Political science courses are not a graduation requirement at UM, but they should be. We are a top university and Miami is one of America’s most politically dynamic cities, but many students can leave without any knowledge of the government or politics.
UM should adopt a mandatory general education political science course for all undergraduates. It equips students with essential civic literacy, critical thinking and the ability to engage thoughtfully in democratic society. Civic knowledge is declining nationwide and Miami is a place where politics directly affect daily life.
Less than half of Americans can name all three branches of government, according to a 2023 U.S. Chamber Foundation study. Civic illiteracy is not solved by diversity of thought and background alone, it takes structured learning.
Students at UM may be passionate about climate resilience in Miami or affordable housing in Coral Gables. However, without understanding how city governments, state legislatures and federal frameworks actually function, their advocacy risks becoming noise rather than impact.
A required political science class would close civic literacy gaps and give students tools that transfer across careers. Learning how institutions operate sharpens analysis, debate and communication, which are all skills demanded across fields like business, medicine, law and the arts.
Florida’s public colleges already mandated civic literacy courses and private institutions like Purdue have similar requirements. UM is falling behind UF and FSU’s efforts on political education, but this can be easily solved by adding just one required course.
This course could be POL410, a course on Civic Synergy taught through the George P. Hanley Democracy Center. It is a hands-on program where students from diverse political backgrounds collaborate on real-world policy proposals to address local challenges. It also has no prerequisites, meaning adding this course is more accessible .
Dylan Long is the primary instructor for POL 410 and serves as the Associate Director of the program through the Hanley Democracy Center.
“Every semester, I watch students from completely different majors sit down together, debate and draft real policy proposals for Miami-Dade County,” Long said.“They begin the semester unsure of where to start, but by the end, they’re engaging with city officials and presenting solutions to problems that actually matter.”
Civic engagement and knowledge is not just an area of study, but an imperative facet of daily life and citizenship.
“If you’re going to live, vote, pay taxes and raise a family in this country, you should understand the framework that governs it. We don’t expect engineers to design bridges without physics or biologists to conduct research without understanding the scientific method. Why should citizens be expected to make decisions about democracy without ever studying how it works,” Long said.
A student who wishes to stay anonymous says she feels “constrained by all the other mandatory classes,” especially as a freshman in courses like Writing 105 and math. Students already face many requirements with their majors and cognates and one more class may feel burdensome. But this course could be integrated into existing social science or writing requirements, not added on top.
Others worry that not every student is interested in politics or the humanities. A well-designed class would not be partisan or ideological. It would be about literacy, not persuasion. In fact, teaching politics in a balanced way helps reduce polarization and equips students to resist extremism.
For those who think UM students are already knowledgeable enough, the national data from the National Chamber Foundation says otherwise on the state of the nation, and we must take preventative measures to not become a part of this. Passion without process is not enough, and this will only serve to empower Miami’s students.
The University of Miami is uniquely positioned for this change. Miami is a frontline city for climate change, income inequality and immigration, all of which are issues intertwined with politics. Our campus’ diversity makes it an ideal setting for comparative discussions.
By embedding civic learning into the UM experience, the university would strengthen its reputation as a civic-minded institution aligned with its mission of preparing students to be engaged global citizens.
Civic literacy is not optional, it is a responsibility. A required political science course would be an investment not just in UM students, but in Miami and democracy itself. The Faculty Senate, administration and Student Government should pilot this requirement and students should demand it for the health of the democracy we will inherit.