Legal Studies Minor

The minor in Legal Studies is open to all students who wish to gain a basic understanding of fundamental legal concepts, institutions, and method.  As virtually all fields of academic inquiry entail some legal consideration, the minor serves as a complementary field of study to disciplines in Social Science, Arts and Humanities, Science, and Engineering. 

The Legal Studies Program does not focus on the laws of specific jurisdictions, but rather offers substantive and methodological insights about the nature of law and legal institutions. Legal education expands, deepens, and sharpens the mind, and it hones skills such as critical thinking, textual interpretation, understanding of the many facets of arguments, respect for the opposing views, dispute resolution, reconciliation, and clear oral and written expression.

The integration of legal studies with liberal arts education enhances the opportunity for cross-disciplinary study. The Program in Legal Studies is situated within both the Social Sciences and Arts and the Humanities, and it thus aims to serve as a bridge between these divisions.