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Law and Society (BA)

The Law and Society major offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of law and legal institutions, their impact on society, and society's impact on them. The major is organized around the central theme of understanding law as an instrument of political and social change and questions concerning how law matters in people's lives; how law and law-like systems of rules empower and constrain individuals, groups, organizations and communities; and how the structures and values in social institutions shape and are shaped by law.

Credits Required: 36

Prerequisites: POL 101 and SOC 101. Students are strongly urged to complete these two courses during their first year in the College. These courses will fulfill the College's general education requirement in the social sciences. Additional prerequisites for individual courses include ANT 315 which requires at least one course in either Anthropology or Law, and ECO 215 requires ECO 101.

Coordinator: Professor James Cauthen, Department of Political Science, (212.237.8193, jcauthen@jjay.cuny.edu)

PART ONE: INTRODUCTORY COURSE Subtotal: 3 credits)

Required

LWS 200 Introduction to Law and Society


PART TWO: SKILLS Subtotal: 3 credits

Required

SSC 325 Research Methods in the Behavioral Sciences


PART THREE: FOUNDATIONS Subtotal: 12 credits

Please note: two courses in this area must be at the 300-level

Category A: American Legal Foundations

Select two (one course must be at the 300-level or above)

HIS 277 American Legal History
LAW 206 The American Judiciary
POL 235 Judicial Processes and Politics 
POL 301 Constitutional Powers
POL 308 State Courts and State Constitutional Law

Category B: International Legal Foundations

Select one

ANT 315 Systems of Law
POL 250 International Law and Justice
POL 320 International Human Rights

Category C: Sociological Foundations

Select One

SOC 206 The Sociology of Conflict and Dispute Resolution
SOC 232 Social Stratification
SOC 302 Social Problems


PART FOUR: PHILOSOPHY/JURISPRUDENCE/ETHICS Subtotal: 3 credits

POL 270 Political Philsophy
POL 371 American Political Philosphy
POL 375 Law, Order, Justice and Society
LAW 301 Jurisprudence
LAW 310/PHI 310 Ethics and Law
PHI 302 Philosophical Issues of Rights


PART FIVE: SOCIETAL AND POLITICAL CHANGE Subtotal: 12 credits

Select four courses (or two courses plus an internship)

All students MUST take at least one course that is marked with an asterik (*). These courses are on race, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.

*LLS 322 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the Urban Latino/a Communities
*POL 313/LAW 313 The Law and Politics of Race Relations
*POL 318 The Law and Politics of Sexual Orientation
*POL 319 Gender and the Law
ANT 330 American Cultural Pluarlism and the Law
ECO 215 Economies of Regulation and the Law
POL 305 Constitutional Rights and Liberties
POL 316 The Politics of Rights
POL 435 Seminar in Judicial Processes and Politics
SOC 305 The Sociology of Law


Internship Options (each internship is at least 6 credits and requires permission of the instructor)

POL 406 Seminar and Internship in NYC Government and Politics
POL 407 New York State Assembly/Senate Session Program
POL 408 CUNY Washington, D.C. Summer Internship Program


PART SIX: SENIOR CAPSTONE (required) Subtotal: 3 credits

LWS 425 Colloquium for Research in Law and Society


TOTAL: 36 Credits