The Legal Studies program is an interdisciplinary course of study of the law specifically designed for those planning to attend law school. Although there are a few skills courses included (Introduction to Logic, Introduction to Ethics, and Business and Professional Writing) most of the offerings are not focused on the law per se. Outside of an introductory overview of the law, Introduction to Law (LGST 101), and a capstone course, Internship in Legal Assistance (LGST 408) centered around an internship with a judge and the local Commonwealth Attorney’s Office (prosecutor), all other content courses come from six different subject areas: Business, Criminal Justice, History, Political Science, and Psychology. Each discipline offering these courses will offer them from their unique perspectives and will not reproduce the law school experience. Nevertheless, the content given will give the students a head start over their peers in law school by laying the groundwork for legal expertise. It should be noted that law schools do not prefer any particular major or minor, so students are encouraged to add an additional major or minor(s) as suits their interests. A high-grade point average and a better than average Law School Aptitude Test score are the key determinants needed for acceptance into law school.
Offerings include both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate competency in writing through the completion of a writing assignment requiring the use of citations, stylistic conventions, and methodologies.
- Students will acquire critical thinking skills and learn to analyze critically both primary and secondary sources, including both textual and material sources.
- Students will identify and analyze ethical issues.
- Students will summarize the basics of criminal and civil law.
- Students will develop a well-reasoned assessment of professional legal practice and understand the potential career options.
Requirements for Bachelor of Arts Degree in Legal Studies
42 Semester Credit Hours
Core Requirements
- CJC 100 – Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
- LGST 101 – Introduction to Law (3)
- LGST 408 – Internship in Legal Assistance (3)
- POLS 101 – American National Government (3)
- POLS 202 – State and Local Government (3)
Supporting Requirements
Six (6) hours of Political Science OR six (6) hours in the same foreign language or equivalent through CLEP testing.
Must take 21 semester credit hours from the following electives:
- BA 325 – Business Law (3)
- BA 326 – Advanced Business Law (3)
- BA 327 – Employment Law (3)
- BA 345 – Business and Professional Writing (3)
- CJC 340 – Courts and Procedure (3)
- CJC 325 – Forensic Psychology (3)
- CJC 340 – Courts and Procedure (3)
- CJC 345 – Juvenile Delinquency (3)
- CJC 360 – Criminal Law (3)
- PHIL301 – Introduction to Ethics (3)
- PHIL 302 – Critical and Logical Thinking (3)
- POLS 351 – The Judiciary (3)
- POLS/HIST 352 – Constitutional Law I (3)
- POLS/HIST 353 – Constitutional Law II (3)
- POLS 362 – Public Administration and the Bureaucracy (3)
- POLS 363 – Advanced Public Policy (3)
Requirements for Bachelor of Science Degree in Legal Studies
42 Semester Credit Hours
Core Requirements
- CJC 100 – Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
- LGST 101 – Introduction to Law (3)
- LGST 408 – Internship in Legal Assistance (3)
- POLS 101 – American National Government (3)
- POLS 202 – State and Local Government (3)
Supporting Requirements
- ACCT 211 – Principles of Accounting I (3)
- ACCT 212 – Principles of Accounting II (3)
- ECON 231 – Principles of Microeconomics (3)
- ECON 232 – Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
Must take 15 semester credit hours from the following electives:
- BA 325 – Business Law (3)
- BA 326 – Advanced Business Law (3)
- BA 327 – Employment Law (3)
- BA 345 – Business and Professional Writing (3)
- CJC 340 – Courts and Procedure (3)
- CJC 325 – Forensic Psychology (3)
- CJC 340 – Courts and Procedure (3)
- CJC 360 – Criminal Law (3)
- PHIL 301 – Introduction to Ethics (3)
- PHIL 302 – Critical and Logical Thinking (3)
- POLS 351 – The Judiciary (3)
- POLS/HIST 352 – Constitutional Law I 3
- POLS/HIST 353 – Constitutional Law II 3
- POLS 362 – Public Administration and the Bureaucracy (3)
- POLS 363 – Advanced Public Policy (3)
Sample Four-Year Plan for B.A./B.S. in Legal Studies
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hrs. | Spring Semester | Hrs. |
| ENGL 111 | 3 | ENGL 112 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | HIST 112 | 3 |
| HIST 111 | 3 | PSY or other social science | 3 |
| KW 101 | 0 | IDS 203 | 3 |
| POLS 101 | 3 | POLS 202 | 3 |
| IDS 202 | 3 | Semester Hours | 15 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Hrs. | Spring Semester | Hrs. |
| Aesthetics Course | 3 | GENED Math (MATH101 or MATH105) | 3 or 4 |
| GENED Science w-lab | 4 | Elective | 3 |
| CL 101 | 1 | Elective (upper-level, POLS 380/381) | 3 |
| Literature | 3 | Elective (upper-level, POLS) | 3 |
| EXSC 101 | 3 | ML 102 or History | 3 |
| ML 101 or History | 3 | Semester Hours | 15 |
| Semester Hours | 17 | Semester Hours | 16 |
| Third Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Hrs. | Spring Semester | Hrs. |
| Elective (upper-level) | 3 | Elective (upper-level, POLS 390/332) | 3 |
| Elective or ECON 231* | 3 | Elective or ECON 232* | 3 |
| Elective (upper-level, POLS) | 3 | SCI (non-lab course) | 3 |
| GENED Religion | 3 | Humanities Course | 3 |
| Elective (upper-level, POLS) | 3 | Elective (Upper-Level) | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | Semester Hours | 15 |
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall Semester | Hrs. | Spring Semester | Hrs. |
| Elective | 3 | Elective (upper-level) | 3 |
| Elective (Upper-level, POLS) | 3 | Elective (upper-level) | 3 |
| Elective (upper-level) | 3 | Elective (upper-level) | 3 |
| POLS 400 | 3 | Elective (upper-level) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 15 | Semester Hours | 15 |
| *Prerequisite: MATH 101, 105, or 121 | Program Hours | 122 | |
| Program Hours | 123 | ||
| Bachelor of Arts in Political Science requires: History – Six (6) semester credit hours OR 6 hours in the same language or equivalent through CLEP testing. Bachelor of Science in political Science requires: ECON 231 – Principles of Microeconomics (3) ECON 232 – Principles of Macroeconomics (3) | |||