Course List - Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society
Requirements for the Major (36 credits)
A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better in all courses required for the major.
| Prescribed Core Courses (15 credits) | ||
| The following 5 courses focus on contemporary issues in U.S. law and ethics and comprise the core of the program. | ||
| CRIM/CRIMJ/SOC 467 | Law and Society The social origins of law and legal systems; occupational careers; and decision making of legal officials. Prerequisites: CRIM 100 or CRIM 113 |
3 credits |
| HIST 020 | American Civilization to 1877 An historical survey of the American experience from its colonial beginnings through the Civil War and Reconstruction. |
3 credits |
| HIST 021 | American Civilization Since 1877 An historical survey of the American experience from the emergence of urban-industrial society in the late nineteenth century to the present. |
3 credits |
| PHIL 105 | Introduction to Philosophy of Law and Legal Ethics Historical and contemporary philosophies of law; concepts of responsibility, property, rights, and justice; and ethical issues in legal practice. |
3 credits |
| PL SC 110 | Rights in America This course explores the historical and contemporary struggles of particular groups within American society to expand their rights. |
3 credits |
| Additional Courses (3 credits) | ||
| PHIL 010 | Critical Thinking Discussion of the validity, soundness, and fallacies of everyday language use and reasoning; informal logic; and manipulative arguments and propaganda. |
3 credits |
| OR | ||
| PHIL 012 | Symbolic Logic Formal logical structures of propositions and arguments; mechanical tests and proof techniques for logically necessary truth and deductive validity. |
3 credits |
| Supporting and Related Courses (Select 21 credits from the following list; 12 credits must be at the 400-level.) | ||
| CAS 321 | Rhetoric and Law A survey of the literature on the role of rhetoric in law, including trial advocacy, appellate argument, and judicial reasoning. |
3 credits |
| CAS 404 | Conflict Resolution and Negotiation Theories and strategies important for conceptualizing, developing, and managing conflict negotiation, mediation, and third-party intervention. Prerequisite: CAS 100 |
3 credits |
| CRIM 100 | Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies the formulation of laws, extent of crime, impact on victim, and processing and sanctioning of offenders. |
3 credits |
| CRIM 113 | Introduction to Law Introduction to law in society, with a focus on criminal law, judicial code, laws of sentencing and corrections, criminal procedure. |
3 credits |
| LER 201 | Employment Relationship: Law and Policy An examination of basic legal principles underlying the employment relationship and their social, political, and economic bases. |
3 credits |
| LER 401 | The Law of Labor-Management Relations Development of Anglo-American law regulating collective bargaining, with emphasis on American labor-management relations under Wagner, Taft-Hartley, and other acts. Prerequisite: 3 credits in labor and industrial relations or political science |
3 credits |
| L ST 370 | Research Methods for Law and Government Information Resources Evaluating and retrieving federal and legal information resources, and integrating them into scholarly research. Prerequisite: 3 credits in administration of justice, political science, communication, history, or sociology |
3 credits |
| PL SC 001 | Introduction to American National Government Introduction to the development and nature of American political culture, constitutional/structural arrangements, electoral/policy processes; sources of conflict and consensus. |
3 credits |
| PL SC 470W | Legal Brief Writing Writing of legal briefs as practiced in American courts. Prerequisite: PL SC 001 |
3 credits |
| PL SC 471 | American Constitutional Law The origins of judicial review, landmark decisions of the Supreme Court, and their impact on the American form of government. Prerequisite: PL SC 001 |
3 credits |
| PL SC 472 | The American Legal Process Analysis of the roles, procedures, and policies characterizing the American legal system. Prerequisite: PL SC 001 |
3 credits |
Bachelor of Arts Requirements (24 credits)
| Foreign Language | 12 credits |
| Other Cultures | 3 credits |
| Arts, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, Quantification, and/or Foreign Language (beyond 12th credit or a different language) | 9 credits |
General Education Requirements (45 credits)
| Writing and Speaking | 9 credits |
| Quantification | 6 credits |
| Natural Sciences (Lab Required) | 9 credits |
| Arts | 6 credits |
| Humanities | 6 credits |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | 6 credits |
| Health and Physical Activity | 3 credits |
Electives (18–27 credits)
Please note: Among the above degree requirements, students should incorporate at least 3 credits in US cultures, 3 credits in international (IL) cultures, and 3 credits in writing across the curriculum courses. The above course list includes only courses offered by World Campus. An official degree audit or the recommended academic plan for this program may include additional course options and detailed requirements. All students are expected to complete at least 36 Penn State credits to earn this degree. Please consult an academic adviser for details.