Legal Studies
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Law
The Legal Studies major at ½ûÂþÌìÌà provides an interdisciplinary course of study that combines courses from various areas across disciplines. Students explore issues such as justice, order, rights, the human condition and ethical assumptions underlying the competing concepts of human nature and society.
With practical exposure and high academic standards, our graduates are prepared for the rigors of law school and graduate school. Legal Studies majors regularly earn admission to the best law school and graduate school programs across the country.
What Can I Do With a Degree in Legal Studies?
½ûÂþÌìÌà Alumni have pursued successful careers as attorneys, academics, lobbyists and government relations experts. Being successful in law school is not about knowledge of a particular subject. It is about having a set of key skills. We focus our curriculum onÌý skills The American Bar Association and the Law School Admission Council identify as critical to success:
- Analytic/problem-solving skills
- Critical reading abilities
- Writing skills
- General research skills
- Oral communication skills
- Listening abilities
- Task organization and management skills
- Values of serving others and promoting justice
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Pre-Law Advising
Legal Studies majors who are interested in law school are encouraged to participate in the ½ûÂþÌìÌà Pre-Law Program, a 3+3 or 4+3 cooperative express admissions program which allows qualified students to complete core requirements, earn a bachelor's degree at ½ûÂþÌìÌà and gain automatic acceptance to Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, Duquesne University School of Law, Widener University Delaware Law School, or Widener University Commonwealth Law School.
Outcomes to Help You Succeed
As a result of the program, graduates will be able to demonstrate the ability to gather, organize and present evidence, data or information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, critically analyze the relationship between law, government and society, discuss and understand major theories and criticisms of law from an interdisciplinary perspective and evaluate the quality of legal research, whether it employs social scientific methods (quantitative or qualitative) or legal research methods.
LSAT Prep Guarantee
½ûÂþÌìÌà is committed to ensuring that our pre-law students are successful on the LSAT exam. We provide one free LSAT course taught by a qualified LSAT instructor, to each pre-law student. If ½ûÂþÌìÌà is not able to offer an LSAT prep course in a given year, we will pay for students to take an LSAT preparation course with another provider.
Legal Studies Opportunities
Pre-Law Club & Mock Trial are two ways that Legal Studies students can gain a more in-depth understanding of law and debate outside of the classroom.
The Law Early Admissions Program (LEAP) is a 3+3 or 4+3 cooperative express admissions program which allows qualified students to complete core requirements, earn a bachelor's degree at ½ûÂþÌìÌà and gain automatic acceptance to Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, Duquesne University School of Law, Widener University Delaware Law School, or Widener University Commonwealth Law School.
Fellowships and Opportunities
Our students are immersed in experiential learning through on-campus clubs and organizations, study-abroad opportunities, internships, research and practicums. Students have multiple opportunities to gain experience and knowledge about other cultures while studying political and philosophical ideas.
Fellowships
Students studying Political Science and Legal Studies at ½ûÂþÌìÌà have access to a variety of paid internships and fellowships. The Finnegan Fellowship provides students with a 10-week paid summer internship where they will work with executive agencies in Harrisburg and provides them with access to state officials. The Pennsylvania Legislative Fellowship is a full-time paid internship where past ½ûÂþÌìÌà students have actually written legislation that has been passed into law. Our students also have access to the McClellan Fund which is a grant that supports students who want to pursue unpaid summer internships.
Internships, Fieldtrips and Partnerships
Our proximity to Pennsylvania's state capital of Harrisburg opens doors to coveted internships, field trips, and partnerships with the Capital Semester internship program, and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Legislative Fellowship Program.
Experiences Accross the world
Experiential learning is the foundation of our mission to promote scholarship, leadership, and responsible citizenship. All of our majors are required to complete an off-campus experiential study program for course credit. Our proximity to Pennsylvania's state capital opens the doors to coveted government internships, while our affiliation with several international programs affords the opportunity to study abroad for a semester.
Capital Semester internship program
Queen's University's Bader International Study Centre at Herstmonceux Castle
BCA Study Abroad
½ûÂþÌìÌà Oxford University Summer Program
Pennsylvania House of Representatives Legislative Fellowship Program
Other Opportunities
Students of any major with an interest in law, politics, or topics of philosophical concern, can participate in a number of student-run organizations sponsored by the Politics, Philosophy, and Legal Studies disciplines including: Political Science Club, Mock Trial Club, Law Club, College Democrats, College Republicans, Pi Sigma Alpha, and Philosophy Club.