2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

Major in Legal Studies (BA/BS)

This major prepares students for careers as legal assistants or paralegals. It also provides a strong foundation in law-related courses for students who plan to work in the courts, the legislature or in legal departments of government and business. Paralegals, as part of a legal team, are supervised by a lawyer and cannot practice law.

72 credits

Interdisciplinary major requirements

Common core, 39 credits

BL 260Principles of Business Law

3

POLS 130American National Government

3

POLS 140Introduction to Law

3

POLS 141Introduction to Legal Studies

3

POLS 205Legal Ethics & Professional Responsibility

3

POLS 241Family Law

3

POLS 242Legal Research and Writing

3

POLS 243Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

3

POLS 250Access to Justice in the Legal System

3

POLS 320Tort Law

3

POLS 344Advanced Legal Research and Writing

3

POLS 445Criminal Litigation: Law and Procedure

3

Total Credit Hours:36
3 credits from
POLS 479Practical Experience in Law

3

or

POLS 480Access to Justice Clinic

3

Total Credit Hours:3

Complete one concentration

Concentration 1: Public Law, 33 credits

BL 367Principles of Estate Planning

3

POLS 260Public and Non-Profit Administration

3

POLS 433The Judiciary

3

RMI 270Principles of Risk Management and Insurance

3

Total Credit Hours:12
12 credits from
ACC 201Principles of Financial Accounting

3

CJC 101Introduction to American Criminal Justice System

3

COMM 220Argumentation and Debate

3

COMM 320Persuasion

3

COMM 340Leadership and Small Group Communication

3

COMM 385Movements of Marginalized Voices

3

ECON 201Elementary Microeconomics

3

PHIL 200Symbolic Logic

3

POLS 337State and Local Politics

3

POLS 447Environmental Law and Policy

3

POLS 408Topics in Legal Studies

3

POLS 435Intergovernmental Conflict and Cooperation

3

POLS 460Social Entrepreneurship and Change

3

POLS 474Women and Politics

3

POLS 475Intelligence and Transnational Extremism

3

PSYS 100Introduction to Psychological Science

3

PSYS 471Psychology in the Legal System

3

RE 230Real Estate Principles

3

SOC 100Principles of Sociology

3

SOC 320Social Inequality

3

SOC 425Sociology of Law

3

SOCW 100Introduction to Social Work

3

Total Credit Hours:12
9 elective credits
POLS 447Environmental Law and Policy

3

POLS 443American Constitutional Law

3

POLS 444Constitutional Liberties

3

POLS 455Administrative Law

3

POLS 456Equal Employment Opportunity and Discrimination Law

3

POLS 458Sports and Entertainment Law

3

POLS 459Election Law

3

RMI 473Insurance Law

3

POLS 490International Law

3

Total Credit Hours:9

Concentration 2: Business Law, 33 credits

ACC 201Principles of Financial Accounting

3

BL 367Principles of Estate Planning

3

ECON 201Elementary Microeconomics

3

ISOM 125Introduction to Business with Integrated Computer Applications

3

Total Credit Hours:12
12 credits from
ACC 202Principles of Managerial Accounting

3

BL 363Uniform Commercial Code Law

3

BUSA 302Career Management: Tools, Processes, and Strategies

3

ISOM 250Contemporary Design for Business Solutions

3

BIS 313Databases and Information Resource Management

3

BIS 415Information Systems Management

3

ECON 202Elementary Macroeconomics

3

ECON 346Economic Analysis of Legal Issues

3

FIN 300Principles of Finance

3

ISOM 210Business Information Systems

3

MGT 300Managing Behavior in Organizations

3

PHIL 200Symbolic Logic

3

POLS 337State and Local Politics

3

POLS 381Developing Countries in a World Economy

3

POLS 408Topics in Legal Studies

3

POLS 433The Judiciary

3

POLS 435Intergovernmental Conflict and Cooperation

3

POLS 460Social Entrepreneurship and Change

3

POLS 474Women and Politics

3

RE 230Real Estate Principles

3

RE 331Real Estate Construction Law and Finance

3

RMI 270Principles of Risk Management and Insurance

3

RMI 330Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning

3

SOC 425Sociology of Law

3

Total Credit Hours:12
9 credits from
POLS 447Environmental Law and Policy

3

POLS 443American Constitutional Law

3

POLS 444Constitutional Liberties

3

POLS 455Administrative Law

3

POLS 456Equal Employment Opportunity and Discrimination Law

3

POLS 458Sports and Entertainment Law

3

RMI 473Insurance Law

3

POLS 490International Law

3

POLS 459Election Law

3

Total Credit Hours:9

Total Credit Hours: 72