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Legal Studies

  • Minor
Legal Studies Program professor teaching a class

There is an upswing in student interest in attending law school, and effective preparation for the rigors of that curriculum will be served by this course of study, which is directed to that purpose.

The study of the legal system, however, is of great importance for students who will pursue career paths other than formal legal training.

Those entering the world of business will soon appreciate that management decisions cannot be made effectively without an understanding of the legal environment of the time. Managers need to understand what lawyers can provide them as well as why the legal aspects of decisions are not always conclusive.
Those entering the government service at any level need to grasp that the infrastructure of government is cast in a legal framework.

For those who seek to effect social change, an understanding of the structure of the legal system and the mechanisms of change within it are crucial to bringing about a more just process for all concerned. 

Undergraduate Programs

Curriculum Requirements

  • Requirements for a Minor in Legal Studies

    Legal Studies Minor students will complete the following courses (18 credits)

    • PS 100 Principles in American Politics
    • Humanities Courses:*
      • [Course Number] History of Common Law
      • [Course Number] Philosophy of Law
    • One of the following:**
      • PS 339 Constitutional Law: National Powers
      • PS 369 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties
    • One of the following:***
      • CLS 227 Criminal Law and Process
      • CLS 230 Constitutional Criminal Procedure
    • Choice of two electives****
      • BA 340 Business Law
      • CLS 205 Criminal Trial Evidence
      • CLS 210 Civil Rights Law
      • CLS 227 Criminal Law and Process
      • CLS 230 Constitutional Criminal Procedure
      • CLS 355 Sentencing
      • CLS 361 The Investigation and Prosecution of Urban Street Gangs
      • CLS 375 International Criminal Law
      • CLS 376 Federal Criminal Law
      • CLS 344 White Collar Crime
      • CLS 440 Constitutional Litigation and Analysis
      • PS 290 Institutions
      • PS 336 American Political Thought
      • PS 339 Constitutional Law: National Powers
      • PS 369 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties
      • PS 345 Domestic Public Policy
      • PS 390 Environmental Law and Policy
      • PST 734 Intro to Canon Law

    It is also strongly suggested that a student take EL 202 Intermediate Writing

    *These courses cannot count toward the minor if they are also being taken to satisfy core curriculum requirements.
    **Politics Majors must choose another Politics Course at the 300 level or higher (to be approved by the director), but not a course that they are counting as a general elective in the Politics Major.
    ***CLS Majors must choose another CLS course at the 300 level or higher (to be approved by the director), but not a course that they are counting as a general elective in the CLS Major.
    ****Students taking one of these elective courses for their major are required to take an additional course from this list.

     

  • Key Courses

    PS-100: Introduction to American Government

    This course explores fundamental political questions about how humans should live, the nature of good and evil, and justice. It examines the American constitutional order as a response to these questions, studying the writings and actions of its founders. The course also connects this order to Western political thought and evaluates how well the current regime reflects the founders' original understanding.

    HI-294: History of English Common Law, 600-1800

    This course examines the evolution of the Common Law of England, created by kings and judges over centuries to provide a uniform legal structure. It covers its development from pre-Roman times to the eighteenth century, using primary and secondary sources. The course also explores the political and historical contexts of Common Law and its influence on modern American jurisprudence, politics, and history.

    PL-272: Philosophy of Law

    This course explores fundamental questions in the philosophy of law, such as the nature and purpose of law, its relationship to Divine law and morality, and the conditions under which it is morally acceptable to disobey the law. It examines central legal theories that have influenced our legal culture and continue to impact contemporary legal and political debates.

Program Highlights

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Legal Studies minor, students will be able to demonstrate that they are capable of:

  1. understanding and analyzing legal issues;
  2. hypothesizing and applying appropriate solutions to those issues;
  3. using the skills gleaned to enrich their communities and succeed in their endeavors; and
  4. appreciating the societal place of the legal system and the expectations the community has of it.
Undergraduate Programs
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