UT accepting applications for School of Civic Leadership inaugural class

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AUSTIN (KXAN) — The University of Texas at Austin (UT) said it was accepting Fall 2025 applications for its inaugural class in the School of Civic Leadership.

UT said the school would include the study of America’s founding principles, economic foundations and history, as well as the intellectual inheritance of Western Civilization and the American constitutional tradition to help prepare students for civic responsibility.

Accepted students will become eligible for the school’s flagship program, the Bachelor of Arts with a major in civics honors.

“The School of Civic Leadership will launch its first academic program this fall, a minor in philosophy, politics and economics in collaboration with the College of Liberal Arts, as well as general education courses and electives on topics including the history of democracy, moral leadership in economics, and the pursuit of happiness. Next fall, in addition to the civics honors major, the school plans to launch a minor in civics available to students across campus,” UT said.

According to UT, the school’s inaugural faculty members include:

• Justin Dyer, Dean and Professor (Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin)
• Carola Binder, Associate Professor (Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley)
• Scott Carrell, Associate Dean and Professor (Ph.D., University of Florida)
• Alexander Duff, Associate Professor (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame)
• Patricio A. Fernandez, Associate Professor (Ph.D., Harvard University)
• Dirk Mateer, Professor of Instruction (Ph.D., Florida State University)
• Vincent Phillip Muñoz, Distinguished Visiting Professor (Ph.D., Claremont Graduate University)
• David Puelz, Assistant Professor of Instruction (Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin)
• Raúl Rodriguez, Assistant Professor (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame)
• John Yoo, Distinguished Visiting Professor (J.D., Yale University)

The school is expected to continue recruiting additional faculty members, according to UT.

“Liberty depends on citizens who understand the ideas and institutions that make free, prosperous societies possible,” Dyer said. “As we study those ideas and institutions, the School of Civic Leadership will prepare students not only for successful careers in business, education, law, entrepreneurship and public life, but also for lives of significance and service to their communities.”