Spring 2027 Course List
The School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership offers four distinct academic tracks in its undergraduate curriculum.
- Moral and Political Thought
- American Political Thought
- Economic Thought and Political Economy
- Leadership and Statesmanship for the 21st Century
To graduate with a BA or a BS degree in civic and economic thought and leadership, students are required to take at least one course from each academic track in addition to the required core courses. A variety of upper-division courses are offered in each track every semester to allow you to tailor your academic experience in SCETL to your own goals and interests.
"SCETL is kind of a mix of a few things. You get economics, you get history, you get philosophy all blended into one, which is a really cool and unique experience to be able to hear from all of these different schools of thought and you get to challenge yourself." - Justin H.
Required Core Courses
Introduces fundamental debates and ideas of politics in both the West and beyond. Surveys ancient, medieval, and modern thinkers — such as Plato and Aristotle, Aquinas and Augustine, Machiavelli, Locke, and Rousseau — tracing their influences on contemporary debates with a focus on the great questions of human nature, social and political life, and the relationship between religion and politics. Enrollment requirements: Credit is allowed for only CEL 100 or CEL 194 (Great Ideas of Politics and Ethics)
Courses:
M/W 10:30am - 11:45am | John von Heyking | Tempe Campus | Session C: #21464
M/W 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Eduardo Schmidt Passos | Tempe Campus | Session C: #24247
M/W 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Nick O'Neill | Tempe Campus | Session C: #22567
M/W 3:00pm - 4:15pm | Eduardo Schmidt Passos | Tempe Campus | Session C: #26093
T/Th 10:30am - 11:45am | Steele Brand | Tempe Campus | Session C: #16798
T/Th 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM | Matthew Slaboch |Tempe Campus | Session C: #18875
T/Th 1:30-2:45 pm | Peter McNamara | Tempe Campus | Session C: #25904
Available as an iCourse
Session A: #18769
Session B: #
Explore how civic thought and leadership translate into professional practice. Through insights from faculty, alumni and area professionals, students learn about career paths and develop skills for life after graduation.
F 10:30am - 11:45am | Sean Beienburg | Tempe Campus | Session C: #29854
Introduces fundamental ideas and debates about liberty and equality in American thought from the colonial era to the present, focusing on major political figures and issues--ideas that continue to shape political debates in 21st-century America, thus providing crucial foundations for future leadership roles in either public affairs or the private sector. Enrollment requirements: Credit is allowed for only CEL 200 or CEL 294 (Great Debates in American Politics and Economics)
Courses:
M/W 10:30am – 11:45am | Tyler Thomas | Tempe Campus | Session C: #32569
M/W 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Megan Brand | Tempe Campus | Session C: #26574
M/W 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Jeff Davis | Tempe Campus | Session C: #36473
M/W 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Sean Beienburg | Tempe Campus | Session C: #24154
T/Th 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Liz Evans | Tempe Campus | Session C: #35657
T/Th 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Evan Lowe | Tempe Campus | Session C: #20488
T/Th 10:30am – 11:45am | Aaron Kushner | Tempe Campus | Session C: #16662
T/Th 9:00am - 10:15am | Seth Leibsohn | Tempe Campus | Session C: #26573
T/Th 3:00pm - 4:15pm | Tyler Thomas | Tempe Campus | Session C: #35658
Available as an iCourse and oCourse
Session A: #22385
Session B: #18770/27927
Session A:#32959/24256
Session B:24257/27926
Explores and debates the politics, economics and morality of 'capitalism'--the system of society that allows space for markets, profit-seeking and money-making. Readings cover the period from antiquity to modern commercial society. Authors studied include Aristotle, the Apostles, Aquinas, Locke, Franklin, Smith, Marx and Weber. Also serves as a broad introduction to the study of political economy.
M/W 9:00am - 10:15am | Nick O'Neill | Tempe Campus | Session C: #18846
Discusses great ideas and figures in political leadership and statesmanship, from ancient Greece and early modern Europe to America's founding and the present global uncertainty, especially the major arguments about war, peace and international affairs--ideas that shape foreign policy and grand strategy debates in the 21st century, thus providing crucial foundations for future leadership roles. Major thinkers and episodes include Thucydides, Plutarch, Montesquieu, George Washington, Lincoln, Truman and the Cold War, and Reagan, as well as contemporary debates about America's post-Cold War strategies for its leadership role in global affairs. Incorporates a Marshall brief (a policy presentation) and a group simulation exercise.
MW 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Paul Carrese | Tempe Campus | Session C: #16797
The School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership works closely with congressional offices in Arizona, nationwide, and Washington D.C., as well as nonprofits, government agencies, and large and small businesses to develop internship programs for its students.
Our students are interested in facing complex problems, aspiring to become leaders in their field, and are just as eager to learn outside the classroom as they are inside.
The school accepts internship programs for the summer, fall, and spring semesters.
You will need to work 7-10 hours per week in a paid or unpaid position and enroll in CEL 484 to earn three credits and meet the SCETL graduation requirement.
Moral and Political Thought
Addresses key thinkers, texts and concepts that have played an influential role in the development of modern political thought. Students examine what modern thinkers have to say about various political and philosophical topics such as liberty, equality, the state of nature, natural rights, laws of nature, the social contract, democracy, republicanism, popular sovereignty, the purpose and limits of government, the relationship between politics and religion, and the relationship between reason and tradition. Students consider the extent to which these thinkers and their political thought have shaped--and should or should not inform--contemporary political life.
T/Th 9:00am-10:15am | Evan Lowe | Tempe Campus | Session C: #35659
American Political Thought
Was the U.S. Constitution a mistake? During the constitutional ratification debates of 1787-88, the Anti-Federalists argued that it would be, while the Federalists maintained that it structured the government well and that it was the best governing document possible under the circumstances. This course examines the arguments, ideas and questions raised by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Their debates provide resources to understand and contribute to contemporary political and constitutional debates, and they model how intellectually deep, and morally serious, public discourse can be. Also studies their arguments and applies them to our current politics, while considering the rhetorical and other demands placed upon statesmen in constitutional, democratic systems. Additionally, considers the arguments of critics of American constitutionalism in American history and in the present day, as well as proposals to amend the Constitution.
M/W 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Tyler Thomas | Tempe Campus | Session C: #35660
Examine Abraham Lincoln’s speeches, writings and political actions to explore liberty, equality, democracy, constitutionalism and union. Students consider the challenges and possibilities of statesmanship in a democratic society.
T/TH 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Aaron Kushner | Tempe Campus | Session C: #35661
Explore the law, politics and philosophical debates surrounding freedom of speech and religious liberty, from colonial America to current controversies. Through historical texts, Supreme Court cases and international comparisons, students develop skills in constitutional reasoning, critical reading and writing.
Available as an iCourse
Session B: #36738
What civil liberties do you have under the US Constitution? We begin with a discussion of the Founding and earlier understandings of rights, before moving broadly through the Bill of Rights and Fourteenth Amendment, with reference also to the Arizona Constitution. This is the second of a two-part sequence on the U.S. Constitution and its development.
M/W 3:00pm - 4:15pm | Sean Beienburg | Tempe Campus | Session C: #35692
Economic Thought and Political Economy
The tradition of combining the study of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) originates at Oxford University. It aims to provide an interdisciplinary foundation for students to become active participants, as citizens and leaders, in a liberal democratic society that faces an uncertain future. It provides familiarity with core conceptual tools provided by philosophy, politics and economics, and an appreciation for the foundation they provide together to address social and political uncertainties we face today as well as in the future. Reliance on any one disciplinary set of tools and skills is useful, but the real challenges of any liberal democracy are met by neither technocratic nor bureaucratic solutions. They require an awareness of the relevance of ethics, politics and economics, as well as an appreciation for the limitations of each and the necessity of thinking through their interactions.
Available as an iCourse:
Session A: #36480
Provides an introduction to the schools of thought concerned with explaining and influencing economic activity.
T/TH 10:30am - 11:45am | Ross Emmet | Tempe Campus | Session C: #22403
Available as an iCourse:
Session A: 37676/37681
Leadership and Statesmanship for the 21st Century
We will examine the role of sports in America today. Why do sports matter? Why do so many fans care about their favorite teams? Can the world of sports be made better?
Session A: #36739
Explore how to live a meaningful life through classic texts, Socratic discussion and experiential learning. Students examine love, friendship, work, community, citizenship and identity while connecting readings to their own experiences through reflection, service, meditation and film.
3/7/2027-3/12/2027 | Susan Carrese | Session C: #24217/24491
Students practice leadership and explore civic responsibility through service.
F | 12:00pm- 1:00pm | 5/11/2027- 5/23/2027 | Nicholas O'Neill | #35688
Examine the development of the contemporary state system and how leaders pursue international policy. Through key events and primary texts, students explore approaches to statecraft involving war, economics and institution-building.
M/W | 10:30am- 11:45am | Nicholas O'Neill | #22409
Literary, cultural, and historical issues.
T/Th 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Ileana Orlich | Tempe Campus | Session C: #22962
We live in a world that, for most people, has been fundamentally transformed by modern science and technology. Of the technology, we often say: it can be used for good or for evil, it is morally neutral. Does that mean that the transformation we speak of is about new means, but not new ends, new devices but not new goals or purposes for human life? Or does modern technology radically transform our visions of the human good?
T/TH 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Ileana Orlich | Tempe Campus | Session C: #30831
Electives
Examine the evolution of the U.S. military from the colonial era to the present, connecting major conflicts and strategies with the personal experience of those who serve. The course invites students to reflect on the role of warfare in American history, leadership, and national life.
M/W 10:30am - 11:45am | Nicholas O'Neill | Tempe Campus | Session C: #35652
A specialized course looking at historical military strategy, leadership, and conflicts through a civic and ethical lens
T/TH | 12:00pm- 1:15pm | Steele Brand | Session C: #35654
Course Spotlights
Explore the roots of political order, from ancient Greece to modern India or study the debates over fundamental American principles! Hear directly from our students and faculty on what civic and economic thought and leadership courses are all about.