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Civic Engagement in American Democracy

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Civic Engagement in American Democracy

Instructors: Dr. Bruce W Jentleson

8,336 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

113 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

113 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

21 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

So how does the American political system work? Who are some of the key actors? What are key concepts for a student trying to understand what’s going on? How can I as a citizen influence politics?

Civic Engagement in American Democracy takes on these and other key questions. We’re Dr. Nicholas Carnes and Dr. Bruce Jentleson, the principal course instructors. Along with our Duke faculty colleagues who also contributed modules, we’ve designed the course to provide a strong foundational introduction to US politics. If you’re new to this material, proceed through the modules one by one and build up your knowledge of politics and government. If some of the material is familiar, go ahead and set your own pace. Either way we hope Civic Engagement in American Democracy helps you be an effective student in more advanced politics courses and/or an engaged citizen in 21st century America.

What's included

1 video1 reading

This week we'll learn who is who in American Democracy.

What's included

8 videos4 readings9 assignments

8 videosTotal 70 minutes

Legislatures7 minutes
The Presidency9 minutes
Courts7 minutes
Bureaucracy7 minutes
Media and Politics13 minutes
Political Parties7 minutes
Interest Groups7 minutes
Social Movements14 minutes

4 readingsTotal 120 minutes

Resources10 minutes
Resources90 minutes
Resources10 minutes
Resources10 minutes

9 assignmentsTotal 222 minutes

Legislatures12 minutes
The Presidency30 minutes
Courts30 minutes
Bureaucracy30 minutes
Media and Politics30 minutes
Parties30 minutes
Interest Groups30 minutes
Social Movements30 minutes
Who are the Key Players?0 minutes

This week we'll learn how American Democracy is structured and how forces—internal and external—affect it.

What's included

5 videos3 readings6 assignments

5 videosTotal 37 minutes

The Constitution9 minutes
Federalism7 minutes
Globalization7 minutes
Political Accountability7 minutes
Structural Inequality7 minutes

3 readingsTotal 30 minutes

Resources10 minutes
Resources10 minutes
Resources10 minutes

6 assignmentsTotal 150 minutes

The Constitution30 minutes
Federalism30 minutes
Globalization30 minutes
Political Accountability30 minutes
Structural Inequality30 minutes
How do the players fit together?0 minutes

This week we'll learn how American citizens can affect their political system.

What's included

5 videos5 readings6 assignments

5 videosTotal 28 minutes

Staying Informed10 minutes
Voting2 minutes
Contacting Elected Officials2 minutes
Protesting7 minutes
Advocacy and Campaigning7 minutes

5 readingsTotal 50 minutes

Resources10 minutes
Resources10 minutes
Resources10 minutes
Resources10 minutes
Share your learning experience10 minutes

6 assignmentsTotal 130 minutes

Staying Informed30 minutes
Voting30 minutes
Contacting Elected Officials10 minutes
Protest30 minutes
Advocacy and Campaigning30 minutes
How do citizens influence politics?0 minutes

Instructors

Instructor ratings

(34 ratings)

Dr. Bruce W Jentleson

Duke University

1 Course8,336 learners

Offered by

Duke University

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Reviewed on Dec 23, 2024

Great course to better understand how the american political system works

Reviewed on Jun 8, 2023

Easy and quick course taught by great professors with great and experienced backgrounds. Not hard AT ALL! I completed the course in it entirety in two, two hour sessions.

Reviewed on Jun 23, 2024

This course was a great introduction to civic engagement in American Democracy. I definitely would recommend it!

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Frequently asked questions

No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.