Political Science B.A./B.S. - Legal Studies Emphasis

Curated for those students who plan to attend law school, the BA/BS in Political Science, emphasis in legal studies is a rigorous program of study that gives students the opportunity to learn and develop skills that will help them to succeed in law school in particular, and in any other career they may choose to pursue. 

 The undergraduate program requires students to select courses from four subcategories: Political Theory and Philosophy, Public Policy, American Government and Politics, and Comparative Politics and International Relations. Each subcategory contains a range of 6-7 courses, from which students must choose two courses (6 semester hours) per subcategory, for a total of eight courses (24 semester credit hours) across all subcategories. In addition, students are required to select 6 semester hours of elective credit (Electives in the Major) from a list of approved courses, along with the Required Courses in the Major.


The Bachelor of Science in Political Science degree also offers an emphasis in Legal Studies, which consists of six specific courses. Please note that some of the Political Science (PSCI) courses that make up the Legal Studies emphasis are also available as electives or as part of the subcategory course listings. Students who choose to complete the Legal Studies emphasis must take the 6 emphasis courses in addition to the required subcategory and elective coursework. Courses cannot be counted toward both the Legal Studies emphasis and the subcategory requirements. In other words, students cannot "double dip" by using Legal Studies emphasis courses to fulfill both subcategory and emphasis requirements.


For students pursuing the Legal Studies emphasis as part of the BS in Political Science degree, it is important to plan accordingly to ensure that these courses are taken beyond the required subcategory and elective coursework.

Core Curriculum Requirements
See the Core Curriculum Requirements42
Required Courses in the Major30
Intro to Research Methods
Contemporary Ideas
Political Theory and Philosophy
Choose 2 courses from the following:
Democ & Democratization
Order, Justice, and Community
Liberty, the State, and the Person
The Age of Ideology
Amer Political Thought
Rev & Revolutionary Movmt
Public Policy
Choose 2 courses from the following:
Political Economy
Intro to Global Pub Pol
Intro to Public Policy
Foreign Policy
Constitutional Law
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
American Government and Politics
Choose 2 courses from the following:
American State and Local Government
American Presidency
Amer Pol Par/Electoral Po
Public Opinion
Congressional Politics
Law, Politics, and the Judicial Process
Comparative Politics and International Relations
Choose 2 courses from the following:
European Political System
Democ & Democratization
Non-European Polit Systm
Intro to Global Pub Pol
Rev & Revolutionary Movmt
Foreign Policy
International Relations
Electives in the Major6
Choose 2 courses from the following that were not used to satisfy a requirement above
Political Economy
Intro to Global Pub Pol
Intro to Comp Politics
European Political System
Democ & Democratization
Non-European Polit Systm
American State and Local Government
American Presidency
Intro to Global Pub Pol
Amer Pol Par/Electoral Po
Public Opinion
Intro to Public Policy
Order, Justice, and Community
Liberty, the State, and the Person
The Age of Ideology
Foreign Policy
Rev & Revolutionary Movmt
Foreign Policy
International Relations
Congressional Politics
Constitutional Law
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Law, Politics, and the Judicial Process
Special Topic
Required Courses In the Emphasis18
Law and the Courts
Logic
Legal Environment of Business
Constitutional Law
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Law, Politics, and the Judicial Process
BS Option
Required courses for the BS3
Applied Data Analysis
Minor Required18
Additional Emphasis Elective (Choose 1 from the following courses - only those courses that have not satisfied another requirement may be selected as an elective)3
Courts and Criminal Procedure
Prin Macro Economics
History of Philosophy I
History of Philosophy II
General Ethics
Legal Aspects of Law Enforcement
Criminology
Order, Justice, and Community
Liberty, the State, and the Person
The Age of Ideology
Total Hours120

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