THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION : POWERS AND STRUCTURES OF GOVERNMENT
This course undertakes an historical examination of the development of American constitutional thinking about powers and structures of government from the founding era to the present day. Issue that are considered include separation of powers, executive war powers, the powers of Congress, judicial review and the role of courts, and federalism. The course focuses on the development of constitutional law, constitutional politics, and American political development.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Sophomore standing and POLI SCI 104 Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Social Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Examine the historical development of American constitutionalism. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Develop a broad knowledge of the historical constitutionalism and modern and historical constitutional debates. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Explore how legal rules define constitutional rights and liberties, and how different ways of thinking about those rules prevailed during different historical periods. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Recognize that in different periods, different approaches of interpreting and applying the Constitution have appeared or have been dominant, and these approaches often cut across doctrinal subject areas. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Examine the historical development of American constitutionalism. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Develop a broad knowledge of the historical constitutionalism and modern and historical constitutional debates. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Explore how legal rules define constitutional rights and liberties, and how different ways of thinking about those rules prevailed during different historical periods. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Recognize that in different periods, different approaches of interpreting and applying the Constitution have appeared or have been dominant, and these approaches often cut across doctrinal subject areas. Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027