School of Civic Leadership - UT Austin

10/13/2026

How does a broad education prepare students for a future we cannot predict?

SCL Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Catherine Borck recently returned to her alma mater, Oglethorpe University, to discuss the importance of liberal education in cultivating the judgment needed for civic life.

As Borck explained in her lecture, “Liberal education—reading and thinking about big questions and human problems in conversation with a skilled teacher and curious classmates—is the best way we can imagine to cultivate that judgment, discernment, and prudence required by our form of government.”

Building on the ideas Borck explored, Oglethorpe professor Dr. Joseph Knippenberg expands the conversation in a recent article, connecting the value of liberal education to the challenges posed by emerging technologies and an increasingly complex world. He emphasizes how examining questions through multiple perspectives helps cultivate the human judgment needed to navigate an uncertain future.

At SCL, this approach to education prepares students to think critically, engage thoughtfully, and face challenges both seen and unseen.

Interested in pursuing this kind of education?

Texas Free Application Week is here!

Through October 18, Texas residents can apply for undergraduate admission to any Texas public college or university, including as first-year or transfer applicants, without paying an application fee.

Read more about the continuing importance of human judgment and the value of liberal education:

Two visiting scholars explore how liberal arts education prepares students to navigate constitutional, civic and security challenges.

10/12/2026

Thinking about becoming a Longhorn? This is your week! 🤘

It’s Free Application Week in Texas! From October 12–18, Texas residents can apply to UT Austin for undergraduate admission without paying an application fee.

Big questions, Great Books, new perspectives. Discover what's waiting for you at the School of Civic Leadership.

Learn more: https://utexas.pulse.ly/byz6x5b6mx

10/10/2026

The Longhorn spirit was strong outside our building this week! 🤘

We caught some of the excitement at the Texas–OU send-off rally as the campus community prepared for today's Red River Rivalry.

We're ready for a three-peat. Hook ’em!

10/09/2026

“I discovered SCL after attending an info session and was immediately fascinated by its integration of politics and philosophy—two subjects I am passionate about.” — Sarah Lavin, Class of 2030

It's Freshman Friday! 🤘

What brings students to the School of Civic Leadership? For some, it's a passion for history, politics, and philosophy. For others, it's the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, prepare for law school, or experience the personal connections of a smaller academic community within UT Austin.

Meet six members of the Class of 2030 and discover what inspired them to choose SCL, along with their interests beyond the classroom.

Thinking about becoming a Longhorn? Texas Free College Application Week begins October 12! Learn more about applying to UT Austin at the link below.

https://utexas.pulse.ly/exzkjiytkh

10/09/2026

Last weekend, nearly 200 Coordinated Admissions Program (CAP) students from UT Tyler gathered to hear SCL Professor Dirk Mateer bring economics to life through a fast-paced tour of pop culture, decision-making and everyday choices.

From Collateral Beauty and Crazy Rich Asians to Roger Federer’s graduation speech and the opening scene of Up, Dr. Mateer used familiar moments to explore ideas from his Principles of Microeconomics course, including markets, game theory, sunk costs and the choices that shape our futures.

For many CAP students who may eventually make their way to the Forty Acres, the talk offered a memorable introduction to economics and a glimpse of the kind of classroom experience they can expect at UT Austin.

10/08/2026

Meet our SCL Student Ambassadors! 👋 Our ambassadors are here to share their experiences, answer questions and help prospective students get to know the community at the School of Civic Leadership.

Learn more about SCL and find upcoming opportunities to connect with us: https://utexas.pulse.ly/snkxkppucy 🤘

10/07/2026

Upcoming event!

Join us on Wednesday, October 21, 5-6:30PM, at the Thompson Conference Center for “How the Declaration of Independence Made America: A Conversation with Michael Auslin.”

While the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence have been celebrated in paintings, dissected in books, and even depicted in a Broadway musical, the story of the Declaration does not end in 1776. For 250 years, Americans have discussed and debated the rights and responsibilities enshrined in the Declaration.

In a conversation with SCL Dean Justin Dyer, Dr. Michael Auslin (of the Hoover Institute) will trace the Declaration’s journey from Thomas Jefferson’s desk in Philadelphia to its current place of honor at the National Archives and explore how 250 years later, its principles continue to inspire Americans and many others around the world.

For more information and to RSVP visit: https://utexas.pulse.ly/ogvvwbxcuk

10/06/2026

How should we teach Americans about their country—its strengths, its failures, and the responsibilities of citizenship?

In a new review for Law & Liberty, School of Civic Leadership Dean Justin Dyer looks at Paul Carrese’s Teaching America and its idea of “reflective patriotism”: appreciating the American tradition while also thinking honestly about where the country has fallen short.

“Teaching America is a serious, timely book, one that asks Americans to transcend the partisan terms in which battles over civic education have been fought and to attempt, once more, the necessary work of educating citizens who can ‘hear out the arguments and complaints of American pluralism’ with gratitude, honesty, and responsibility for our civic inheritance.”

Dyer’s review asks what it takes to prepare citizens to listen, disagree thoughtfully, and take part in the work of self-government.
Read “The Challenge and Promise of Reflective Patriotism.”

Paul Carrese elucidates the meaning and the difficulty of civic education in a pluralistic democracy.

10/05/2026

Last week, Rebeccah Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute and Dan McCarthy of the The Heritage Foundation talked to students in our Civ 101J course about American foreign policy in the 21st century, covering Iran, China, U.S. alliances, and the war in Ukraine.

Their conversation brought into focus a central tension in U.S. grand strategy: whether American security is best protected by maintaining strong alliances and an active role abroad, or by asking allies to assume greater responsibility while the United States guards against overextension. The discussion explored how both approaches respond to a more contested international order and the growing challenge posed by China.

10/03/2026

Explore big questions. Become the leader you want to be. 🤘

UT Austin's School of Civic Leadership offers two honors majors:
🔸 Civics Honors: Study constitutionalism, political thought, history, and economics while exploring the ideas and institutions that shape public life.
🔸 Great Books Honors: Engage with foundational works of literature, philosophy, theology, science, art, and political thought while exploring enduring questions about human life.

With small classes, rigorous discussions, and a strong academic community, students develop skills in writing, research, analysis, and communication that prepare them for careers in law, business, government, and beyond.

Explore our programs and learn how to apply at https://utexas.pulse.ly/zu94dgs8sv.