The interdisciplinary minor in Law, Justice, and Society (LJS) is designed to provide undergraduates with a rigorous, dynamic, and interdisciplinary understanding of law and justice in society.
The minor is ideal for students who seek a broad exploration of the study of law and the profession of law as practiced at the highest levels. The comprehensive curriculum introduces students 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.
Capitol Campus Residency
Note that several of the required courses in the LJS minor are only offered at The Call/Capitol Campus, and as such the minor requires a semester in residence at the Capitol Campus.
Eligibility
The LJS minor is open to all students in the College of Arts & Sciences; no application is required.
Minor Requirements
The minor consists of 19 credits, distributed as follows:
Three Foundational Courses (9 credits)
Students select one course from each of the following thematic areas:
- Theory, Ethics, and Justice (TEJ)
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)
HCS courses examine the historical origins of our legal tradition and the ongoing interplay with culture and society.
- Structures and Institutions (S&I)
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 Seminar1 (4 credits)
This will be a tailored version of the CALL’s longstanding experiential seminar, led by the LJS 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 Colloquium1 (1 credit)
This is a modular guest-lecturer course coordinated by the LJS 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 Context1 (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 law elective from any of the foundational areas or identified with the “LJSP: elective” attribute in the Schedule of Classes.
Note: Students seeking to fulfill minor requirements with courses taken elsewhere (e.g. via transfer credit or during study abroad) should consult with the program director, who is responsible for all approvals and exceptions to the above requirements.
