Legal Studies Certificate

Legal Studies

Legal Studies Program & Certificate

The Legal Studies program is open to students of any major who are interested in studying the development, logic, interpretation, perception, and application of law. As part of the program, you will take law-related courses from different departments throughout the university. Upon graduating, you will be awarded a “Legal Studies Certificate” in addition to your Bachelor’s degree.

Program Goals

Earning a Legal Studies Certificate will show that you have in-depth knowledge of the legal system. It also will show that you understand law from a variety of perspectives. This could provide a valuable background for a variety of future pursuits, including: graduate school, social work, community and government service, law school, law enforcement, and many others.

Program Requirements

Legal Studies Certificate Requirements Worksheet

To earn the Legal Studies Certificate, you must complete a total of 8 courses (24 units). You can double-count these courses toward major, minor, general education or other academic requirements. However, no more than 4 courses (12 units) from your major may be used toward the Certificate. The courses must be distributed as follows:

You must choose 1 course (3 units) from the following list of “Foundation” courses:

  • CRJU 350 (Constitutional Criminal Procedure)
  • HIST 308 (Law and Civilization)
  • HIST 479 (US Constitution: Origins & Early Development)
  • PHIL 352I (Philosophy of Law)
  • POSC 311 (Constitutional Law: Powers)
  • POSC 312 (Constitutional Law: Rights)

You may choose the remaining 7 courses (21 units) from the following list of “Breadth” courses. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the program adviser, and they must be taken from three different departments.

  • ASAM 346. Asian Americans and the Law
  • AFRS 332. Civil Rights and the Law
  • AIS 485. American Indians and the Law
  • BLAW 220. Intro. to Law and Business Transactions
  • BLAW 320. Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business
  • CHLS 362. Latinas/os, Law, and Public Policy
  • CLSC 410I. Law and Literature in the Classical World
  • COMM 441. Issues in Freedom of Communication
  • CRJU 301. Criminal Courts and Judicial Processes
  • CRJU 340. Substantive Criminal Law
  • CRJU 350. Constitutional Criminal Procedure
  • CRJU 420. Legal Aspects of Corrections
  • CRJU 430. Criminal Evidence and Trials
  • ECON 355. Law and Economics
  • HIST 308. Law and Civilization
  • HIST 479. U.S. Constitution: Origins and Early Development
  • HIST 480. Law and Fundamental Rights in American History
  • HIST 489. Selected Topics in Legal History of the United States
  • JOUR 430. Law of Mass Communications
  • PHIL 352. Philosophy of Law
  • PHIL 451. Liberty and Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in American Law
  • POSC 311. Constitutional Law: Power
  • POSC 312. Constitutional Law: Rights
  • POSC 376. International Law
  • POSC 412. Law and Social Change
  • POSC 414. Jurisprudence
  • PSY 495. Psychology and the Law
  • SOC 342. Critical Criminology
  • SW 350. Law, Court Decisions, and Policy Practice
  • WGSS 308. Women and the Law

In place of 1 of the above “Breadth” courses, you may choose to write a Project Paper.

The paper may consist of original or secondary research related to law or the legal system broadly speaking. The paper may only be written during your senior year as part of a 3-unit independent study or directed research course supervised by a faculty member participating in the program. At the beginning of the semester in which the paper is written, you must submit a copy of the independent study or directed research agreement, signed by the supervising professor, to the Legal Studies program director. At the end of the semester in which the paper is written, you must submit a copy of the completed paper to the program director.

For any questions please email the Interim Legal Studies Program Director, Dr. Matt Lesenyie