Legal Studies Minor (18-19 hours)

The Legal Studies minor is an interdisciplinary program housed in the College of Arts and Sciences. It is designed for students with varied interests, including those considering attending law school, a career in criminal justice, or in business or government, where a working knowledge of legal issues and the legal system would be useful. The Legal Studies minor will provide undergraduate students with a foundation in the law from several diverse disciplines, enhancing critical thinking skills along with a sound background in legal issues.

Program Objectives

Successful students in this program will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the foundations of the United States legal system and how it has changed over time.
Articulate how diverse populations have interacted with the American criminal justice system.
Critically examine legal issues from multiple disciplinary perspectives.

Program Coordination

The Legal Studies minor will be housed in the College of Arts and Sciences and coordinated by an advisory board consisting of representative faculty from the primary departments and programs with courses included in the program, including the Departments of History, Political Science, and Sociology, and, as an ex-officio member, the Associate Dean of Curriculum in Arts and Sciences. The advisory board is responsible for ensuring the continuity and consistency of course offerings and academic advising, approving any changes to the program curriculum, and addressing other curricula issues as they may arise from time to time. The College of Arts and Sciences Office of Undergraduate Advising, which currently coordinates the pre-law advising programs, will be responsible for advising this new minor.

Foundational Courses (3 hours)

Choose ONE of the following courses (must be from a department outside of your major):

HIST 2110 - American History since 1877 Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 2000 - National Government Credits: 3 hours
SOC 2600 - Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies Credits: 3 hours

Intermediate Courses (6-7 hours)

Choose two of the following courses, at least one of which is from a department different from the foundational course:

COM 3070 - Freedom of Expression Credits: 3 hours
HIST 3160 - Women in United States History Credits: 3 hours
LAW 3500 - Computer Law Credits: 3 hours
LAW 3800 - Legal Environment Credits: 3 hours
LAW 3840 - Criminal Law and Procedure Credits: 3 hours
PHIL 3130 - Philosophy of Law Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 3200 - The American Judicial Process Credits: 4 hours
PSCI 2700 - Political Topics Credits: 1 to 3 hours
(Topic: Mock Trial Credits: 3 hours)
PSCI 3700 - Issues in Contemporary Politics Credits: 3 to 4 hours
(Topic: Mock Trial Credits: 3 hours)
PSCI 3250 - Criminal Justice Policy Credits: 3 hours
SOC 3620 - Criminology Credits: 3 hours
SOC 3630 - Courts and Society Credits: 3 hours

Upper-Level Courses (9 hours)

Choose three of the following courses, from at least two different departments:

HIST 4245 - Topics in U.S. History and Culture Credits: 3 hours
HIST 4495 - Topics in European History and Culture Credits: 3 hours
LAW 4840 - International Business Law Credits: 3 hours
LAW 4860 - Marketing and Sales Law Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 4200 - Constitutional Law Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 4210 - Gender and Law Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 4220 - Civil Rights and Liberties Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 4230 - The First Amendment Credits: 3 hours
PSCI 4240 - Environmental Law Credits: 3 hours
SOC 4400 - Corporate and Governmental Crime Credits: 3 hours

Note

Appropriate substitutions for related coursework or experiences focused on legal studies may be approved by program advisors in consultation with the advisory board.

Advising

Given the interdisciplinary nature of this program, it is very important that students work regularly with program advisors in the College of Arts and Sciences Office of Undergraduate Advising. Transfer students should consult the relevant transfer guides and meet with a program advisor to discuss specific course equivalencies.

Academic Standards

Students in this program must earn a grade of “C” or better in all courses counted toward the minor. Courses used to fulfill requirements in your major may not be counted towards this minor. A minimum of 9 hours counted towards the minor must be completed at WMU.