Constitutional Studies

William M. Curtis, J.D., Ph.D., director

The Constitutional Studies minor is an interdisciplinary liberal arts course of study that introduces students to U.S. constitutional law and its historical, political, and philosophical roots. It provides students who are considering going to law school with a foundational experience in thinking and writing about and discussing the law. It further provides something that all University of Portland students should be interested in: knowledge of the U.S. government’s founding document that will educate them about their rights and enable them to become more effective and engaged democratic citizens.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how the US Constitution creates, empowers, and structures the relationship between the three primary branches of the federal government and/or the relationship between the federal government and the states.
2. Students will be able demonstrate an understanding of how the Supreme Court exercises its power of judicial review to interpret the Constitution in its judicial opinions.
3. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the historical context of the ongoing US constitutional experiment.
4. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical background and political context of the concepts of the rule of law, and/or legal reasoning and argumentation, and/or individual/human rights.

The Constitutional Studies minor requires 18 credit hours that fall into three categories: (1) American politics and history; (2) constitutional law courses; and (3) political and moral philosophy/theory. POL 423 Jurisprudence and Constitutional Interpretation is the required capstone course for the minor in which students will write a research paper on constitutional law.