Minor in Legal Studies

The minor in Legal Studies requires six courses (18 graded units), at least three of which must be upper-division (300 or 400 level). Two of the six courses may be drawn from your major, but as in all College programs, they can not be double-counted (i.e., applied to both the major and minor). The six courses must also include at least one in three of the four thematic subject areas (see below). You may also obtain course credit though study abroad, or an undergraduate internship. Please contact the Director of Legal Studies for further details.

Internship Credit

You can earn up to three credit units towards the Legal Studies minor through a variety of internships by registering for L84-299. Students have interned with justice systems or law firms during the academic year or while at home over the summer. To register for an internship you must complete an Internship Learning Agreement (obtained from the Career Center), which must then be approved by the Director of Legal Studies, the internship supervisor at the Career Center, and the person supervising your work as intern.

Visit Career Center for Internship Form

Declare a Legal Studies Minor

Make it official! Let us know if you are interested in declaring the minor in legal studies.

Contact Us to Declare the Minor

Approved Courses for the Minor in Legal Studies (by Theme)

For current courses, please search our online course listings. 

Please Note: Not all of these courses are offered every year. In addition to those listed below, new courses being offered for the first time and courses in other divisions of the University may not be listed. Please consult the Director of Legal Studies for approval of courses not listed below. Additionally, only one course outside of the College of Arts & Sciences can count towards your minor.  

Theme I: Legal Reasoning, Theory, and Methods

L84 105G: Introduction to Logic and Critical Analysis – same as Phil 100G (fall, spring)
L84 106: Introduction to Political Theory  - same as PolSci 106 (fall; spring)
L84 131F:  Present Moral Problems - same as Phil 100G (fall)
L84 263: Linguistics for Legal Purposes - same as Linguistics 263 (fall)
L84 312: Argumentation – same as EComp 312 (fall, spring)
L84 314W: Topics in Composition: Writing and the Law - same as Writing 314W (fall, spring)
L84 346: Philosophy of Law – same as Phil 346 (fall, spring)
L84 362: Politics and the Theory of Games – same as PolSci 362 (spring)
L84 3001: Social Theory - Same as Soc 2001 (fall, spring)
L84 3501: Political Economy - same as Econ 301 (fall)
L84 467: Game Theory - same as Econ 467 (fall)
L84 472: Social Theory and Anthropology – same as Anthro 472 (fall)

Theme II: Law and Culture in Historical Perspective

L84 225: Religion and Politics in American History - same as RelPol 224 (fall, spring)
L84 272C: Law in American Life: The National Period, 1776 to the Present -same as Hist 272C (fall)
L84 2020: The Immigrant Experience – same as AMCS 2020 (fall)
L84 2152: Theory and Practice of Justice: The American Experience – same as Hist 2152 (fall)
L84 2443: Freshman Seminar: The Nuremberg Trials and International Justice - same as Hist 4333 (fall)
L84 2674: Sophomore Seminar: Slavery and Memory in American Popular Culture - same as Hist 2443 (fall)
L83 301U: The Federalist and Its Critics - same as Hist 301U (fall)
L84 315R: Vices, Virtues, Values - sameas as RelPol 315 (fall, spring)
L84 326: American Economic History - same as Econ 326 (fall)
L84 346J: Islamic Law - same as JINELC 346 (fall)
L84 365: The Birth Crisis of Democracy: The New United States of American, 1776-1850 - same as Hist 365 (fall, spring)
L84 367: Americna in the Age of Inequiality: The Gilded Age & the Progressive Era, 1877-1919 - same as Hist 267 (spring)
L84 373:  History of United States Foreign Relationss to 1914- same as Hist 373 (fall)
L84 3012: Biblical Law and the Origins of Western Justice - same as JINELC 2012 (spring)
L84 3201: Religious Freedom in America – same as RelPol 320 (fall)
L84 3255: Development of the American Constitution – same as Polsci 3255 (fall)
L84 3443: Civil Rights – same as Polsci 3442 (spring)
L84 3521: Anthropology of Human Rights - same as Anthro 3521 (fall, spring)
L84 3522: Law and Literature - same as English 3522 (spring)
L84 3593: The Wheels of Commerce - same as Hist 3593 (fall)
L84 3866: Interrogating Crime and Punishment - same as Global 3866 (fall, spring)
L84 487: Topics in American History: Race and Drugs in American History - same as Hist 487 (fall, spring)
L84 495A: Advanced Seminar: Slavery in America: The Politics of Knowledge Production - same as Hist 495A (spring)
L84 4907: Advanced Seminar: Women and Social Movements in the United States - same as Hist 4907 (fall)
L84 4981: Advanced Seminar: Historical Perspectives on Human Rights - same as Hist 4981 (fall)
 

Theme III: Legal Institutions and Social Practices

L84 120: Social Problems and Social Issues – same as AMCS 120 (fall)
L84 126: Freshman Seminar in Law and Society - same as GenStud 126 (fall)
L84 203B: Introduction to Education-Disability Law, Policy, and Institutional Implications - same as Educ 203B (fall, spring)
L84 207: Crossing Borders: An Introduction to Institutions and Concepts in Global Studies - same as Global 207 (fall)
L84 2110: Social Inequality in America - same as Soc 2110 (fall)
L84 2250: First-Year Seminar: African-American Women's History: Sexuality, Violence, and the Love of Hip-Hop - same as AFAS 2250
L84 251: Juvenile Justice in the Black Experience - same as AFAS 251 (fall)
L84 2530: Punishment and Inequality - same as Soc 2530 (fall)
L84 280: Exploring Inequality - same as AMCS 280 (fall)
B53 301: Legal Environment of Business Management (fall)
L84 315: Introduction to Social Psychology – same as Psych 315 (fall, spring)
L84 330C: Politics of Black Criminality - same as AMCS 330C (fall, spring)
L84 335S: Poverty and the New American City  - same as Soc 3350 (fall, spring)
L84 340: Topics: Environmental Policy and Governance - same as PolSci 340 (fall)
L84 358: Law, Politics, and Society - same as PolSci 358 (fall, spring)
L84 359: Topics in American Culture Studies: Protest and Power in Modern America - same as AMCS 359 (spring)
L84 378: U.S. Law and Foreign Relations - same as PolSci 378 (fall, spring)
L84 390: Violence Against Women/Gender Violence - same as WGSS 393 (spring)
L84 399: Topics in American Politics: American Judicial Politics  - same as PolSci 399 (fall)
L84 3040: International Law and Politics - same as Global 3040 (spring)
L84 3280: Political Intolerance in World Politics  - same as PolSci 3280 (fall)
L84 3371: Law and Public Policy – same as Polsci 3371 (fall)
L84 3431: Constitutional Law – same as Polsci 3431 (fall, spring)
L84 3441: Defendant’s Rights – same as Polsci 3441 (spring)
L84 3462: Politics of Privacy in the Digital Age – same as Polsci 3462 (spring)
L84 3507: Legal Conflicts in Modern American Society – same as AMCS 3507 (fall)
L84 3510: The Supreme Court – same as Polsci 3510 (fall)
L84 3561: Law, Gender, and Justice – same as WGSS 3561 (fall, spring)
L84 3710: Sociology of Immigration - same as Soc 3710 (fall)
L84 461: Intro to Environmental Law & Policy - same as Environ 461 (fall)
L84 4022: The Meaning of National Security in the 21st Century - same as Global 4022 (fall)
L84 4080: Voting Rights - same as PolSci 4020 (fall, spring)
L84 4289: Neighborhoods, Schools, and Social Inequality - same as Educ 4289 (fall)
L84 4511: Topics in American Policy: The Supreme Court - same as PolSci 451 (fall)
L84 4564: American Pragmatism - same as AMCS 4564 (fall, spring)
L84 4720: Race, Reproduction, and Justice - same as SOC 4720 (fall 2022)

Theme IV: Justice, Ethics, and the Law

L84 1590: First Year Seminar: Literature and Justice - same as English 159 (fall)
L84 203C: Early Political Thought: Text & Traditions - same as IPH 203c (fall, spring)
L84 207C: Modern Political Thought: Text & Traditions - same as IPH 207C (fall, spring)
L84 233F: Biomedical Ethics – same as Phil 233F (fall, spring)
L84 235F: Introduction to Environmental Ethics – same as Phil 235F (fall, spring)
L84 331: Topics in Politics: Theories of Social Justice – same as Polsci 331 (fall)
L84 331F: Classical Ethical Theories - same as Phil 331F (fall)
L84 340F: Social and Political Philosophy – same as Phil 340F (fall)
L84 345: Issues in Applied Ethics: Free Speech - same as Phil 345F (fall)
L84 347: Environmental Justice - same as Environ 346 (fall)
L84 389A: Power, Justice, and the City – same as Polsci 389A (fall)
L84 391: History of Political Thought I – same as Polsci 391 (spring)
L84 392: History of Political Thought II – same as Polsci 392 (fall)
L84 393: History of Political Thought III – same as Polsci 393 (spring)
L84 4021: Topics in Political Thought: Democratic Theory - same as Polsci 4021 (fall)
L84 4070: Global Justice - same as PolSci 4070 (fall, spring)
L84 429: Feminist Political Theory - same as WGSS 429 (fall)
L84 4400: Advanced Social and Political Philosophy – same as Phil 4400 (fall)
L84 4646: Democracy:  Theory and Practice - same as Polsci 4646 (fall)

Additional Resources

  • WashU Law Library

  • FindLaw Law Schools

    Especially useful for the pre-law student, this site provides links to all law schools as well as information on rankings, admissions, and financial aid.

  • American Bar Association

    The website of the American Bar Association, with links to its subsections, such as that on Public Education (college and university legal studies) and to its professional practice sections (e.g., criminal law, corporate law, civil rights, etc).

  • American Political Science Association (APSA)

    Maintained by the Political Science Department Washington University for the American Political Science Association, this website provides links to a wide range of law-related journals, search engines, and other helpful resources.

  • FindLaw Legal Dictionary

    An online law dictionary

  • National Law Journal

    A weekly journal of the legal profession, with news of major developments concerning the practice of law and major issues in court.

  • Cornell Legal Information Institute

    A law school site and search engine. It provides highlights of the recent term of the U.S. Supreme Court, and links to the United States Constitution, state constitutions, the federal rules of procedure, and to all state codes.

  • LLRX Law Finder

    A valuable search engine for legal research.

  • American Society for Legal History

    The website for the learned society devoted to the history of law.

  • Law and Politics Book Review

    A digest of book reviews on law and politics.

"My Legal Studies minor has been my favorite part of my undergraduate education. The courses offered lay at the intersection of history, law, philosophy, politics, and sociology, which is where my academic passions and interest reside. The minor has allowed me to take a variety of fascinating courses with world-class faculty and has grown my skills in persuasive and argumentative writing as well as critical thinking and analysis. These skills are applicable for any career path, but they have served me well during LSAT preparation and will continue to do so when I attend a Top 10 law school next year."

―Jeff GurleyClass of 2020

Questions?

Contact Director of Legal Studies