Political Science: Const Law: Civil Liberties

Investigation of the Supreme Court's interpretation of the First Amendment, rights of the accused, and the right to privacy. Prerequisite: POLS 1300 or POLS 1013.

Prerequisite enforced by the system: POLS 1300 or POLS 1013; Minimum Sophomore standing. PACE students with permission and override.

This course examines many of the most important decisions on civil liberties issued by the U.S. Supreme Court. Topics to be covered include: freedom of speech and religion, the rights of the accused, and the right to privacy. By the end of the semester, you should have a deeper understanding of how law and politics interact at the Supreme Court and the shifting scope and nature of civil liberties over time, which will, in turn, give you a better ability to evaluate contemporary debates on the subject.

This course combines lecture and discussion formats. Students should expect to spend 6-7 house a week on coursework outside of class, with additional time spent preparing for a Moot Court project. There is one required book for this course: Lee Epstein, Kevin T. McGuire, and Thomas G. Walker’s Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Rights, Liberties, and Justice (12th ed). Washington DC: CQ Press, 2024. (ISBN: 9781071901663). The book's cost varies widely, based on whether it's new/used, owned/rented, and paperback/ebook. Generally, you should plan to spend somewhere between $100 and $225 for this book.

Grades are based primarily on two exams, multiple quizzes, participation, and a moot court project.