should be directed to Thomas Kane, KaneTC@missouri.edu, before the degree is declared.
ACD Certificate Requirements
The Certificate in American Constitutional Democracy recognizes students who have engaged in the study of American political thought and history by completing twelve (12) hours of coursework from the list of approved classes for the degree. In contrast to the ACD Minor, students pursuing the Certificate are not required to complete a study abroad course or internship.
To declare the degree, students can simply go to declareacertificate.missouri.edu and follow the steps from there. Students should wait until they have completed six credit hours of coursework for the Certificate before officially declaring it.
See the curriculum tab below for a full list of courses associated with the Certificate. Any questions about applying a class toward the Certificate that is not listed in the official curriculum should be directed to Thomas Kane, KaneTC@missouri.edu, before the degree is declared.