Law and Legal Studies Minor

The minor in Law and Legal Studies offers an interdisciplinary, liberal arts approach to the study of law. This is an academic program, not a professional training program, emphasizing the political, social, cultural, and philosophical foundations and impacts of law and legal systems. It is designed for pre-law students and also for a broad array of students from across the PSU campus who are interested in the relationship of law to politics, society, and culture. While the core courses concentrate on American law and the American legal system, the electives allow students to focus on aspects of law related to areas such as international law, comparative law, and philosophy.

Requirements (12 credits)

Lower Division Requirements

PS 101United States Government

4
PS 221Introduction to Law and Legal Studies

4

Upper Division Requirements

PS 321Introduction to the Supreme Court

4

Electives (16 credits)

Political Science options (minimum 8 credits)

PS 320Explore the Law

2
PS 325UPolitics and the Legal Enforcement of Morals

4
PS 421The Supreme Court and American Politics

4
PS 422Constitutional Law

4
PS 423Civil Liberties

4
PS 424Law, Politics, and Society

4
PS 425/WS 424Women and the Law

4
PS 448International Law

4
PS 449International Environmental Politics and Law

4
PS 483Justice in the Modern World

4

Non-Political Science options (maximum 8 credits)

CCJ 310American Courts

4
CCJ 345Human Behavior and the Law

4
CCJ 420Criminal Law

4
Hst 446Civil Rights and the Law: The History of Equal Protection

4
Ling 334U“You have the right to remain silent.”: Language and the Law

4
Phl 311UThe Morality of Punishment

4
Phl 333UPhilosophy of Law

4
Soc 417Law & Society: The Sociology of Law

4
USP 455Land Use: Legal Aspects

3
USP 468Oregon Land Use Law

3
Electives approved by Law and Legal Studies advisor (maximum 8 credits)

Total Credit Hours: 28

For law and legal studies minors who are also majoring or minoring in political science, at least three electives (12 credits) must be applied solely to the law and legal studies minor. In order to count toward fulfillment of the minor, courses must be passed with a grade of C or above.