Getting Started

College: SBS

Information below is meant to guide first year students in getting started with this major and choosing appropriate courses. More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses. Please refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn about full major requirements.

How to Explore the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

All Undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students are available at https://www.umass.edu/gened. Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.

Suggested Major and Prerequisite Courses

Required prerequisites:
LEGAL 250 is required of all majors and is a prerequisite for most of our 200, 300, and 400-level courses. It should be taken relatively soon after interest in the major is identified. Enrolling in Law-Related Liberal Arts courses, classes from other programs that will apply to the major, is another good way to make progress on the major prior to declaring. Law-Related Liberal Arts courses can be found in our directory of courses (column F): https://polsci.umass.edu/legal-studies/advising-students-services/courses.

Transfer students should take LEGAL 250 early in their UMass career. Law-Related Liberal Arts courses are also good options.

How to Declare the Major

For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted, which means any student may declare the major. Unrestricted majors may still have an entry process such as meeting with an advisor, peer advisor or attending an informational meeting.

Students can declare when they enter the university or at any time in their UMass career by scheduling an advising appointment via the department website.

Transfer Students

Transfers will build a schedule with an advisor through the New Student Orientation and Transitions program.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn more.

Minimum total # of credits required: 37

Is there a minor? If so, what are the requirements?
No - there is no minor in Legal Studies.

Additional notes:

Honors courses, colloquia and independent studies are offered periodically by the faculty and honors students are encouraged to make their interest in honors work known to the faculty.
Legal Studies faculty are supportive of students who wish to engage in independent studies, internships, the Undergraduate Research Engagement Program, or a study abroad program.
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. Only sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible for this tuition break. For more information, contact the Registrar’s Office. A cumulative average of 2.0, both within the major, and overall, is required for graduation.
For more information on special opportunities and programs offered through the Legal Studies Department, including internships, please refer to the Guide to Undergraduate Programs or the Legal Studies website at polsci.umass.edu/legal.

For further information, contact:

Adrian Grace, Thompson 334, amgrace@umass.edu
Amy Grieger, Thompson 308, agrieger@umass.edu
Shawn Samuels, Thompson 310, ssamuels@umass.edu
Sujata Rege Konowitz, Thompson 332, sregekonowit@umass.edu

Or visit the Department’s website at https://polsci.umass.edu/
our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/UMass-Amherst-Department-of-Political-Science/185778744792124
Twitter at https://twitter.com/umasspolsci/
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