Concentration in Law and Society
Students must earn a "C" or better in each course taken to fulfill a concentration requirement.
The concentration in law and society seeks to give students a deep understanding of the role law plays in resolving conflicts within and between societies and in realizing a just political order. The study of law and justice has a rich humanistic tradition and involves reflection on fundamental values from multiple perspectives. Students may address a variety of topics, such as abortion rights, civil rights, environmental protection, privacy, the insanity defense: by drawing on disciplines such as political science, sociology, philosophy, economics, literature, history, anthropology, the natural sciences, and psychology. Students also have the opportunity to enhance their communication skills by taking advantage of public speaking opportunities including participation in moot court.
The law and society concentration is excellent preparation for students intending to attend law school. It is not, however, a "pre-law" program. Law schools do not require applicants to have any prior knowledge of the law, and assume that students will learn all they need to know to practice law while in law school. The intention of the law and society concentration is not to provide the knowledge one acquires in law school about the "black letter law," or what the law is in a given jurisdiction, but rather to use the law as a focal point in the students' liberal arts education. Law schools seek applicants with strong critical thinking and communication skills and a commitment to the study of law; completion of a law and society concentration should demonstrate that these criteria are amply met.
Depending on their selection of courses and use of electives outside the concentration, students concentrating in law and society can be prepared to do graduate work in a number of disciplines such as political science, history, or sociology; students considering these options should consult faculty in those areas. A law and society concentration provides excellent preparation for law or business school or careers in fields such as journalism, public affairs, education, and government.
Available Options: Concentration in Law and Society; Minor concentration
Advisory Board:
Dr. Mark Tunick | Dr. Keith Jakee
CONCENTRATION IN LAW AND SOCIETY
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POS 3691 | Honors Law in American Society | 3 |
| POS 4603 or POS 4604 | Honors Constitutional Law I or Honors Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| Electives (see below) | 24 | |
| IDS 4970 | Honors Thesis (two semesters) | 6 |
| Total Credits | 36 |
Electives: In addition to POS 3691 and one course in Constitutional law, concentrators must take 24 credits of elective courses with a substantial content in or bearing on law. Except by special petition, at least 12 credits of these must be 3000-level or above courses, and students are reminded that they need 45 credits of 3000 or 4000 level courses to graduate. Students choose from courses listed below.
Up to 6 of the 24 credits may be from courses that provide background within a discipline that is needed to pursue advanced courses in that discipline that have a substantial content in law or serve as preparation for the honors thesis: for example, ECO 2023 (Honors Introduction to Microeconomics) can be counted if taken as a prerequisite for an upper-division course in law and economics; or PSY 1012, Honors Introduction to Psychology, may be counted if taken as a prerequisite for an upper division course on psychology and the law.
Except by approval of the concentration advisor, no more than three non-Honors courses may be used to satisfy the requirements of the Concentration and they may be counted only when no equivalent course is offered at the Honors College. In addition, non-honors courses must be approved by a member of the concentration advisory board if not on the list of ‘Boca electives’ listed below.
All students concentrating in law and society are strongly encouraged to participate in an internship or study abroad program with a substantial content in law.
ELECTIVES
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
|
AMH 2010 or AMH 2020 |
Honors US History to 1877 or Honors U.S. History Since 1877 |
3 |
| AMH 3630 | Honors American Environmental History | 3 |
| AMS 4332 | Honors Violence in American Life | 3 |
| CLP 4143 |
Honors Psychopathology |
3 |
| ECO 2023 | Honors Introduction to Microeconomics (only if taken as a prereq for ECP 3451) | 3 |
| ECP 3451 | Honors Law and Economics | 3 |
| EUH 3604 | Honors European Intellectual History I | 3 |
| EUH 3607 | Honors European Intellectual History II | 3 |
| HIS 1933 | Honors Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| IDS 3930 | Honors Law in the Real World | 1 |
| IDS 3932 | Honors Hijab: Women and Boundaries in Islamic Cultures | 3 |
| IDS 3932 | Team taught course with an appropriate law content | 1-3 |
| IDS 4933 | Honors Anthropology and Law | 1-3 |
| IDS 4933 | Team taught course with an appropriate law content | 1-3 |
| ISS 4304 | Honors Comput Social Sci | 3 |
| PHI 2642 | Honors Ethics of Social Diversity | 3 |
| PHI 3644 | Honors Obligations | 3 |
| PHI 3633 | Honors Biomedical Ethics | 3 |
| PHI 3653 | Honors Ethics in Business, Government, Society | 3 |
| PHI 3682 | Honors Environmental Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 3692 | Honors Artificial Intelligence Ethics | 3 |
| PHP 3502 | Honors Hegel's Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHH 3100 | Honors Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| POS 2692 | Honors Punishment | 3 |
| POS 3675 | Honors Moot Court | 1 or 3 |
| POS 4603 | Honors U.S. Constitutional Law I | 3 |
| POS 4604 | Honors U.S. Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| POS 3626 | Honors Privacy | 3 |
| POS 4206 | Honors Political Psychology | 3 |
| POS 4609 | Honors The Judicial Process | 3 |
| POS 4685 | Honors American Legal Development | 3 |
| POS 4932 | Honors Race, Gender, Diversity and Law | 3 |
| POS 4932 | Honors Civil Rights & Rule of Law | 3 |
| POS 4932 | Honors Political Sociology | 3 |
| POS 4932 | Honors Women and the Workplace | 3 |
| POS 4932 | On an appropriate topic with law content: may be repeated up to three times with different course topics | 1-3 |
| POT 3021 | Honors History of Political Theory | 3 |
| POT 3113 | Honors Politics and Morality in Film | 3 |
| PSY 1012 | Honors Introduction to Psychology (if used as a prereq for an upper level law-related Psychology class) | 3 |
| SYG 1000 | Honors Sociological Perspectives | 3 |
| SYD 4792 | Honors Race, Gender, Class, Sexuality and Science | 3 |
| SOP 3004 | Honors Principles of Social Psychology | 3 |
| WST 4504 | Honors Feminist Theory | 3 |
| WST 3015 | Honors Introduction to Women's Studies | 3 |
| NON-HONORS ELECTIVES (No more than 3 may be counted towards the concentration; courses not on this list must be approved by the concentration advisor) | ||
| CCJ 2002 | Law, Crime and Criminal Jusitce | 3 |
| CCJ 3014 | Criminology | 3 |
| CCJ 4141 | Restorative Community Justice | 3 |
| CCJ 4662 | Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CCJ 4694 | Human Trafficking: Global Justice Issues | 3 |
| DSC 4012 | Terrorism | 3 |
| CJE 4352 | Policing in America | 3 |
| INR 3403 | International Law: Foundations and Institutions | 3 |
| INR 3413 | International Law of Peace and Diplomacy | 3 |
| INR 3433 | International Law of Armed Conflict | 3 |
| POS 3703 | Research Methods | 3 |
| POS 4697 | US Environmental Law and Policy | 3 |
| PHM 3440 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
Minor Concentration in Law and Society
The Law and Society minor concentration is designed to offer students an understanding of the role law plays in resolving conflicts within and between societies and in realizing a just political order. The study of law and justice has a rich humanistic tradition and involves reflection on fundamental values from multiple perspectives. Students take 15 credit hours: at least 9 hours must be at the 3000 or 4000 level; 6 hours may be at a lower level. Students must have at least a 2.0 GPA in courses taken for the minor concentration. At least 50% of upper level credits must be from Honors College courses. No more than 1 class taken for the minor concentration may also be counted towards the student's concentration.
Requirements:
- POS 3691 Honors Law and American Society (3 credits);
- POS 4603 Honors Constitutional Law I or POS 4604 Honors Con. Law II (3 credits);
- Three Law and Society electives from list above: no more than 1 may be a non-honors course (9 credits).