Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, Minor
Pair this minor with any major to build analytical thinking, persuasive communication and ethical decision making. Prepare for careers in law, public service, business, journalism, education, nonprofit leadership and government while learning to solve complex societal challenges.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Minor description
Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership minor description
In the minor program in civic and economic thought and leadership, you are trained to read original texts and understand influential ideas in philosophy, economics and politics in order to become a leader in your field of study. Through faculty use of the Socratic method teaching style, you are challenged in the classroom and compelled to think critically about the problems that society faces today.
You participate in a high-impact curriculum and are eligible for a global intensive experience, leadership seminars, an internship program and special access to prominent scholars and visiting fellows.
Why earn a civic and economic thought and leadership minor at ASU?
At ASU, the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership stands as the first of the civic thought and leadership schools now spreading across state flagship universities. Because every class stays small, you can build meaningful relationships with faculty that lead to mentoring, research opportunities and guidance as you graduate, while developing bonds with classmates and practicing civil dialogue across difference and disagreement.
The school measures itself by who it includes and their successes, holding that a robust grasp of civics matters in both public and private life. Above all, it prepares you to take citizenship and its duties seriously and to assume responsibility for the health of your communities. A strong placement record for internships, specialized external programs, graduate and law school and post-graduation employment shows where that preparation can take you.
Additional details
Beyond the classroom, the Student Assembly at SCETL gives you an active, engaged and welcoming community that runs programs, hosts social events and builds lasting connections among students.
Courses
This undergraduate minor includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below:
2026-2027 Catalog Year
The minor requires 15 credit hours. A "C" minimum is required for all courses in the minor, although students must maintain a 3.00 GPA in the post-baccalaureate certificate program.
| Requirement | Minimum grade | Credit hours |
|---|---|---|
|
The minor in Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership requires 15 credit hours, of which nine credit hours must be upper-division. 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 minor requirements. |
||
|
CEL 100 Great Ideas of Politics and Ethics
(HUAD)
or
CEL 306 Justice and Virtue: Classical Political Thought
(HUAD)
or
CEL 308 Liberty and Equality: Early Modern Political Thought
(CIVI)
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
CEL 200 Great Debates in American Politics
(AMIT)
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
CEL 352 Debating Capitalism
(SOBE)
3 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 3 |
|
Upper Division
CEL Elective
CEL Upper Division Elective: students can take three credits of lower-division CEL Elective and only three credits of upper-division CEL Elective if they take CEL 306 or CEL 308 for the required course above (instead of CEL 100).
6 credit hours
Minimum
grade:C
|
C | 6 |
|
Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this minor.
|
Enrollment requirements
GPA Requirement: None
Incompatible Majors: BA in civic and economic thought and leadership; BS in civic and economic thought and leadership
Other Enrollment Requirements: None
Current ASU undergraduate students may pursue a minor and have it recognized on their ASU transcript at graduation. Minor requirements appear on the degree audit once the minor is added. Certain major and minor combinations may be deemed inappropriate by the college or department of either the major program or the minor. Courses taken for the minor may not count toward both the major and minor.
Here are the admission and application details
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this civic and economic thought and leadership minor prepares you for
A minor from the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership supports a student's major and can be beneficial to graduates when they seek employment or apply to graduate school. Completion of a minor program demonstrates to employers or schools that the graduate is focused on educational goals and can handle the additional workload.
Graduates who are interested in careers as lawyers, doctors, journalists, educators, foreign service officers, law enforcement officials and political scientists benefit from this liberal arts education. They have the academic foundation to ask informed questions, make sound decisions for the common good, and solve the difficult problems that leaders in any discipline confront.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
School of Civic & Economic Thought and Leadership
|
COOR 6611
scetladvising@asu.edu
480-965-0155
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
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.
