Curriculum

The minor is ideal for students who seek an elite-level exploration of the study of law and the profession of law as practiced at the highest levels. Students will be offered a comprehensive curriculum that (1) introduces them to legal reasoning, theory, and writing; offers them the opportunity to conduct legal research and/or pursue an internship in law; and prepares them to understand the multiple dimensions and impacts that law and legal institutions can have on efforts to achieve a more just society.

Students pursuing the minor should consult the Schedule of Classes each semester and search for courses with the appropriate LJS attributes.

The minor consists of 19 credits, distributed as follows:

Three foundational courses (9 credits)

Students select one from each of the following thematic areas:

• Theory, Ethics, and Justice 
  Law expresses a society’s values and its ethical foundations. TEJ courses explore the theoretical foundations of law, the complex relationship between legal frameworks and the pursuit of justice, the expression of ethical norms in legal frameworks, and the shifting balance between freedom and fairness.
• History, Culture, and Society
  HCS courses examine the historical origins of our legal tradition and the ongoing interplay with culture and society.
• Structures and Institutions
  S&I courses examine how institutions inculcate legal rules, practices, and outcomes, and the reciprocal impact of law as a social, political, and economic force in society 

Law Internship Seminar* (4 credits)

This will be a tailored version of the CALL’s longstanding experiential seminar, led by the LJ&S director, oriented specifically toward the legal profession and law-adjacent work. Includes wrap-around mentoring and sense-making to ensure deep engagement and reflection.

Law Colloquium* (1 credit)

This is a modular guest-lecturer course coordinated by the LJ&S director. It will include invited guest speakers at the federal, state, and local levels of government and legal practice. The course may also include visits to off-campus locations to meet with attorneys, judges, and legal system officials. 

Skills and Methods in Context* (2 credits)

2 credits from among 1-credit skills-based courses, which might be delivered by staff, practitioners, librarians, paralegals, law students, etc.  Possible topics include:

• Legal Research
• Advocacy
• Negotiation
• Legal Writing
• Law Practicum: This course introduces a wide array of methodologies employed in socio-legal studies and provides the knowledge and skills necessary to design, conduct, and present a scholarly research project. 

Law Elective (3 credits)

One elective from any of the foundational areas or identified with the LJSP: elective attribute in the schedule of classes.

*CALL-bound: must be taken at the Capitol Campus