All Pods / Social Science
Introduction to Constitutional Law
This pod explores the foundations of constitutional law and civil rights in the United States, examining landmark Supreme Court cases and the legal frameworks that have shaped and continue to define what rights we hold and who gets to protect them.
Outcome
A literature brief exploring a civil rights topic of their choosing
Tuition
$495
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Introduction to Constitutional Law
Rights are rarely given. They are fought for, interpreted, and contested in courtrooms across history. This course explores the foundations of constitutional law and civil rights in the United States, from the sweeping promises of the 14th Amendment to the boundaries of free speech, through the lens of landmark Supreme Court cases. We'll examine how courts decide what the Constitution protects, who gets to define those protections, and how legal frameworks have both advanced and undermined equality. Students will analyze primary legal sources, engage in debates about constitutional theory, and develop literature brief exploring a civil rights topic of their choosing.
Week by week curriculum
Week 1
Students are introduced to the 14th Amendment and the critical distinction between state and private action, exploring how courts determine when constitutional protections apply.
Week 2
The course turns to enumerated vs. unenumerated rights, examining how the Constitution protects some rights explicitly while others — like voting, marriage, and education — occupy more contested legal ground.
Week 3
Students explore the debate between originalism and living constitutionalism, considering how different theories of interpretation shape the role of courts and legislatures in defining rights.
Week 4
The First Amendment takes center stage, with a deep dive into the limits of free speech, student expression, and how the time, place, and forum of speech affects its legal protection.
Week 5
The course examines the legal legacy of Plessy v. Ferguson and the three tiers of judicial scrutiny) strict, intermediate, and rational basis) used to evaluate whether laws violate equal protection.
Week 6
Students bring it all together, presenting their research findings and delivering final drafts of their papers, synthesizing the constitutional principles explored throughout the pod.