Majors and minors in Legal Studies typically complete their course requirements with a mix of courses offered by Legal Studies and by courses offered through departments and programs across the University. The wide variety of options allows students to tailor their studies to their tastes and interests.
The usual starting point for Legal Studies students is LEGAL ST 206 "Law and Society", offered twice each academic year (usually in fall and winter quarters). We strongly encourage students to take Law & Society early in their program. 206 is required for both the major and the minor.
Students majoring in Legal Studies must also take LEGAL ST 207 "Research Methods in Legal Studies" (usually taught in spring; 206 is a pre-requisite) before they take the Advanced Research Seminar sequence, LEGAL ST 398-1,2, during the fall and winter of their junior or senior year.
Legal Studies requirements are the same for Weinberg and non-Weinberg majors. Non-Weinberg majors do not need to fulfill WCAS language and distribution requirements. Double-counting rules are different for non-Weinberg students (see below for more information).
NOTE: "Related courses" in this context is a technical term that other departments use to categorize a group of their course requirements. (For example: Gender & Sexuality Studies has a "related courses" component in their major requirements.) Legal Studies requires law-related electives which are taught in outside departments and programs - these are not considered "related courses."
Non-Weinberg students should consult the following rules.
Petitions for elective credit should be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies and are considered on a case-by-case basis. Petitions should be submitted during the quarter the student is enrolled in the course. Typically if a class is accepted for elective credit, it will be added to our list of Legal Studies electives.
In some instances, a student might arrange an independent study in conjunction with an internship in which a research project is undertaken that draws on the internship experience. In such a case, credit would be awarded for the work completed in the 399, not merely for the practical experience of the internship. Each case must be weighed individually, however. If you have an internship opportunity for which you would like to receive major credit, you should consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies well in advance of the start of the program. A final decision about Legal Studies credit cannot be made until you have completed the internship.
Before leaving for study abroad, you should meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies for approval. Though the Director does not preapprove courses for credit, you can discuss which courses may receive credit. After completing your study abroad program, submit a petition for elective credit and attach the relevant syllabus. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will review the course materials to let you know if the course is approved. If so, then you will need to complete a Petition for Credit for Courses Taken Abroad form (available through the Global Learning office) and get it signed by the Program Assistant, or the Director of Undergraduate Studies in order to receive Legal Studies credit.
Exceptions to these rules are study abroad programs run directly by Northwestern, including the European Union Studies Program in Paris. Many of these courses can towards the major and they do not require a Petition for Credit from Study Abroad. For more information, visit the Global Learning office.
Consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies about getting approval for these courses. A syllabus and completed work are typically necessary to receive credit; you will need to fill out the Petition for Elective Credit.
Petitions for elective credit will be reviewed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies and are considered on a case-by-case basis. Petitions should be submitted during the quarter the student is enrolled in the course. If a class is accepted for elective credit, it will be added to our list of Legal Studies electives.
** As of 2020, due to Covid-19, this restriction might be adjusted. Before enrolling in an online course from another university, be sure to reach out to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof. Joanna Grisinger, for an advising appointment.
Legal studies cadets must complete 14 courses in addition to the required academic core; five of these must be upper-level courses offered by the Department of Law. In addition to the law courses, a legal studies major has discretion in taking courses offered by the Departments of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, Economics and Geosciences, English and Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, History, Management, Military Strategic Studies, Philosophy and Political Sciences. This program is designed to expose cadets to a range of issues within the discipline of law.
As future leaders, students in this major will become critical thinkers able to apply and understand various legal concepts in their interaction with real-world issues locally, nationally and globally.
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The B.S. in Legal studies is a major designed for students who are looking to become future leaders in the community, the city, the state, the nation and the world. It is also suitable for students wanting to pursue graduate education in various disciplines, including economics, humanities, social science, political science, business, health care, public service and many more, and for anyone who wants to obtain a general understanding of the place of law in contemporary society.
Students must choose one of the tracks listed below. Each track requires 20 units from its respective course list, and 16 of those units must be upper division courses (numbered at the 300-400 level).
Eight courses in six Core Literacies, plus two courses in Global Perspectives (which may double-count with courses in the Core Literacies). In addition, all entering first-year students freshmen are expected to complete a General Education Seminar during their first year at USC. These seminars satisfy one of the Core Literacy requirements above.
In recent years, the legal field has been diversifying and employing many individuals in new and exciting roles. As the field has grown and evolved, so have the employment interests and objectives for college graduates who are interested in working in law but may not want to become practicing attorneys. USC Gould's bachelor's degree in Legal Studies provides students with a strong foundation that will prepare them for innovative and emerging employment opportunities or graduate studies.
Diego is a first-year majoring in Legal Studies. His areas of interest are corporate law and the private sector. This past year, he has been working at Operation New Hope helping at-risk youth. He is a part of Latino Students in Law, La CASA, Latin dance, and Trojan Boxing. In his free time, he likes to go hiking, biking, exploring, and gaming.
Lauren is a second year student majoring in Legal Studies with a minor in Organizational Leadership and Management. Her area of interest is in criminal law and studying the ways in which our legal system impacts women of color. She looks forward to an internship abroad in London for the summer of 2024. Lauren is also highly involved in Undergraduate Student Government (USG) as a Sustainability Committee Member and holds an executive position in her sorority, Alpha Phi. In her free time, Lauren enjoys spending time at the beach and finding new coffee shops in LA.
Susanna is a third-year majoring in Legal Studies and Philosophy, Politics, and Law. Her areas of interest are in representing startups and growth stage companies in incorporation and investing. During her academic year, she served as a JusticeCorps member at the Los Angeles Superior Court, assisting self-represented litigants in their legal proceedings. Susanna is involved with organizations such as the Society of Women in Law, Trojan Review, Blackstonians Pre-Law Honors Society, and Undergraduate Student Government. In her free time, Susanna loves spending her life savings on books and cycling along the beach.
Kathy is a 3rd year majoring in Law, History, and Culture with minors in Law and Technology and Classical Piano Performance. Her areas of interest are in cybersecurity law, digital regulation, and financial regulation. In the past, she worked on civic engagement campaigns as an Elections Fellow for the Progressive Vietnamese American Organization. She has also worked on research for Professor Sokol, and will be an incoming 2024 Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs. Kathy is involved on campus with organizations such as the Joint Educational Project, Phi Alpha Delta, and is the Director of Alumni Relations for the Corporate Law and Financial Regulation Association. As a native Arizonan, being in Los Angeles is a nice break from the heat and she loves exploring the beaches of LA, going on hikes, and going to concerts in her free time!
If you like to think outside the box, make legal arguments, and challenge others, why not make a career out of it by getting the training to be able to support your arguments with legal research, analysis, and critical thinking? Perhaps, you want to gain a legal training and skills that will make you successive in pursuing law school so you can be come an attorney, or a paralegal, in order to help others navigate their way through the justice system and litigation. If any of these ideas interest you, a degree in legal studies may be right for you.
Students in the Legal Studies Program will gain hands on experience in drafting legal documents, conducting legal research using Westlaw, writing legal memos and correspondence, using proper legal citation, complying with legal ethics, thinking critically about laws and the legal system, interpreting statutory law, and reading, analyzing, and briefing case law.
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