- Course Type CLEP
- Subject History and Social Sciences
- Level Introductory
- Length 5 Modules
- Video Length 4h 47m
- Reading Pages 1541
- Institution Modern States
ABOUT THIS COURSE
This is a completely self-paced Modern States course. It has no prerequisites, is offered entirely for free, and is designed to help you prepare for the College Board’s CLEP® American Government exam so that you can earn college credit at no cost.
Modern States originally developed this course in collaboration with Rebecca Lubot of Rutgers University. Professor Stephanie Holyfield supported course enhancements published in 2025.
Course Overview
American Government Course Overview - Modern States
| Module | Topic | Video Length | Total pages of required reading |
| Module 1: Institutions and Policy Processes: The Presidency, Bureaucracy, and Congress (30%–35%) 01:08:37 total video length 368 total reading pages |
1: Institutions and Policy Processes – The Presidency, Bureaucracy, and Congress | 0:01:34 | – |
| 1.1: Congress | 0:01:09 | 42 | |
| 1.1.1: Congress’ Enumerated and Implied Powers | 0:06:23 | 69 | |
| 1.1.2: Congress’ Power to Tax | 0:06:41 | 37 | |
| 1.1.3: Congressional Organization, Rules, and Committees | 0:07:09 | – | |
| 1.2: The President | 0:00:50 | 39 | |
| 1.2.1: The President and His Powers | 0:09:28 | 69 | |
| 1.2.2: The Vice President and the First Lady | 0:06:56 | – | |
| 1.3: The Bureaucracy | 0:00:48 | 31 | |
| 1.3.1: Origins of the Bureaucracy | 0:05:10 | – | |
| 1.3.2: Bodies of the Bureaucracy | 0:05:02 | – | |
| 1.4: Structure, Policy Processes, and Outputs – How Legislation Works | 0:05:03 | 42 | |
| 1.5: Relationships Among These Institutions and the Links Between Them | 0:00:31 | 39 | |
| 1.5.1: The Relationships Between Institutions and the Media | 0:06:47 | – | |
| 1.5.2: The Role and Types of Media | 0:05:06 | – | |
| 1: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 2: Federal Courts, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights (15%–20%) 00:43:18 total video length 309 total reading pages |
2: Federal Courts, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights | 0:01:42 | – |
| 2.1: Structure and Processes of the Judicial System | 0:00:45 | 35 | |
| 2.1.1: The Supreme Court | 0:08:14 | – | |
| 2.1.2: Judicial Implementation and the Lower Federal Courts | 0:05:29 | – | |
| 2.2: The Development of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties by Judicial Implementation | 0:08:09 | 91 | |
| 2.3: The Bill of Rights | 0:03:36 | 46 | |
| 2.4: Incorporation of the Bill of Rights | 0:07:26 | 46 | |
| 2.5: Equal Protection and Due Process | 0:07:30 | 91 | |
| 2: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 3: Political Parties and Interest Groups (10%–20%) 00:49:29 total video length 190 total reading pages |
3: Political Parties and Interest Groups | 0:01:34 | – |
| 3.1: Political Parties | 0:00:59 | 39 | |
| 3.1.1: Political Parties’ Historical Development, Function, and Effects | 0:05:55 | – | |
| 3.1.2: Political Parties Organization and Mobilization – Campaign Finance | 0:06:15 | – | |
| 3.1.3: Dissension within the Parties | 0:04:28 | – | |
| 3.1.4: The Role and Nature of Third Parties and the Major Third Parties | 0:06:54 | – | |
| 3.2: Interest Groups | 0:01:09 | 35 | |
| 3.2.1: Defining and Differentiating Between Interest Groups | 0:07:07 | 32 | |
| 3.2.2: Laws Governing Lobbyists | 0:06:41 | – | |
| 3.3: Elections | 0:08:27 | 84 | |
| 3: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 4: Political Beliefs and Behavior (15%–20%) 00:44:29 total video length 351 total reading pages |
4: Political Beliefs and Behavior | 0:01:46 | – |
| 4.1: Processes By Which Citizens Learn About Politics | 0:06:24 | 70 | |
| 4.2: Political Participation | 0:07:14 | 70 | |
| 4.3: Public Opinion | 0:07:17 | – | |
| 4.4: Beliefs That Citizens Hold About Governments and Its Leaders | 0:06:03 | 64 | |
| 4.5: Political Culture | 0:05:58 | 73 | |
| 4.6: The Influence of Public Opinion on Political Leaders | 0:09:47 | 74 | |
| 4: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 5: Constitutional Underpinnings of American Democracy (15%–20%) 01:21:33 total video length 323 total reading pages |
5: Constitutional Underpinnings of American Democracy | 0:02:31 | – |
| 5.1: Federalism | 0:01:00 | – | |
| 5.1.1: Federalism in the Constitution | 0:05:50 | 54 | |
| 5.1.2: Types of Federalism | 0:05:40 | 37 | |
| 5.1.3: Tensions Between Federal and State Governments | 0:05:12 | 60 | |
| 5.2: Separation of Powers | 0:06:09 | 34 | |
| 5.3: Checks and Balances | 0:06:02 | 37 | |
| 5.4: Majority Rule | 0:05:40 | 73 | |
| 5.5: Minority Rights | 0:04:19 | 28 | |
| 5.6: Considerations That Influenced the Formation and Adoption of the Constitution | 0:01:06 | – | |
| 5.6.1: Breaking From the British Empire | 0:08:03 | – | |
| 5.6.2: Philosophical Underpinnings of the National Government | 0:04:27 | – | |
| 5.6.3: The Articles of Confederation | 0:05:29 | – | |
| 5.6.4: The National Founding | 0:06:14 | – | |
| 5.6.5: Ratification and Alteration of the Constitution | 0:07:56 | – | |
| 5.7: Theories of Democracy | 0:05:55 | – | |
| 5: Summary | – | – | |
| Course Conclusion | – | – |
