Header -Legal Studies Program - Requirements for the Major
Legal Studies Program Old Curriculum Structure

Starting in the Fall of 2003, an new curriculum structure takes effect for students who declare a major in Legal Studies. The "old curriculum" remains in place for all students who declared Legal Studies as a major prior to the start of the Fall 2003 semester. Students may shift from the old structure to the new structure simply by filing a new major declaration once the change has come into effect; students who wish to be governed by the old structure must declare before Tuesday, September 2, 2003, the first day of instruction.

Old Curriculum Prerequisites (for Students who Declared the Legal Studies Major Before September 2, 2003)

To declare the Legal Studies Program major, students must complete three prerequisite courses with grades of C or better. The three prerequisite courses include a Communication A course, a Quantitative Reasoning A course, and one course chosen from the list below. Students are encouraged to complete more than one course from the prerequisite list since many upper level courses carry prerequisites. These courses should be completed by the beginning of the Junior year to avoid extending the time it will take to complete the major.

For information on abbreviations and terms, please refer to the Registrar's Timetable guidelines at: http://registrar.wisc.edu.

Students must take one of the following courses:

Economics 101 Principles of Microeconomics, GeBL SE, 3-4 credits
Economics 102 Principles of Macroeconomics (Minimum Math Competency) SE, 3
Economics 111 Principles of Microeconomics - Mathematical Treatment, SE, 4
Legal Studies 131 Criminal Justice in America, SE, 3-4 (Cross-listed Sociology 131)
Political Science 104 Introduction to American National Government SE, 4
Political Science 181 Topics in Political Analysis - Honors, SE 4
Political Science 182 Introduction to American Politics - Honors, SE, 4
Political Science 205 Introduction to State Government, SI, 4
Political Science 404 American Politics and Government, SD 3-4
Psychology 201/202 Introduction to Psychology, SE, 3-4
Sociology 130 Social Problems, SE, 3
Sociology 131 Criminal Justice in America, SE, 3-4 (Cross-listed Legal Studies 131)
Sociology 134 Problems of American Racial and Ethnic Minorities, eSE, 3-4
Women's Studies 102 Women, Social Institutions and Social Change, SE, 3
Women's Studies 223 Race and Ethnicity in the Lives of U.S. Women, eZE, 3

Communication A courses and Quantitative Reasoning A courses can be found at http://www.ls.wisc.edu/gened/courselists/default.htm

Old Curriculum Requirements (for Students who Declared the Legal Studies Major Before September 2, 2003)

The requirements for the major are listed in Categories I through V. Students must fulfill requirements of Categories I to III plus either Category IV or Category V. From time to time changes will be made in the curriculum and requirements. Some students will need to take more than the minimum number of Category I through V courses to complete the 33 credits required for the major. Only 21 credits may be taken from any one department to count toward the 33 credits needed for the major. Cross-listed courses are counted in only one department, which is decided at the time of touch-tone registration. Listed below are courses that count toward the minimum of 15 credits of upper-level work in the major.

Old Curriculum Major Requirements (for Students who Declared the Legal Studies Major Before September 2, 2003)

A total of 33 credits are required from Categories I-V.

Category I - Sociology and Law
One Course Required.

Each student is required to take:

Sociology 641 Sociology of Law (Senior Standing is Recommended), SA, 3 (Cross-listed Legal Studies 641)

Category II - Research Methods and Statistics
Two Courses Required (Choose Option A or B).

Option A

Choose one of the following Statistics courses:

Business 303: Business Statistics
Economics 310: Statistics: Measurement in Economics

Political Science 551 Quantitative Analysis of Political Data, SD, 3-4
Psychology 210 Psychometric Methods, rE, 3
Sociology 360 Statistics for Sociologists, rI, 4
Statistics 301 Introduction to Statistical Methods, rNI, 3

and

Choose one of the following Research Methods courses:

Psychology 225 Experimental Psychology, bBI, 5
Sociology 357 Methods of Sociological Inquiry, I, 3-4

Or

Option B

A Research Methods and Statistics course:
Please note these two courses are taken concurrently.

Sociology 358 Design and Analysis of Social Research, I, 3
Sociology 359 Statistical Analysis of Social Research, rI, 4

Category III - Distribution Requirement
Five Courses Required.

Students are required to take five courses distributed among four of the following areas, including two courses from one area and one course from three different areas. Meeting with an advisor to plan potential Category III courses is highly recommended.

Anthropology (Area)

Anthropology 350 Political Anthropology, SI, 3-4
Anthropology 448 Anthropoligy of Law, ZI, 3

 

Classics
Classics 477: Law and Society of Ancient Athens (Cross-listed with History and Legal Studies)

Communication Arts (Area)

Communication Arts 371 Communication & Conflict Resolution, SI, 3 (Sophomore Standing Allowed)
Communication Arts 671 Communication & Social Conflict, A, 3

Economics (Area)

Economics 325 Public Utilities, SI, 3
Economics 352 Role of the Government in the Economy, SI, 3-4
Economics 441 Analytical Public Finance, I, 3-4
Economics 449 Government and Natural Resources (Cross-listed Political Science 449), SD, 3-4
Economics 453 Collective Bargaining & Public Policy (Cross-listed Industrial Relations 453), SA, 3
Economics 460 Race, Gender & Ethnicity: Inequality in the US Labor Market, eSI, 3 (Cross-listed Industrial Relations 460)
Economics 522 Law and Economics, SA, 3
Economics 539 Public Sector Bargaining (Cross-listed Industrial Relations 539), SI, 3

History (Area)

History 331 American Constitutional & Legal Development, SI, 3-4, (Sophomore Standing Allowed)
History 401 American Urban History 1620-1870, SI, 3-4
History 402 American Urban History since 1870, SI, 3-4
History 477: Law and Society of Ancient Athens (Cross-listed with Classics and Legal Studies)
History 500 * Reading Seminar in History (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included Rule of Law), A, 3
History 600 * Topics in History (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included Political Crimes & Trials), ZA, 3

Industrial Relations (Area)

Industrial Relations 453 Collective Bargaining & Public Policy (Cross-listed Economics 453), SA, 3
Industrial Relations 460 Race, Gender & Ethnicity: Inequality in the US Labor Market, eSI, 3 (Cross-listed Economics 460)
Industrial Relations 539 Public Sector Bargaining (Cross-listed Economics 539), SI, 3

Journalism and Mass Communication (Area)

Journalism and Mass Communication 559 Law of Mass Communication, SA, 4
Journalism and Mass Communication 675 * Topics in Government & Mass Media (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included Political Economy of Free Expression), A, 3

Legal Studies (Area)

Legal Studies 217 Law, Politics and Society, SI, 4 (Sophomore Standing Allowed) (Cross-listed Political Science 217)
Legal Studies 400 * Topics in Legal Studies & the Social Sciences, 3-4
Legal Studies 422 Women and the Law, SD, 3 (Cross-listed Women's Studies 422)
Legal Studies 442 The Civil Law Tradition, SA, 3
Legal Studies 444 Law in Action, I, 3
Legal Studies 477: Law and Society of Ancient Athens (Cross-listed with Classics and History)
Legal Studies 450 * Topics in Legal Studies & the Humanities, 3-4
Legal Studies 650 * Advanced Seminar in Legal Studies, A, 2-3

 

Philosophy (Area)

Philosophy 555 Political Philosophy, SA, 3
Philosophy 558 Ethical Problems Raised by Biomedical Technology, HI, 3
Philosophy 559 Philosophy of Law, SA, 3

Political Science (Area)

Political Science 217 Law, Politics and Society, SI, 4 (Sophomore Standing Allowed) (Cross-listed Legal Studies 217)
Political Science 401 * Topics in Political Science (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included The Legal Profession), D, 4
Political Science 411 Constitutional Law I, SD, 4
Political Science 412 Constitutional Law II (Must take 411 before 412), SD, 4
Political Science 417 The American Judicial System, SD, 3-4
Political Science 420 Administrative Law, SD, 3-4
Political Science 426 Legislative Process, SD, 3-4
Political Science 449 Government and Natural Resources (Cross-listed Industrial Relations 449), SD, 4
Political Science 452 Criminal Law and Justice, SD, 3-4
Political Science 470 The First Amendment, SD, 3-4
Political Science 471 Civil Liberties in the United States, SD, 3-4
Political Science 472 Politics of Pressure Groups, SD, 3-4
Political Science 530 Ethics and Values in Policy Making, SD, 3-4
Political Science 617 Comparative Legal Institutions, SD, 3-4
Political Science 695 * Topics in Political Science (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included Criminal Law & Jurisprudence and Limits of the Law), A, 4

Psychology (Area)

Psychology 411 * Topics in Psychology (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included Social Science in Law and Psychology of Juvenile Delinquency), A, 3
Psychology 509 Abnormal Psychology, SI, 3 (Sophomore Standing Allowed)
Psychology 532 Psychology & Law, SI, 3

Sociology (Area)

Sociology 421 Processes of Deviant Behavior, SA, 3-4
Sociology 441 Criminology, SA, 3-4
Sociology 496 * Topics in Sociology (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included Law in Action), A, 3

Women's Studies (Area)

Women's Studies 320 * Topics in Women and Society (Topics related to law will be accepted; previously have included Female Sexuality and the Law), SI, 3
Women's Studies 422 Women and the Law, SD (Cross-listed Legal Studies 422)

* Topics Course. Credit granted only for the topics specifically related to law. Please see the Major advisor before registering for the course. To receive course credit, paperwork MUST be filed.

Category IV - Capstone A: Course Option
Two Courses Required.

Students pursuing the Course Option must select two courses from a fifth area listed above in Category III. Please consult with the Legal Studies advisor.

Category V - Capstone B: Senior Thesis Option
Two Semesters of Thesis required.

Students pursuing the Senior Thesis Option must, in their senior year, arrange to register for 6 credits of 691/692, Senior Thesis, or 681/682, Senior Honors Thesis, in consecutive semesters for 3 credits each semester.

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