Fall 2026 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 | Matt Slaboch | Tempe Campus | Session C: #88985
M/W 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Nick O'Neill | Tempe Campus | Session C: #68735
M/W 9:00am - 10:15am | Nick O'Neill | Tempe Campus | Session C: #69310
M/W 3:00pm - 4:15pm | Eduardo Schmidt Passos | Tempe Campus | Session C: #75883
T/Th 10:30am - 11:45am | Steele Brand | Tempe Campus | Session C: #74611
T/Th 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM | Peter McNamara |Tempe Campus | Session C: #71060
T/Th 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM | Steele Brand |Tempe Campus | Session C: #80362
T/Th 1:30-2:45 pm | Trevor Shelley | Tempe Campus | Session C: #71816
Available as an iCourse
Session A: #86251
Session C: #69059
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 12:00pm - 1:45pm | Nicholas O'Neill | Tempe Campus | Session C: #86035
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 9:00am - 10:15am | Tyler Thomas | Tempe Campus | Session C: #86401
M/W 10:30am – 11:45am | Megan Brand | Tempe Campus | Session C: #74632
M/W 10:30am – 11:45am | Evan Lowe | Tempe Campus | Session C: #75992
M/W 4:30pm – 5:45pm | Evan Lowe | Tempe Campus | Session C: #74632
M/W 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Tyler Thomas | Tempe Campus | Session C: #78438
M/W 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Megan Brand | Tempe Campus | Session C: #78664
M/W 3:00pm - 4:15pm | Tyler Thomas | Tempe Campus | Session C: #80453
T/Th 12:00pm - 1:15pm | Aaron Kushner | Tempe Campus | Session C: #76737
T/Th 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Andrew Porwancher | Tempe Campus | Session C: #80450
T/Th 10:30am – 11:45am | Andrew Porwancher | Tempe Campus | Session C: #73922
T/Th 9:00am - 10:15am | Seth Leibsohn | Tempe Campus | Session C: #86402
T/Th 3:00pm - 4:15pm | Aaron Kushner | Tempe Campus | Session C: #74631
Available as an iCourse and oCourse
Session A: #75019/75551
Session B: #69942/75552
Session B:#84602/84603
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.
T/Th 3:00pm - 4:15pm | Peter McNamara | Tempe Campus | Session C: #67592
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 12:00pm - 1:15pm | William Hay | Tempe Campus | Session C: #71059
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
What is the ideal form of society? Different eras and different cultures have pointed to very different answers to this question. Furthermore, we might ask, is it even sensible to be an idealist? A utopian? In our cynical and pragmatic times, we would likely say no, even emphatically NO! But this answer has not always been the case. Our course will explore the ideas of justice and virtue in the ancient world, specifically ancient Greece. We will do this by exploring a specific theme in ancient political philosophy: the best regime. The best regime is a major theme or, perhaps, the theme of classical (and later Jewish, Moslem, and Christian) political philosophy.
T/Th 10:30am-11:45am | Aaron Kushner | Tempe Campus | Session C: #82257
American Political Thought
Who sets policy under the U.S. Constitution? Arizona? Congress? President Trump? Beginning with a discussion of the American Founding, we will learn about how and where the Constitution allocates power among the states, Congress, presidents, and justices. This is the first of a two-part sequence on the U.S. Constitution and its development.
T/Th 10:30am - 11:45am | Sean Beienburg | Tempe Campus | Session C: #86422
Why do we vote on initiatives in Arizona, but not for our federal government? This course will cover Arizona's Constitution, constitutional federalism, and Arizona's rather colorful political history. Since most policy is made by the states, this course prepares thoughtful citizens better able to make a political difference
T 4:50pm - 7:35pm | Sean Beienburg | Tempe Campus | Session C: #86426
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.
Session A: #75020
Provides an introduction to the schools of thought concerned with explaining and influencing economic activity.
M/W 10:30am - 11:45am | Ross Emmet | Tempe Campus | Session C: #86062
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: #77349
8/7/2026-8/18/2026 | Ileana Orlich | Session C: #80079
Literary, cultural, and historical issues.
T/Th 12:00pm - 1:15pm| Ileana Orlich | Tempe Campus | Session C: #72390
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?
M/W 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Evan Lowe | Tempe Campus | Session C: #86424
Explore the timeless question of whether war can ever be just. Through classical, medieval, modern, and contemporary perspectives, this course examines the ethical and political dimensions of warfare—free from partisanship and ideology. Students will learn how to think critically about the moral responsibilities, limits, and duties surrounding political violence.
T/Th 1:30pm - 2:45pm | Ileana Orlich | Tempe Campus | Session C: #74904
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.