The Theory and Practice of American Democracy
Curriculum Description
History, philosophy, and social science combine in this field of The Theory and Practice of American Democracy to describe the origins and distinctive character of the American form of democracy; to analyze the political processes by which the consent of the governed is achieved; to confront issues which reflect the ever present struggle to make democracy work for all elements of the society; to consider the continuing influence of the Constitution on American society and movements for change or reinterpretation; and to review institutional or international influences on government such as the media and foreign relations.
Degree Requirements
A total of 120 credits is required for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies degree. For a concentration in Theory and Practice of American Democracy, additional requirements apply. The following chart specifies the requirements and will help you select courses from the course listing farther down this page. (Enrolled students also can get this information in their degree audit at http://myaccess.georgetown.edu.)
Category | # of credits required | Select courses from? |
BALS core courses | 48 | All 12 courses in the "Program Core" category must be completed (or equivalent transfer credit) |
BALS writing course | 3 | The course listed under "Required Courses" (or equivalent transfer credit) |
Non-western studies courses | 6 | Select 2 courses from the "Nonwestern Studies" category (or equivalent transfer credit) |
Either two core courses in theory and practice of American democracy OR one core course and one human values course in theory and practice of American democracy | 6 | Select either ? two courses from the "Curricular Field Core" category or ? one course from "Curricular Field Core" and one course from "Curricular Human Values" (or equivalent transfer credit) |
Elective courses in theory and practice of American democracy | 39 | Select 13 courses from the "Curricular Elective," "Curricular Field Core" or "Curricular Human Values" categories (or equivalent transfer credit) |
Thesis or one additional course in theory and practice of American democracy | 3 | If a thesis is not completed, select one course from the "Curricular Elective," "Curricular Field Core" or "Curricular Human Values" categories (or equivalent transfer credit) |
General electives | 21 | Select 7 courses from all those listed on this page (or equivalent transfer credit) |
Note: Credits add up to more than 120, because the courses taken for the Non-Western Studies requirement also can be used to fulfill other degree requirements. Only 120 credits are required to graduate.
Required Courses:
Writing in an Interdisciplinary EnvironmentElective Courses:
Advanced LatinAdvertising in the Media
Advocacy Journalism
American Popular Culture
Basic News Writing
Beat Reporting
Beyond Sojourner Truth
Bioethics
Broadcast Writing
Business Ethics
Business Statistics
Calculus
Catholicism at the Movies: A Critical Review of Portrayals of Faith on Film
Character, Conscience and Courage
China's Economic Development
China's Olympics
Communication Law
Communication, Politics, and Public Opinion
Community and Alienation
Community Development and Social Change
Community Organizing and Grassroots Change
Conflicts: Transformation and Change
Confronting Hunger and Homelessness in the United States
Country Music USA
Creating Your Message Online
Crisis Communications
Critical Thinking and Ethical Decision-Making
Cultural Politics of Television
Cultures & Urban Life
Customer Service
Cyberethics
Debating Human Rights in China
Demography and Aging
Disorder in Modern China
Economic Development and Human Security
Education and Society
Engaging the Media
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Entrepreneurship in the Real World
Environmental Justice
Explanatory Journalism
Faith-Based Organizations and Community Change
Feature Writing
Film: History, Culture and Structure
Financial Management
Folklore, Folklife, & Folk Festival
Gandhi's Religious and Political World
Global Hunger
Global Media
Global Trade and Local Discontents
Globalization and Social Change in Developing Countries
Greek and Roman Myth
Health Care: Policy and Practice
Housing Policy
Human Rights: A Force for Change
Immigration and Refugee Policy
Impact of Religion on Society
Independent Study
Inequalities in Health and Illness
Institute on Sacred Scripture
Intercultural Communication
Intergroup Dynamics and Conflict Management
Intermediate Latin
International Human Rights Law
International Relations for the 21st Century
Interpreting China's Rise: Beijing Olympics 2008, Shanghai Expo 2010
Introduction to Business
Introduction to Communication Theory
Introduction to Creative Writing
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Introduction to International Business
Introduction to Media Criticism
Introduction to Public Speaking
Introductory Latin
Investigative Reporting
Issues in Globalization
Law and Literature
Life Entrepreneurs: The Place of Meaning, Purpose and Contribution in Business and Politics
Making a Difference in Society
Management of Mass Media
Managing and Sustaining Change
Managing Workplace Diversity
Media Convergence and its Relationship to the Information Consumer
Medical and Science Writing
Meet the Atom: A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Nuclear Technology
Modern News and Writing
Modernization and Development
Moral Leadership and Social Justice
Mortal Heroes: Ancient Epic Narratives
Multinational Corporations
Music Around the Globe and Net
Mythology and the Human Spirit
Negotiation and Influence
New Venture Creation
Oral Skills for Effective Communications
Organizational Behavior
Organizations and Society
Persuasion and Influence
Political Economy of the Gulf
Politics and World Religion
Power and Politics
Practicum I
Practicum II
Principles of Accounting
Principles of Management
Principles of Marketing
Public Relations for Governmental, Non-Governmental and Non-Profit Organizations
Purpose and Personal Mission
Race and Ethnic Relations
Race and Ethnicity in Global Perspective
Race, Gender, and Communication
Religion and Conflict
Rhetorical Criticism
Science and Religion
Shakespeare: Text and Performance
Small Business Management
Social Analysis: Policy & Planning
Social and Cultural Context of Advertising
Social Inequality and Poverty
Social Movements in Advanced Capitalism
Social Research Methods I: Quantitative
Social Research Methods II: Qualitative
Socialization and Organizational Culture
Specialized Writing in Public Relations
Strategy and Policy: Nations in Crisis
Strategy and the Strategic Mindset
Teams and Group Dynamics
Television: History, Culture and Structure
The Art of Interviewing
The Body Perfect and Imperfect
The Business of Media
The History of Narrative and Storytelling
The Local Nonprofit Sector
The Martyr and the Warrior: Religion and Violence
The Myth of the Hero
The Sacred Quest
The Sacred Quest
The Tudors: History, Film and Legacy
Theories of Leadership
Theories of Motivation
Theory and Practice of Public Relations
Thesis Proposal Workshop
Thesis Research
Thesis Writing
Trials, Crime and Punishment in Literature and Film
Urban Policy in Global Perspective
Values in Criminal Justice Policy
Visual Rhetoric
War Memories, Justice and Reconciliation: The Case of China and Japan
Women and Community Change
Women and Social Change
Women. Power. Europe.
Work and The National Economy
Writing for the Public Relations Professional
Writing for the Web
Zoroastrianism
Curricular Field Core:
Development of U.S. National Security PolicyPrinciples of Economics
U.S. Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties
Curricular Field Elective:
Business LawCatholicism in 21st Century America
China and the Internet: Challenging America in Cyberspace
China, the U.S., and the Cold War Confrontation
City Lab Geneva Experience
Cultural Politics of Television
Cultures & Urban Life
Diversity and the Multicultural World
Ethical Issues in American Politics
History of Pandemics and the Rise of Bioterrorism
History of the Future
Human Resource Management and the Law
Human Rights & International Law
Inside the NATO Alliance
Institutions of International Dispute Resolution
International Affairs and Public Diplomacy
International Terrorism and Transnational Crime
Introduction to International Law
Introduction to Urban Analysis and Community Development
Losing God? Secularization: Theory, History, and Evidence
Mass Media and Society
Media and Politics
Media and Public Opinion
Media and Public Opinion Lab
Propaganda & American Foreign Policy
Radical Evil
Religion and Society
Religion and the US Constitution
Slavery and Abolition from the Bronze Age to the American Civil War
Terrorism and Terrorists
The 1960s: Decade of Transformation
The American Revolution and the Colonial Military Tradition
The Death Penalty: Kill It or Reform It?
The History of Mass Media in America
The Human Condition
The Modern U.S. Presidency - Fifty Years of Political Evolution
The U.S. Civil War
The Vietnam War and 21st Century America
Theories of Urban Analysis and Community Development
Trials, Crime and Punishment in Literature and Film
U.S. Latinos and Public Policy
Utopia, Dystopia and Future Shock
Workplace Ethics
Curricular Field Human Values:
Catholicism in 21st Century AmericaDC Urban Laboratory
Ethics and Public Service
Ethics of Spying: Policy and Process
Justice in Theory and Practice
Nonwestern Studies:
China's Economic DevelopmentChina's Olympics
China, the U.S., and the Cold War Confrontation
Chinese I
Debating Human Rights in China
Disorder in Modern China
Gandhi's Religious and Political World
Interpreting China's Rise: Beijing Olympics 2008, Shanghai Expo 2010
Mythology and the Human Spirit
Political Economy of the Gulf
Politics and World Religion
The Martyr and the Warrior: Religion and Violence
War Memories, Justice and Reconciliation: The Case of China and Japan
Zoroastrianism
Program Core:
Biblical Literature and the Ancient WorldEnlightenment, Revolution and Democracy
Faith and Reason in the Middle Ages
Greeks and Romans
Introduction to Ethics
Introduction to the Social Sciences
Medieval Thought and Culture
The Early Modern World
The New Millennium
The Nineteenth Century
The Renaissance
War and Peace