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 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. Further details about requirements for the degree can be found in the Minor Checklist below.
While students can keep track of their progress on the ACD Minor using the checklist provided here, it is no longer needed to declare the degree, which students can do by going to declareaminor.missouri.edu.
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. Further details about requirements for the ACD Certificate can be found in the application link below.
While students can keep track of their progress on the ACD Certificate using the checklist provided here, it is no longer needed to declare the degree, which can be done at declareacertificate.missouri.edu.
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.