Civics Honors (BA)
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. The Civics Honors major draws on the American constitutional tradition and the texts and ideas that shape western civilization to prepare students to lead in a free society. The degree develops skills in deep reading, writing, speaking and statistical analysis. Students in the degree integrate insights from philosophy, political theory, economics, and the American experience of constitutional self-government. The degree culminates in a formative internship experience and independent thesis to prepare students for lives of leadership and purpose in a variety of fields including public service, business, entrepreneurship, and law.
Application materials and information about deadlines are available online at https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply.
Students who wish to pursue a Civics 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.
Total Hours Required: 120
Plan of Study
The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
| CIV 301 | Perennial Problems in Civic Thought | 3 |
| RHE 306 | Rhetoric and Writing | 3 |
| CIV 304 | Foundations of Research Methods for Civics | 3 |
| HIS 315K | The United States, 1492-1865 | 3 |
| First-Year Signature Course (090) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CIV 305 | Excellence of Character: The Virtues | 3 |
| ECO 304K | Introduction to Microeconomics | 3 |
| CIV 312P | Constitutional Principles: Core Texts | 3 |
| Communication (010) | 3 | |
| Humanities (040) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| CIV 303J | Origins of American Institutions | 3 |
| HIS 315L | The United States since 1865 | 3 |
| American and Texas Government (070) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Intermediate Proficiency | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CIV 302 | Truth and Persuasion | 3 |
| CIV 303K | Democracy and Capitalism | 3 |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Intermediate Proficiency | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| CIV (area A) | 3 | |
| CIV (area B) | 3 | |
| CIV (area C) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| CIV (area A) | 3 | |
| CIV (area B) | 3 | |
| CIV (area C) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Any area A, B, or C course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Semester 1 | ||
| Any area A, B, or C course | 6 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| CIV 379 | Internship in Civic Leadership | 3 |
| CIV 379J | Thesis I | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| Visual and Performing Arts (050) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Technology, Part II (093) | 3 | |
| Any area A, B, or C course | 6 | |
| CIV 379K | Thesis II | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Requirements
All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major | ||
| ECO 304K | Introduction to Microeconomics (satisfies Social and Behavioral Sciences (080)) | 3 |
| CIV 312P | Constitutional Principles: Core Texts (satisfies half of American and Texas Government (070) requirement when taken with GOV 310L or CIV 303C) | 3 |
| CIV 304 | Foundations of Research Methods for Civics (satisfies Mathematics (020)) | 3 |
| CIV 302 | Truth and Persuasion | 3 |
| 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 |
| Area Courses | ||
| CIV Hours chosen from: Constitutionalism Course List | 6 | |
| CIV Hours chosen from: Western Civilization Course List | 6 | |
| CIV Hours chosen from: Civic Leadership Course List | 6 | |
| Any Hours chosen from: Area Course Lists | 12 | |
| Foreign Language other than English, Intermediate Proficiency | 12 | |
| Internship & Thesis | ||
| CIV 375 | Internship | 3 |
| or CIV 379 | Internship in Civic Leadership | |
| Hours chosen from: | 6 | |
| Thesis I | ||
| Thesis II | ||
| Subtotal | 75 | |
| General Education | ||
| Remaining Core Curriculum (42 hours total) | 33 | |
| Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required. | 12 | |
| Subtotal | 45 | |
| College Requirements - Civic Leadership | ||
| General University Requirements | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Additional Requirements and Policies
For the Tools and Intellectual Foundations courses, 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.
Foreign Language
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:
- A passing grade in the requisite credit hours necessary to satisfy intermediate proficiency level in the language.
- 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.
Constitutionalism
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIV 121 | Topics in Constitutional History and Principles Research | 1 |
| CIV 124 | Topics in Rights, Freedoms, and the Rule of Law Research | 1 |
| CIV 320 | Constitutionalism: Ancient and Modern | 3 |
| CIV 321J | Economics and Constitutionalism | 3 |
| CIV 360 | Advanced Topics in Constitutional History and Principles | 3 |
| CIV 372 | Topics in Independent Research in Constitutionalism | 3 |
| CIV 363 | Advanced Topics in Rights, Freedoms, and the Rule of Law | 3 |
| CIV X57L/GOV X57N/AMS X22C | Amending the United States Constitution | 3 |
| GOV 320K | United States Constitutional Development: Structures | 3 |
| GOV 320N | United States Constitutional Development: Rights | 3 |
| GOV 335R | Intellectual World of the American Founders | 3 |
| GOV X57C/CTI X26C | Constitutional Interpretation | 3 |
| GOV X57D/CTI X26L | Civil Liberties | 3 |
| GOV X57F/CTI X26S | Constitutional Structure of Power | 3 |
| GOV 357G | Structure of Individual Liberties | 3 |
| HIS 317L.13 | Origins of American Revolution (Topic 13) | 3 |
| HIS 317L.15 | Establishing America, 1565-1815 (Topic 15) | 3 |
| HIS 355S | United States Constitutional History | 3 |
| PHL 347 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHL 375M.4 | Philosophy of the First Amendment (Topic 4) | 3 |
Western Civilization
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIV 122 | Topics in Western Civilization Research | 1 |
| CIV 322J | The Quest for Community | 3 |
| CIV 322K | Politics and the Transcendent | 3 |
| CIV 125 | Topics in Civic Thought and Culture Research | 1 |
| CIV 364 | Advanced Topics in Civic Thought and Culture | 3 |
| CIV 361 | Advanced Topics in Western Civilization | 3 |
| CIV 373 | Topics in Independent Research in Western Civilization | 3 |
| CTI X02/GOV X14E/CIV X02C | Classics of Social and Political Thought | 3 |
| GOV X35D/PHL X42 | Natural Law Theory | 3 |
| GOV X51C/CTI X20 | The Classical Quest for Justice | 3 |
| GOV X51D/CTI X21 | The Theoretical Foundations of Modern Politics | 3 |
| GOV X51G/CTI X22 | Critics of Modern Liberalism | 3 |
| GOV X51J/CTI X23 | Might and Right among Nations | 3 |
| GOV X51L/CTI X25 | Morality and Politics | 3 |
| GOV X79G/CTI X30J | Jerusalem and Athens | 3 |
| PHL 342P | Four Modern Political Theories | 3 |
| PHL 356C | Contemporary Christian Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL X56D/CTI X35C | History of Christian Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 329K | History of Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 342 | Topics in Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 349 | History of Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy | 3 |
| C C X48E/PHL X29C | Plato and His Philosophy | 3 |
| R S 315C | The Bible and Its Interpreters | 3 |
Civic Leadership
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIV 123 | Topics in Ethics and Leadership Research | 1 |
| CIV 323J | Ethical Analysis for Civic Leaders | 3 |
| CIV 325K | Economic Analysis for Civic Leaders | 3 |
| CIV 126 | Topics in Strategy and Statecraft Research | 1 |
| CIV 331F | American Political Economy | 3 |
| CIV 337 | Policy Research Lab | 3 |
| CIV 362 | Advanced Topics in Ethics and Leadership | 3 |
| CIV 365 | Advanced Topics in Strategy and Statecraft | 3 |
| CIV 374 | Topics in Independent Research in Civic Leadership | 3 |
| ECO 354M | Experimental Economics | 3 |
| HIS 365G | Topics in United States History | 3 |
| HIS 333L | United States Foreign Relations, 1776-1914 | 3 |
| LEB 320F | Foundations of Business Law and Ethics | 3 |
| MAN 320F | Foundations of Management and Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| MAN 327 | Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| PHL 322K | History of Ethics | 3 |
| PHL 325K | Ethical Theories | 3 |
| PHL 325N | Organizational Ethics | 3 |
| PPE 301 | Introduction to Philosophy, Politics, and Economics | 3 |
| PPE 320 | Foundations of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics | 3 |
| PPE 379 | Capstone Course | 3 |