Civic Education ,Certificate

Develop your political voice while learning the rights, responsibilities and intellectual foundations that accompany participation in American democracy. Become a more informed participant when exercising the rights to vote and seek change.

Description ▲

If you seek to actively engage in or teach others about political issues and reforms, the civic education certificate program is geared toward you.

Certificate coursework provides you with a strong foundation in the theories and ideologies that provide the motivation and reasoning for much political activity. In addition, a civics in action component of the program enables you to investigate how contemporary American political institutions grapple with competing interests, values and civic ideas.

At a glance ▲

College/school: The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Location: Tempe

Curriculum ▲

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2026-2027 Catalog Year

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Requirement	Minimum Grade	Credit Hours

Requirement	Minimum Grade	Credit Hours
The certificate in civic education requires 15 credit hours, of which 12 credit hours must be upper-division. A minimum of six upper-division credit hours must be completed through The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. When selecting courses, the college offering the course can be identified by viewing the course details in Class Search. Only courses completed with a grade of "C" (2.00 on a scale of 4.00) or better may be applied toward the certificate requirements.
POS 210 Political Ideologies (CIVI) 3 Credit Hours Minimum Grade:C	C	3
POS 442 American Political Thought (HUAD) 3 Credit Hours Minimum Grade:C	C	3
POS 340 History of Political Philosophy I POS 341 History of Political Philosophy II POS 346 Problems of Democracy (HUAD) POS 443 Topics in Contemporary Political Theory POS 475 Morality and Politics 3 Credit Hours Minimum Grade:C	C	3
POS 313 The Congress (AMIT) POS 314 The American Presidency (AMIT) POS 315 The Supreme Court POS 325 Public Policy Development (CIVI) POS 332 American Political Parties POS 333 Interest Groups POS 348 Do You Want to Build a Nation? (CIVI) POS 370 Law and Society (CIVI) POS 410 Governing American Cities POS 417 Arizona Politics POS 435 Women and Politics (SOBE) POS 439 Minority Group Politics in America POS 470 Law and the Political Order 6 Credit Hours Minimum Grade:C	C	6

Notes

Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.

Enrollment requirements ▲

Requests to declare this certificate are reviewed by the academic advisor in the academic unit offering the certificate. Students may be contacted to discuss the certificate before it is added to their record.

A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded before the completion of an undergraduate degree. A student who already holds an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student.

Program learning outcomes▲

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:

Analyze a public policy using social science methods.
Communicate using clear and concise language on topics related to American democratic citizenship.
Apply a key political ideology, Classical Liberalism, to a public policy.

Career opportunities▲

Graduates who have combined the certificate in civic education with their major program of study become more attractive to employers. The program offers a balanced approach to the theory and practice of civic engagement, equipping graduates with the ability to analyze and navigate political events and institutions. The program helps prepare graduates for fields in which an understanding of citizenship, leadership, community, democracy, public responsibility and ethics is crucial, such as:

business
civic and social movements
education (social studies)
history
journalism
law
politics
public administration
public service
social work

Contact information▲

School of Politics and Global Studies | COOR 6797
spgs-ugadvising@asu.edu
480-965-8563

Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

Accelerated master's

These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.

Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.

ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.

Civic Education ,Certificate