Legal Studies Minor

The legal studies minor is an interdisciplinary program that gives students the opportunity to examine law from a variety of perspectives.

While the minor should be useful for those who may be thinking of attending law school, it should not be considered a program in pre-professional training. However, this minor aims to:

  • Educate students in broadly relevant analytical skills
  • Introduce students to what it means to study a social phenomenon from a variety of perspectives
  • Help students obtain a better understanding of law and the multiple functions it plays in a variety of societies
  • Encourage writing and develop writing skills
  • Stimulate greater interaction among faculty interested in law and society

Students who plan to declare a minor in legal studies should work with a legal studies minor advisor to create a course plan. The program requires a minimum of six courses and can fulfill either the humanities (H) or social sciences (S) divisional requirement, depending on the course plan.

To count as a humanities minor: Students must take at least three humanities courses (all English and philosophy courses, except PHIL 110, are humanities courses).

To count as a social sciences minor: Students must take at least three social sciences courses (anthropology, economics, history, political science, and sociology courses are social sciences courses).

No more than two courses used for the student’s major(s) may be used toward the minor.

Program Management and Advisors

Students who want to declare a legal studies minor or who just want to discuss questions about a legal studies minor should see:

After you have consulted with a legal studies (LS) faculty advisor about your selection of courses and the divisional area you intend for your LS minor, please submit your minor declaration.

Requirements

Students must take a total of six courses from the lists below, with at least:

The remaining two required courses can come from any category.

Analytical Techniques

ECON/PSCI 288: Game Theory (S)
ENGL 135: Debate (H)
ENGL 280: Advanced Debate (H)
PHIL 105: Reason and Argument (H)
PHIL 110: Introductory Logic
PSCI 107: Introduction to Positive Political Theory (S)
PSCI 202: Argument in Political Science (S)
PSCI 281: Formal Models in Political Sciences (S)

 Legal Studies (at least one required)

ANTH 230: Post-Conflict Justice (S)
ANTH 231: (IL)Legal Anthropology (S)
ANTH 233: Cultural Politics of Prison Towns (S)
CASC 304: Urban Crime and Justice (valid until spring 2021)
EDU 490: Higher Education Law
LAW 205: Business Law (valid until spring 2019)
LAW 205: Business Law: Contracts & Legal Entities
PHLT 230: Law in Public Health Practice (S)
PHLT 236: Health Care and Law (S)
PHIL 223: Social and Political Philosophy (H)
PHIL 226: Philosophy of Law (H)
PSCI 212: Supreme Court in US History (S)
PSCI 214: Race and Law (S)
PSCI 223: Constitutional Structures and Rights (S)
PSCI 234: Law and Politics in the United States (S)
PSCI 239/INTR 239: International Environmental Law (S)
PSCI 240: Criminal Procedures and Constitutional Principles (S)
PSCI 242: Research Practicum in Criminal Justice Reform (S)
PSCI 246: Environmental Law and Policy (S)
PSCI 291: First Amendment and Religion (S)
RELC 182: Religion and Law (H)
RELC 183: Incarceration Nation (H)

Cognate Courses (at least one required)

ANTH 104: Contemporary Issues and Anthropology (S)
ANTH 202: Modern Social Theory (S)
ANTH 205: Theories and Debates in Anthropology (S)
CASC 152: Bridging the Gap: Dialogue Across Difference
ECON 220: Fair Allocation (S)
ENGL 286: Presidential Rhetoric (H)
HIST 164: Democratic America (S)
HIST 166: Recent America (S)
HIST 228: British History to 1485 (S)
HIST 260: American Thought I (S)
HIST 261: American Thought II (S)
HIST 269: The Civil War (S)
HIST 362W: American Thought (S)
PHIL 103: Contemporary Moral Problems (H)
PHIL 225: Ethical Decisions in Medicine (H)
PHIL 230: Environmental Justice (H)
PSCI 209: Interest Groups in America (S)
PSCI 215: American Elections (S)
PSCI 218: Emergence of the Modern Congress (S)
PSCI 255: Poverty and Development (S)
PSCI 263: Comparative Law and Courts (S)
PSCI 284: Democratic Theory (S)
PSCI 287: Theories of Political Economy (S)
PSCI 291: First Amendment and Religion (S)
RELC 266/FMST 265: Guilt (H)