BA in Law

General Information

The Bachelor of Arts in Law is designed for the student who is interested in learning about the origins, actors, institutional frameworks, cultural development, and theoretical foundations of law and justice. This major looks at these subjects in a wide variety of contexts that include state and federal governments in the United States, similar institutions in foreign nations, and within the framework of the international community. Throughout the curriculum, students are challenged to consider the implications that the law has for building a more just and equitable world that embraces the contributions of all of its diverse communities.

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Arts in Law is only one of many paths for preparing students for law school. Students interested in attending law school should select a major that matches their own personal interests and intellectual passions, whether that be in the social sciences, humanities, physical sciences or business. The broad-based education in the social sciences provided by the B.A. in Law is an excellent preparation for a variety of non-legal careers in government, education, business, and international affairs.

Please note: You are not permitted to practice law or give legal advice with this undergraduate degree. Only licensed attorneys who have completed law school and passed one or more bar exams can perform these functions.

Program Objectives

Understand the function and purpose of law in resolving conflicts and establishing justice both past and present.
Appreciate how the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges is reflected in public policies and the law.
Help students appreciate how the law can be utilized to either promote or deny fairness, equality, equity, and rights.
Gain an understanding of the roles of judges, attorneys, and juries in shaping policy outcomes in American society.
Develop an appreciation for how legal actors and institutions function in constitutional frameworks outside the United States.
Understand the role of international law and governance in shaping relations between states and non-governmental institutions and actors.
Demonstrate the ability to think critically, construct logical arguments and express those arguments through both writing and oral presentations.

Degree Requirements

Required courses (36 credit hours)

LSOC 101	Law & Society I: Introduction to Law & Society	3 cr.
LSOC 102	Law & Society II: Legal Justice and Social Justice	3 cr.
POSC 102	American National Government	3 cr.
POSC 201 - POSC 203	Comparative Politics or International Relations	3 cr. - 3 cr.
POSC 207/LSOC 207	Introduction to Political Theory	3 cr.
POSC 225/LSOC 225	Law and Judicial Politics	3 cr.
LSOC 226/POSC 226	The Legal Profession	3 cr.
LSOC 307/POSC 307	Justice, Diversity, and Democratic Citizenship	3 cr.
POSC 325/LSOC 325	Constitutional Law	3 cr.
POSC 340/LSOC 340	International Governance and Law	3 cr.
LSOC 344	Comparative Law & Justice	3 cr.
LSOC 490	Senior Seminar in Law and Society	3 cr.

Subtotal: 36

The major will require that the student select two courses (6 credits) from any combination of the following:

BL 201/HONB 201	Introduction to Business Law	3 cr.
LSOC 330	Contemporary Political Theory	3 cr.
PH 204	Elementary Logic	3 cr.
PH 208	Ethics	3 cr.
PH 240	Gandhi and King	3 cr.
PH 245	War, Terrorism and Torture	3 cr.
POSC 203* - POSC 201* *if not already used in the major requirements listed above.	International Relations or Comparative Politics	3 cr. - 3 cr.
POSC 205	Public Administration	3 cr.
POSC 210	State and Local Politics	3 cr.
POSC 212	Political Analysis	3 cr.
POSC 218	Public Policy in America	3 cr.
POSC 310	Politics of Developing Societies	3 cr.
POSC 312	Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa	3 cr.
POSC 316	Politics of Europe	3 cr.
POSC 318	Politics of The Middle East	3 cr.
POSC 322	The U.S. Presidency	3 cr.
POSC 324	Parties and Elections	3 cr.
POSC 327	Media & Politics	3 cr.
POSC 328	Political Behavior	3 cr.
POSC 342	Environmental Law and Politics	3 cr.
POSC 345	International Human Rights	3 cr.
POSC 356	Human Security	3 cr.
SO 208	Gender	3 cr.
CJ 309	Deviance	3 cr.
SW 204	Social Work and Criminal Justice	3 cr.

Subtotal: 6

Total Credit Hours: 42

The B.A. in Law provides 30 credit hours of general electives. Students are strongly encouraged to direct these electives towards a minor program in Economics, History, International Studies, Philosophy, Political Science Public Administration or another field of study to supplement their major coursework. For students who have been accepted by the WNE Law School into the 3+3 program after the completion of their Junior year, these 30 credit hours of general electives will be fulfilled during the first year of law school.

Bachelor of Arts in Law Suggested Sequence of Courses

First Year- Fall Semester

LSOC 101	Law & Society I: Introduction to Law & Society	3 cr.
POSC 102	American National Government	3 cr.
ENGL 132	English Composition I	3 cr.
MATH 1XX	Mathematical Analysis	3 cr.
LA 110	First Year Seminar Arts & Sciences	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

First Year - Spring Semester

LSOC 102	Law & Society II: Legal Justice and Social Justice	3 cr.
HIST XXX	Historical Perspective	3 cr.
ENGL 133	English Composition II	3 cr.
MATH XXX	Mathematical Analysis	3 cr.
CS 13X	Computer Competence	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Sophomore Year - Fall Semester

LAB XXX	Laboratory Science Requirement	3 cr.
POSC 225/LSOC 225	Law and Judicial Politics	3 cr.
POSC 201 - POSC 203	Comparative Politics or International Relations	3 cr. - 3 cr.
POSC 207/LSOC 207	Introduction to Political Theory	3 cr.
CUL XXX	Global Cultural Perspective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Sophomore Year - Spring Semester

LSOC 226/POSC 226	The Legal Profession	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
LAB XXX/NSP XXX	Laboratory Science or Natural Science Perspective	3 cr.
WIC 2XX-4XX	Writing Intensive Requirement	3 cr.
PH XXX	Ethical Perspective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Junior Year - Fall Semester

POSC 325/LSOC 325	Constitutional Law	3 cr.
LSOC XXX	Major Elective	3 cr.
ART XXX	Aesthetics Perspective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Junior Year - Spring Semester

LSOC 344	Comparative Law & Justice	3 cr.
LSOC 307/POSC 307	Justice, Diversity, and Democratic Citizenship	3 cr.
WIC 3XX-4XX	Writing Intensive Requirement	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Senior Year - Fall Semester

LSOC XXX	Major Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Senior Year - Spring Semester

LSOC 340/POSC 340	International Governance and Law	3 cr.
LSOC 490	Senior Seminar in Law and Society	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.
GEN XXX	General Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 15

Total Credit Hours: 120

LAW.BA - BA in Law

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