Law and Society Major
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.
There are three learning goals for the major:
1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of law, legal phenomena and legal institutions from a variety of perspectives outside the discipline of law, with a focus on the relationship between law and political and social change.
2. Students will initiate, develop, and present independent research addressing and analyzing the relationship between law and society.
3. Students will develop written and oral communication skills to express informed opinions about issues in law and society.