Loading...

Admission to the major is open to all. Freshman Legal Studies majors should concentrate their coursework on University General Education and College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Global Education requirements. The introductory course, Legal 250, is available to majors beginning in the sophomore year. Since Legal Studies is part of the New England Regional Student Program (NERSP), students from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine with Legal Studies as their primary major may be eligible for a tuition reduction. For more information, contact the Registrar’s Office. (Eligibility is limited to sophomores, juniors and seniors.) A cumulative average of 2.0, both within the major, and overall, is required for graduation. Legal Studies requires its majors to complete a minimum of 34 credits, as described below. None of these courses may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis.

Requirements
1. 250 Introduction to Legal Studies
2. Seven courses drawn from the 200-400 levels (excluding 250, 296, 298, 396, 450, 496, 498-499)
3. 450 Legal Research and Writing (Junior Year Writing requirement)
4. Two liberal arts law-related courses outside the major selected from a list prepared by the department and available on its website.
Minimum: 34 credits.

Honors Work
Legal Studies encourages students in the major to consider honors courses and other honors work. Virtually all Legal Studies faculty are open to being approached by students wishing to establish honors colloquia or honors independent study, or to create honors thesis or project committees.

Honors in Legal Studies is coordinated via Commonwealth Honors College and requires at least four honors courses and a thesis (Legal 499Y/499T; 6 credit minimum) or Honors Project (Legal 499P). Students are encouraged to begin developing their thesis research topic by the end of the second semester of junior year and to complete the research during the first semester of the senior year. Thesis writing is completed during the second semester of senior year. 

For additional information, contact the Departmental Honors Director, Leah Wing, lwing@legal.umass.edu

Independent Study Opportunities
Legal Studies offers Independent Study opportunities to graduate as well as undergraduate students through LEGAL 296, 396, 496, 596, 696 and 796. A faculty sponsor is required, and the credit does not fulfill any Legal Studies major requirements.

Internships

A Legal Studies internship is a field based learning experience in a law-related organization, office, or government agency that provides a public service.  According to University regulations, students who have completed 45 credits and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher are eligible to register for an internship.  There may be additional requirements for specific Legal Studies internships.

Legal Studies encourages students to pursue internships that will bridge the gap between the theory and practice of law. If possible, students work under the supervision of an attorney on matters that have a public interest component. Internship opportunities are posted on a bulletin board opposite Room 232 in Thompson Hall. For more information contact Alan Gaitenby, gaitenby@legal.umass.edu.

Five College Legal Studies
Legal Studies is allied with law and law-related faculty in the four area colleges. Students at one school may take courses at any of the other schools. A listing of law-related courses in the Five Colleges is available in the department’s main office, 219 Thompson.