Constitutional Studies (Minor)
Director:
Vincent Phillip Muñoz
(vmunoz@nd.edu/574-631-0489)
Associate Director:
Debbie O’Malley
(domalle2@nd.edu)
Program Website:
constudies.nd.edu
Nothing has done more for justice in the modern world than the development of the rule of law under constitutional principles. But, for constitutional governments to secure the common good, thoughtful and educated citizens must possess certain virtues; they must understand and be able to implement, defend, and, if need be, reform constitutional institutions. The Constitutional Studies minor seeks to nurture such citizens, thereby contributing to the University’s mission to pursue truth and to nurture a concern for the common good that will bear fruit as learning becomes service to justice.
Constitutional Studies minors receive invitations to participate in extracurricular events associated with the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government. Building on courses across the College of Arts and Letters, the minor in Constitutional Studies is designed to encourage students to confront fundamental questions concerning justice, the rule of law, and human flourishing. From a variety of historical, cultural, disciplinary, and philosophical perspectives, constitutional studies courses ask questions such as:
- What is a just regime? Is there a best regime? Who ought to rule?
- What is the relationship between Catholicism and constitutionalism? How does the Catholic intellectual tradition inform and deepen our understanding of constitutionalism and the common good?
- What is the proper relationship between government and civil society, between law and moral principles?
- What are the philosophical foundations of human rights and constitutional democracy?
- What principles of justice can or should lie at the foundation of a constitutional republic?
- What are the proper relationships between church and state and religion and politics, and how do these relationships reflect the more basic relationship between faith and reason?
- What are the moral, social, and political conditions necessary to sustain America’s experiment in constitutional government?
- What is the nature of international law and how are international norms created and maintained?
Course Descriptions
All of the courses associated with this academic program can be found online at constudies.nd.edu/courses OR at classsearch.nd.edu. The scheduled classes for a given semester may be found by clicking on “Class Search” and selecting the subject Constitutional Studies. Course descriptions can be found by clicking on the subject code and course number in the search results.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Course | 3 | |
| American Political & Constitutional Thought | ||
or CNST 46001 | Directed Readings | |
or CNST 30638 | Foundations of Constitutional Order: Political Philosophy of Citizenship & Constitutional Government | |
| Four Elective Courses | 12 | |
The American Founding and American Constitutional History | ||
Constitutional Government and Public Policy | ||
Comparative Constitutionalism and International Law | ||
Constitutionalism: History and Philosophy | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Elective courses that count for the Constitutional Studies minor for current and past semesters are listed on the minor’s website.