Minor in Legal Studies

The Minor in Legal Studies provides students with an understanding of legal systems within their broader political and social contexts. The minor explores both the theoretical foundations of law and its practical applications across different domains including criminal justice, immigration, education, and the environment. This minor is valuable for students considering careers in law, public service, or any field where legal literacy is essential.

Program Requirements and Policies

Five courses and at least 15 SHUs are required for the minor. The requirements for the minor are courses distributed as follows:

1. Gateway Course (One course): All students must take SOC 0121: Law and Society, which introduces the socio-legal foundations of law and its relationship to society.
2. Legal Perspective (One course): Students must take one course that examines law through a distinct disciplinary or theoretical framework. These courses focus on how law is interpreted, analyzed, or evaluated within fields such as philosophy, economics, political science, or environmental studies. 
3. Social Domain Shaped by Law (One course): Students must take one course that explores a broad social domain that is fundamentally shaped or constructed by law.  
4. Electives (Two courses): Students must complete two additional approved courses. While the courses below are grouped by topical area, students may choose electives across areas based on their interests. Courses from the Legal Perspective category may also be counted toward this requirement.

Note: Special Topics courses, Experimental College courses, internships in a law-related field, and Sociology courses not listed under Social Domain Shaped by Law but that meet the inclusion criteria in Appendix B may be counted toward the minor.

Minor Requirements

Gateway Course

All students must take the following course:

• SOC 0121: Law and Society

Legal Perspective

Students must take one course from the following:

• EC 0006: Business Law
• EC 0179: Law and Economics
• ENV 0187: Environmental Law
• PHIL 0123: Philosophy of Law
• PS 0105: Constitutional Law
• PS 0168: International Law

Social Domain Shaped by Law 

Students must take one course from the following. 

• SOC 0011: Race and Ethnicity
• SOC 0020: Families, Romance & Intimacy 
• SOC 0030: Gender & Society 
• SOC 0040: Media, Culture & Society 
• SOC 0050: Globalization & Social Change
• SOC 0060: Social Inequalities/Social Justice
• SOC 0070: U.S. Immigration Law and Policy
• SOC 0085: Deviance and Conformity 
• SOC 0104: Education, Diversity & Justice
• SOC 0106: Political Sociology
• SOC 0113: Environmental Sociology
• SOC 0135: Social Movements 
• SOC 0145: The Politics of Social Policy
• SOC 149: Skibidi Capitalism: Ideology and Market
• SOC 0186: Health Policy in the Global Era

Electives

Students must complete two additional approved courses. While the courses below are grouped by topical area, students may choose electives across areas based on their interests. Students are encouraged to use these electives to develop a cohesive thematic focus. Courses from the Legal Perspective category may also be counted toward this requirement.