bachelors-legal-studies

Requirements and Learning Outcomes

Earn your UBalt degree by majoring in Legal Studies.

Degree Requirements

  • These requirements apply to students entering this program in fall 2022 and thereafter.
    Students who enrolled earlier should consult the catalog in effect at the time they enrolled.
  • Read the course descriptions.

Legal Studies Program Requirements (33 credits)

  • General Electives | Complete as many courses as necessary from any discipline to fulfill your 120-credit requirement to graduate.
General Education requirements for all new students entering UBalt in fall 2022 and after.
Required Courses (18 credits)

Choose ONE of the following course (3 credits)

Course Title Credits Notes

HIST 340

 American Legal History 3  

HIST 325

 Prisons and Police in U.S. History 3  

 

Then, take ALL the following courses (15 credits)

Course Title Credits Notes

LEST 401

 Legal Foundations 3  

LEST 402

 Legal Research and Analysis 3  

LEST 403

 The Trial Process 3  

LEST 496

 Internship 3  

LEST 498

 Capstone Project 3  

 

ELECTIVE COURSES (15 credits)

Choose THREE courses (9 credits) from the following list: 

Course Title Credits Notes

CMAT 320

 Argumentation, Debate & Society 3  

HIST 330

 Immigration and Law in U.S. History 3  

HIST 364

 Civil Rights in U.S. History 3  

HIST 434

 Constitutional History 3  

HIST 438

 Great Trials in History 3  

HIST 440

 History of Common Law 3  

LEST 400

 Topics in Legal Studies 3  

PHIL 250

 Social and Political Philosophy 3  

PHIL 316

 Logic of Language 3  

PHIL 480

 Philosophy, Law, and Current Events 3  

 

 

Choose TWO courses (6 credits) from the following list: 

Course Title Credits Notes

CRJU 200

 Criminal Justice 3  

CRJU 330

 Criminal Law 3  

PPIA 300

 American Political Institutions 3  

PPIA 315

 Public Policy Analysis 3  

PPIA 345

 The Legislative Process 3  

PPIA 348

 State and Local Government 3  

PPIA 425

 Administrative Law and Processes 3  

PPIA 461

 Maryland Government Processes and Politics 3  

 

*NOTE: Students can request to take a second LEST 400 Topics in Legal Studies or a second LEST 496 Internship course in the place of any of the above electives.

Legal Studies students who are admitted to the UBalt School of Law via the Early Entry Option should take the 18 credits of required courses listed above, and can substitute FIVE (15 credits) law courses for the legal studies elective courses.

Learning Outcomes

ASSURANCE OF LEARNING: B.A. IN LEGAL STUDIES

 

Mission Statement

The B.A. in Legal Studies provides students with the legal skills, knowledge, and experience to be competitive applicants for law-related jobs that do not require a law degree. It also helps students who plan to go to law school by giving them exposure to courses about the law and the legal system that should make them well-positioned and well-prepared to pursue that option.

 

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes

By completing this program, students will be able to:

Employ appropriate technologies and strategies to accomplish tasks that facilitate the achievement of legal objectives.

 

Locate, analyze, and evaluate sources of law and communicate effectively orally and in writing about how such sources help answer legal questions.

 

Demonstrate an understanding of how the legal system works, including how law is developed, interpreted, and enforced, and the roles played by various participants in the legal system.

 

Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills using knowledge of the law and understanding of the context in which law operates.