Bachelor of Arts
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in Civics Honors* is an honors program that provides a unique and challenging interdisciplinary program of study for a limited number of students whose academic records indicate strong potential and motivation.
Application materials and information about deadlines are available online at https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply.
Students who wish to pursue an honors major in the School of Civic Leadership must meet all degree requirements as well as maintain a University grade point average of at least 3.0. All students whose grade point average falls below 3.0 but not below 2.5 will be put on academic review. Students whose grade point average falls below 2.5 at any point after their first semester will be dismissed from the program. Lastly, students who are not enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin for four consecutive long semesters and therefore fail to make satisfactory progress toward the degree will be automatically dismissed from the BA with a major in Civic Honors*. Students may appeal these stipulations, and the Dean of the School of Civic Leadership may make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Prescribed Coursework (36 hours):
The prescribed courses for the degree requirements consist of tools courses, and intellectual foundations courses.†
Tools (12 hours)
Although there is no mandatory sequence for these courses, the four-year degree plan encourages students to take these classes during their first two years. This process enhances comradery, builds community, and gives students shared intellectual experiences within the School of Civic Leadership.
Requirements | Hours | |
---|---|---|
ECO 304K | Introduction to Microeconomics (satisfies the Social and Behavioral Science requirement in the Core Curriculum) | 3 |
CIV 312P | Constitutional Principles: Core Texts (satisfies half of Core Govt. requirement when taken with GOV 310L) | 3 |
CIV 304 | Foundations of Research Methods for Civics (satisfies the Mathematics requirement in the Core Curriculum) | 3 |
CIV 302 | Truth and Persuasion | 3 |
Intellectual Foundations (12 hours)
Although there is no mandatory sequence for these courses, the four-year degree plan encourages students to take these classes during their first two years. This process enhances comradery, builds community, and gives students a shared intellectual experiences within the School of Civic Leadership.
Requirements | Hours | |
---|---|---|
CIV 301 | Perennial Problems in Civic Thought | 3 |
CIV 303J | Origins of American Institutions | 3 |
CIV 303K | Democracy and Capitalism | 3 |
CIV 305 | Excellence of Character: The Virtues | 3 |
Foreign Language (12 hours)
Students must demonstrate an intermediate level of proficiency in a language other than English. An intermediate level of proficiency may be determined by the completion of any one of the following options:
- Certified proficiency on a placement or credit-by-exam test.
- Students with previous experience in the language they plan to use to meet the language requirement must take a language placement test. A student may not select for credit a language course below this placement level without permission of the dean's office.
- A passing grade on 12 sequential semester credit hours in language courses offered at the University.
Requirements | Hours | |
---|---|---|
Foreign Language | 12 |
- †
Effective April 2025, UT Austin no longer requires Skills and Experience flags.
- *
Pending approval of Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board at time of publication.