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The Program in Democracy and Citizenship is a curricular initiative at Emory University centered on the knowledge required for young Americans to become responsible, informed citizens with a critical appreciation of the values, ideals, and history of our nation. Through selected courses, guest lectures, and regular mentoring, the Program introduces students to the intellectual foundations, essential texts, great art works, and formative events of the United States—in a word, the reservoir of learning, the “citizenship knowledge,” essential to civic literacy, enlightened entrepreneurship, and healthy democracy.

At present, it is a coordinated effort involving six departments—Political Science, English, History, Philosophy, Linguistics, and Classics. The departments offer American tradition-oriented courses, and the Program provides funding and curricular support.

Each semester, department officers and the Program Director develop general education courses whose readings and course work center on enduring civic and cultural traditions of the United States.  Departments assume the role of submitting course descriptions and readings, as well as personnel recommendations. The Program Director advises the teachers on syllabus design in order to match the courses to the educational aims of the Program. Each course fulfills a general education requirement.

The courses are taught by faculty and advanced graduate students, with the syllabus and pedagogy monitored by the Program Director. Additionally, each course has at least one guest presentation per semester.  The speakers come mainly from the public world (journalism, foundations, think tanks). Each visit spans one or two days, with the speaker presenting assigned texts to classes and meeting students in private conferences to discuss issues such as career plans.