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.
Faculty Advisor
Michael C. Wall, Ph.D., Georgetown University; Professorial Lecturer for History Department and Liberal Studies. His teaching interests and primary areas of research are East Asian History and U.S. Diplomatic History.
wallm@georgetown.edu
In order to earn a Master's degree in The Theory and Practice of American Democracy curricular field, students must complete six courses in this field including one Core course and one Human Values course or two Core courses, and a three-credit thesis reflecting this field. To complete the total number of credits required for the MALS degree, 30 credits, three elective courses may be selected from any Liberal Studies courses or up to two courses at the University appropriate to this degree with the approval of the Program Director. The selected curricular field will appear on the final transcript of record.
Curricular Field
Click here for the current pamphlet describing the requirements for this field and the listing of its courses and faculty advisor. The following courses are a sampling of recent course offerings in this field.
Curricular Field Core:
American Policies in the Post 9/11 WorldPath to the Future: The U.S. in the 21st Century
Path to the Present: The U.S. in the 20th Century
The Court, The Constitution, and the Shaping of the American Nation
The Federalist: Creating a New Nation
The Founding Era: The Great Debates
U.S. and Pacific Asia: Past, Present, and Future
Values Issues in Public Policy
Curricular Field Elective:
Budget, Finance, and Public PolicyPropaganda and American Foreign Policy
Religion in America
The Consequences of Pragmatism: Law, Education, and Politics
The Early Roman Empire: Politics and Society
The Economic System and Interest Group Politics
The History and Development of American Labor
Curricular Field Human Values:
Becoming American: Immigration in Historical PerspectiveCaesar, God, and The Constitution
Christian God, Muslim God
Classical Roots of American Founding
Crises of Conscience in American Foreign Policy
Freedom and Slavery in American History
Global Bioethics
Moral and Political Equality
Religion and Politics in the U.S.
Scorpions in the Constitutional Bottle: Uncivil Speech, Civil Society
Understanding Terrorism and Terrorists