Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership

About this opportunity

At the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, you will investigate classic works in politics, philosophy, and economics in order to engage the long-standing questions that guide a liberal education, all with an eye to the cultivation of character and skills necessary for leadership. SCETL students will graduate with training in critical thought and analysis, and will be prepared for leadership in the world after graduation. We offer 4 Tracks for student specialization: (1) Moral and Political Thought, (2) American Political Thought, (3) Economic Thought and Political Economy, and (4) Leadership and Statesmanship for the 21st Century.

Look beyond time and borders to explore the fundamental questions of life, freedom and governance, and discover the guiding principles of America’s founders and the leaders who have inspired us.

Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, BA 

• The BA program in civic and economic thought and leadership incorporates the study of political philosophy, economic thought, history and American politics.

Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, BS 

• The BS program in civic and economic thought and leadership incorporates the study of political philosophy, economic thought, history and American politics and provides a foundation in social and political research and statistics. 

   

   

Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, Minor 

• The BS program in civic and economic thought and leadership incorporates the study of political philosophy, economic thought, history and American politics and provides a foundation in social and political research and statistics.

   

   

   

In all SCETL degree programs, faculty teach using the Socratic method, which challenges students to analyze the complex topics impacting lives today. Students refine their ability to read closely, think analytically, write carefully and speak effectively — all critical skills necessary for active citizenship and leadership. 

Students pursuing honors contracts will find SCETL faculty to be accommodating and welcoming in most or all of our courses. A full list of SCETL courses is available here. We look forward to seeing you in our classes and welcoming you as a SCETL major or minor. 

Thesis

The interdisciplinary character of the SCETL curriculum, and the diverse disciplinary background of its faculty – which includes political scientists and theorists, historians, classicists, and economists – make it ideal for students of these subjects who want to conclude their Barrett career with a truly imaginative and and distinctive honors project. For most students, this means crafting a research and writing project with the help of a main SCETL advisor, who will also help in putting together a committee (consisting of at least one more faculty member) that can assist in seeing the project through to a successful and conclusion and defense.

Academic Preparation

The interdisciplinary nature of SCETL - combining politics, history, economics, philosophy, and classics, not to mention languages and literature - makes it difficult to set down specifics in this - but it certainly conveys a sense of the possibilities, to be worked out in consultation with your thesis advisor.

Recommended Timeline

Although timelines are liable to vary considerably, depending on the needs of individual students and the actual shape of their projects, most students will want to zero in on a topic, and simultaneously secure the support of their main faculty sponsor, as early as possible in the junior year – goals with which the SCETL FHA can be expected to lend a crucial hand. That done, an ideal approach would be to have all research for the project finished by the start of the fall of senior year (or second-to-last semester before graduation), such that writing and revision could be completed, in preparation for a defense before a committee early in the graduating semester.

Other Honors Opportunities

Virtually every class in the SCETL curriculum – from the 100-level “Great Ideas in Politics and Ethics,” to a wide range of upper-level classes in politics, history, and economics – is a great candidate for honors enrichment contracts. The SCETL faculty is always keen to work these out with Barrett students, on a case-by-case basis – always with a premium on creative engagement with great books and key ideas in politics, history and economics. This goes not just for SCETL classes, but also for its extra-curricular short programs in literature (its famous “Shakespeare in the Pines” event), in foreign travel (with annual educational trips to India and Israel and the West Bank, with more planned), and its various government internships, and the local and national levels – all are equally amenable to honors enrichment contracts. For these and other possibilities, please consult the SCETL Web Page, as well as the SCETL FHA.

Students have internship opportunities on Capitol Hill, in congressional offices in their district, and with nonprofit organizations that will build their resume with professional experience and enable them to network with potential employers for after graduation. Global intensive experiences allow students to study in places such as Israel and the West Bank, India and South Africa. They also engage with world-renowned scholars through the school's public programs.