RELIGION AND THE CONSTITUTION
Study of the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. Review a brief history of the origins of the Amendment, study of Supreme Court case law that has defined the boundaries of religious liberty and the separation of church and state, and cases litigated recently.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Declared in Law JD Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the current doctrine of the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause, including the reasoning of the dissenting opinions Audience: Graduate 2. Identify the key cases defining this doctrine and be able to apply the various constitutional tests applied by the Supreme Court, including the different standards applied to state and federal action following the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Audience: Graduate 3. Explain how changes in the make-up of the Supreme Court affect Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause doctrine Audience: Graduate 4. Anticipate and assess the likely outcome of religion clause litigation decided by the Supreme Court in the future Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the current doctrine of the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause, including the reasoning of the dissenting opinions Audience: Graduate 2. Identify the key cases defining this doctrine and be able to apply the various constitutional tests applied by the Supreme Court, including the different standards applied to state and federal action following the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Audience: Graduate 3. Explain how changes in the make-up of the Supreme Court affect Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause doctrine Audience: Graduate 4. Anticipate and assess the likely outcome of religion clause litigation decided by the Supreme Court in the future Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027