An alternative to choosing the general option, ISS major students can select the Law and Society Specialization as a combination of primary, secondary, remaining areas of study.
The Specialization in Law and Society offers an interdisciplinary study of the interaction of law and legal institutions and contemporary society. It is designed to provide an appreciation and recognition of the impact of law and legal institutions on society and the ways law is shaped by the values, behavior, and organization of social, economic, and political systems. Courses from the Departments of Economics, Geography, Political Science, Urban and Regional Planning, and Sociology, as well as the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy, are included. Students may minor in law and society or select a major specialization in law and society through the interdisciplinary social science major. The Program in Law and Society is appropriate for a variety of educational and occupational goals because it provides an introduction to the links between law and other human activity and serves as a broad liberal education in the social sciences. Although prelaw students may enroll in law and society, the program is not a prelaw or pre-professional program, and a minor or major specialization in law and society is not offered as preparation for law school.
Requirements
The primary area of study in the Law and Society consists of six courses including Introduction to Law and Society, and either Economics and the Law, Sociology of Law, or Legal and Administrative Issues in America plus four others selected from the list of approved courses.
To complete the remaining part of the specialization in Law and Society, students must select additional two twelve-hour secondary areas from two social science departments. One of the secondary area must be in Economics, Political Science, or Sociology. The twelve semester hours for this area must be from the department’s courses included in the Law and Society curriculum.
There is no required sequence of courses in the program. However, Students are strongly encouraged to enroll first in Introduction to Law and Society (POS 3691) and to schedule Economics and the Law (ECP 3451), Sociology of Law (SYP 3540), or Legal and Administrative Issues in America (PAD 4606) early in their program.
Approved Law and Society Curriculum
The following courses have been approved for the Law and Society Specialization:
Economics
ECO 4504 Public Sector Economics (Prerequisite: ECO 2023)
ECO 4554 Economics of State and Local Government (Prerequisite: ECO 2023)
ECP 3302 Economics of Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment (Prerequisite: ECO 2000 level or equivalent)
ECP 3403 Business Organization and Market Structure (Prerequisite: ECO 2023)
ECP 3451 Economics and the Law (Prerequisite: ECO 2000 or 2023)
ECP 4413 Government Regulation of Business (Prerequisite: ECO 2023)
Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
ISS 4164 Intersections, Power, and Policy
ISS 4159 Perspectives on Race, Ethnicity and Equality
Geography
GEO 4340 Living in a Hazardous Environment
GEO 4357 Environmental Conflict and Economic Development
Public Administration and Policy
PAD 4603 Administrative Law (3)
PAD 4606 Legal and Administrative Issues in America (3)
Political Science
CPO 3123 Comparative Government and Politics: Great Britain (Prerequisite: CPO 2002)
INR 4075 International Human Rights
POS 3122 State Politics
POS 3691 Introduction to Law and Society
POS 4284 Courts, Law, and Politics
POS 4413 The American Presidency
POS 4424 Legislative Systems
POS 4606 The Supreme Court in American Politics
POS 4624 The Supreme Court, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights
PHM 3331 Modern Political Thought
PHM 4340 Contemporary Political Thought
PUP 3002 Introduction to Public Policy
Sociology
SYD 4700 Race and Minority Group Relations
SYG 2010 Social Problems
SYO 3100 Family Problems and Social Change
SYO 3530 Social Classes and Inequality
SYO 4300 Sociology of Politics
SYP 3540 Sociology of Law
Urban and Regional Planning
URP 4022 Collective Decision Making (Prerequisites: URP 3000 or instructor permission)
Other Courses
PHM 3400 Philosophy of Law
SOP 3751 Psychology and the Law (Prerequisite: PSY 2012)