Course Syllabus
Welcome to PLSC 471: American Constitutional Law
Overview
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Credits | 3 |
| Prerequisites | PLSC 001 |
| Delivery | Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com) |
| Dates | See the Calendar. |
| Instructor | See the Orientation module under the Modules tab. |
Description
This course introduces students to the role of the Supreme Court in interpreting the American Constitution. The course focuses on the origins and significance of judicial review, the effects of federalism on the American constitutional and political system and landmark decisions of the Supreme Court concerning legislative and executive power.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Define key concepts concerning constitutional interpretation
- Identify the organizing principles of the Constitution
- Explain the Supreme Court’s role in interpreting the Constitution
- Apply constitutional principles to key issues in American history
- Compare how the Supreme Court has utilized constitutional principles
- Analyze landmark decisions of the Supreme Court
- Evaluate alternative approaches to constitutional interpretation
- Write essays defending various positions on constitutional issues
Organization
This course is made up of 13 topics. For each one, you will complete various assignments as outlined on the course schedule. These include assigned readings from the text, reading materials available on the Internet, discussion boards, papers and quizzes.
Online Learning and Attendance
This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.
Materials
Texts
There is one required text. There are also readings and supplemental information provided in the lessons and announcements.
- Epstein and Walker, Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Institutional Powers and Constraints. 11th edition (2022) ISBN: 9781071822128 CQ Press
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Access to New York Times
As a Penn State student, you have digital access to a variety of local, national, and global newspapers at no cost. This course may reference New York Times articles, please use the instructions provided on the Student News Readership Program website to activate your complimentary access.
Grading
Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.
Scale
| LETTER GRADE |
MINIMUM % | MAXIMUM % | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 93 | 100 | 1300-1203 |
| A- | 90 | 92 | 1202-1164 |
| B+ | 87 | 89 | 1163-1125 |
| B | 83 | 86 | 1124-1073 |
| B- | 80 | 82 | 1072-1034 |
| C+ | 77 | 79 | 1033-995 |
| C | 70 | 76 | 994-904 |
| D | 60 | 69 | 903-774 |
| F | 0 | 59 | 773 |
Due Dates
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10622.
As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
DO NOT request exceptions to or deviations from the course requirements, grading policies or exam schedule. You should organize your work and personal responsibilities so that it doesn’t conflict with course requirements.
Notes
- To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. Read course announcements for detailed directions about individual assignments, and also see assignment information under the Modules tab.
You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within seven days of their due date.
| ASSIGNMENT GROUP |
POINTS |
|---|---|
| Discussion Boards (6 x 100) | 600 |
| Module Quizzes (3 x 100) | 300 |
| Papers (4 x 100) | 400 |
| Total | 1300 |
Discussions
Value: 6 x 100 PTS, 600 points total
The discussion boards form the cyber classroom that brings students and instructor together regardless of location. The forum topics are intended to encourage students to think about ideas and issues embedded in the text materials. Responses to the questions and issues should be organized in a way that demonstrate that you have read and thought about the assigned materials. Brief comments do not demonstrate that you have done the reading and thought at any length about the issues raised in each forum and thus will receive lower grades.
You will discover that the assignments raise interesting problems about our constitutional system and public policy. Usually, there are not right and wrong answers to the questions raised but there are answers that can be defended with proper evidence and argumentation. You should interact with each other in a professional manner and bring intellectual structure and integrity to the debate. Students who interact with others on the discussion board and move debate along will usually receive higher grades
The following factors will be taken into account in assigning discussion board grades:
Content of Primary Post- Students are expected to post a primary response. The primary post should fully address the topic and contribute to the overall discussion in a meaningful way. As noted in the Course Summary your initial response to discussion boards should be posted by Thursday of each week in which there is a discussion forum. This allows you to have ample time to respond to comments made by other students (see below). Last minute postings that do little more than restate what has already been said by others will receive less credit, especially if the posting is very brief. Your primary comments should demonstrate that you have read and utilized the various course materials, such information in course announcements and on the discussion board itself as well as information in the assigned reading. Comments that appear to be written quickly without regard to the assigned readings and other materials will receive less credit.
Participation in Other Students’ Threads- You should respond to the comments made by at least two other students, and preferably more. More points will be given to those students who interact with and respond to the comments of others in the course and who add to and/or move the substance of the discussion along in a meaningful way. This kind of interaction is important in online classes where we do not have the benefit of face to face discussion.
Clarity and Professional Presentation- Your postings should be well written and not filled with spelling, grammatical and other errors. Make sure you use spell check.
The instructor reserves the right to remove any posts that are not appropriate or are offensive. Any student who posts an inappropriate of offensive response will be blocked from participating in the discussion board and will receive an F for that assignment. Students are also subject classroom behavior and conduct policies found in the student code of conduct. The fact that we are engaged in an online format does not change our responsibility to conduct ourselves in a professional and mature manner.
PLEASE NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to remove any discussions that are not appropriate or offend another student. Any student who posts an inappropriate of offensive response will be blocked from participating in the discussion board and will receive an F for that assignment. Students are also subject classroom behavior and conduct policies found in the student code of conduct. The fact that we are engaged in an online format does not change our responsibility to conduct ourselves in a professional and mature manner.
Value: 3 x 100 PTS, 300 PTS total
There are three (3) quizzes made up of multiple choice questions. Each quiz will be based on the topics covered in the corresponding module.
Papers
Value: 4 x 100 PTS, 400 PTS total
The first paper is to compare the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. The next 3 found in lessons 8, 10 and 12 will be based on a hypothetical case, United States v. Bates, that will serve as a series of assignments designed to provide understanding about the logic of constitutional and Supreme Court decision making. Additional details about the papers will be found in the lesson assignments and course announcements during the semester.
Papers must be submitted within their Canvas assignments. Do not email the papers.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes (see G-9: Academic Integrity).
Unless your instructor tells you otherwise:
- Always include an in-text citation that includes the author(s) last name(s) and the year the source was published at the end of any sentence or below any image that includes words, images, or ideas you found in a source, always included quoted text within quotation marks, and always include a reference for any source at the end of your paper (ask your instructor about the format you should use).
- All of your graded coursework must be created by you without help from anyone in the course or otherwise. If you have questions about this, you should ask your instructor before submitting work for evaluation.
- All course materials you receive or access are protected by copyright laws. You may use course materials and make copies for your own use, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at https://equity.psu.edu/offices/student-disability-resources/campus-offices. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.
Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.
Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.
Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/.
Reporting a Bias Incident
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.
TEACH Act
The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
University Emergency Procedure
In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at https://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at https://news.psu.edu.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.
Syllabus Subject to Change
The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|