Legal Studies Minor

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Program Description

Legal Studies is an interdisciplinary academic program about law, rather than vocation training in law. The minor explores law as a topic of intellectual inquiry. It emphasizes critical engagement with the social, cultural, philosophical, historic, economic, and psychological forces that structure and affect law in human society. 

The minor also provides students with the skills essential for success in law school and beyond. It teaches students to understand important legal issues and critically analyze legal source material, such as court decisions and statutes. The minor is an important complement to any university major. 

Admission Requirements

Students must have a declared major and must have completed ENG 1100, 1130, or 1140 with a grade of C or better and at least two other courses in the WSU Core while maintaining a GPA of 2.0 or above.

Program Learning Outcomes:

(a) understand fundamental structure and process in the US legal system;
(b) Identify important legal concepts in areas of substantive law;
(c) form sound views about law-related controversies and issues;
(d) prepare students for continued legal study in graduate school or professional school; 

For More Information Visit:

https://liberal-arts.wright.edu/school-of-public-and-international-affairs/minor-in-legal-studies

Program Requirements:

I. Legal System

One course required from:

• SOC 3730 - Sociology of the Courts, Law, and Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 3400 - Law and Society Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4150 - Law, Lawyers and the System Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4420 - Criminal Justice System Credit Hour(s): 3
• URS 4280 - Criminal Justice Organization and Management Credit Hour(s): 3

II. Specialized Skill or Perspective

One course required from:

• PHL 3150 - Philosophy of Language and Logic Credit Hour(s): 3
• PHL 4140 - Philosophy of Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4210 - American Constitutional Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4260 - Supreme Court in American Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4090 - Supreme Court and Legal Judging Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4170 - Appellate Politics and Moot Court Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4821 - Pre-Law Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4860 - Model UN Seminar Credit Hour(s): 3
• PSY 4530 - Psychology and Law Capstone Credit Hour(s): 3
• EC 4200 - Law and Economics Credit Hour(s): 3
• FIN 4160 - Retirement Planning Credit Hour(s): 3
• FIN 4260 - Estate Planning Credit Hour(s): 3
• COM 3330 - Persuasion and Rhetorical Theory Credit Hour(s): 3
• COM 3700 - Dispute Resolution Credit Hour(s): 3

III. Ethics & Rights

One course required from:

• PHL 3110 - Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
• PHL 3120 - History of Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
• PHL 3780 - Bioethics Credit Hour(s): 3
• PHL 4110 - Ethics Seminar Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4180 - Politics and Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
• MGT 3110 - Business Ethics and Leadership Development Credit Hour(s): 3
• URS 3300 - Ethics in Public Service Credit Hour(s): 3
• LE 1070 - Criminal Justice Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4010 - Development and Construction of American Civil Liberty Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 3750 - Human Rights in United States Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4040 - Struggles for Civil Rights in America Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4480 - Gender Violence & American Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4520 - International Human Rights Credit Hour(s): 3

IV. Crime and Deviance

One course required from:

• PLS 4420 - Criminal Justice System Credit Hour(s): 3
• SOC 3710 - Comparative Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
• SOC 3700 - Criminology Credit Hour(s): 3
• SOC 3220 - Juvenile Delinquency Credit Hour(s): 3
• SOC 3210 - Sociology of Deviance Credit Hour(s): 3
• SOC 3740 - Penology and Corrections Credit Hour(s): 3
• SOC 3720 - Policing in Society Credit Hour(s): 3
• LE 1010 - Criminal Law for Law Enforcement Credit Hour(s): 3
• LE 1020 - Introduction to Legal Procedures Credit Hour(s): 3
• LE 1040 - Procedures in Crime Investigation Credit Hour(s): 3
• LE 1030 - Introduction to Criminal Evidence and Procedure Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 3440 - Police Procedures and Operations Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 3410 - Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4550 - Politics of Iraq Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4310 - Cyber Crime Credit Hour(s): 3

V. Law

Three courses required from:

• LAW 3000 - Legal Environment of Business Credit Hour(s): 3
• LAW 4300 - Legal Aspects of the Workplace Credit Hour(s): 3
• COM 4620 - Mass Media: Law and Regulation Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 3420 - Civil Liberties I: First Amendment Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 3430 - Civil Liberties II: Due Process Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4400 - Constitutional Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4160 - Sex and the Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4370 - Criminal Procedure Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4360 - Criminal Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• URS 4430 - Administrative Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4710 - International Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4380 - Environmental Law and Policy Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4390 - Bioethics and Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• PLS 4410 - Natural Resources Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• FIN 4140 - Real Estate Law Credit Hour(s): 3
• ACC 3430 - Federal Income Tax I Credit Hour(s): 3

Elective

Choose one additional course from any of the following areas: 

Area II (Specialized Skill or Perspective)

Area IV (Crime & Deviance)

Area V (Law)

Total: 24 Hours