What does "4-year advanced seminar" mean in this passage about the office of Vice President?

Solution 1:

Up for here means eager to pursue. Rockefeller thus says that the vice-presidency is suitable only for someone who can get excited about engaging in merely academic contemplation of politics and attending purely ceremonial functions. After he was appointed VP, he described his duties as "I go to funerals. I go to earthquakes."

This is a very common sentiment about the office of Vice-President, who is rarely a figure of any importance in the government. Some representative quotations from politicians:

"The vice president has two duties. One is to inquire daily as to the health of the president, and the other is to attend the funerals of Third World dictators." —John McCain, running for President in 2000

"I would a great deal rather be anything, say professor of history, than vice president." —Theodore Roosevelt, before running for VP on McKinley's ticket, and eventually becoming President on McKinley's death

"I do not propose to be buried until I am dead." —Sen. Daniel Webster, upon being offered the vice presidency in 1839

"the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived" —John Adams, second President of the USA, who helped draft the Constitution which defines the office. He was succeeded as President by his own VP and greatest political rival, Thomas Jefferson

Solution 2:

No, he's highlighting that the Vice President has a largely symbolic role.

As Vice President you will get to learn about politics by being close to the action but not actually do any politics, so it's like an "advanced seminar in political science". And you'll attend all the "lesser" state funerals that the President can't/won't attend.