Legal Studies

The minor in Legal Studies exposes you to the study of "law in context." Students acquire familiarity with the ways in which law operates in society and the many facets of the law as a social phenomenon – its origins, evolution, function, and effects. Furthermore, you will be exposed to practical skills needed to analyze legal phenomena and to investigate legal resources, broadly defined.

Students pursuing a Legal Studies minor are able to:

• Define or describe key concepts, specific facts, and critical issues of U.S. and international law, and to correctly apply this information to particular examples
• Use conceptual models and theories to analyze legal cases
• Identify and discuss the methods used in legal studies research
• Apply the methods of legal studies in making convincing arguments supported by evidence and reasoning
   

The concentration in American Legal Studies allows students to go beyond a minor in preparing themselves for a deeper understanding of how law shapes the American society. Concentrators learn how law operates in the American society and the many facets of the law as a social phenomenon — its origins, evolution, function, and effects. Concentrators learn key facts, terms, and background information on the U.S. legal system.

A minimum of 18 credit hours is required for the concentration. Required course include:

• LGLS230 Introduction to Legal Studies
• LGLS351 Civil Rights and Liberties
• LGLS360 Law and Society
• LGLS443 Legal Ethics

For more information on the concentration, visit the undergraduate catalog. 

Pre-Law 

Bryant's pre-law program provides advising to students in any major who are interested in attending law school. 

3+3 Juris Doctor  

Bryant has partnered with Villanova University's Charles Widger School of Law to create a direct-entry admission program for qualified students to pursue a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. After the program, students will have a bachelor's degree from Bryant University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Villanova University School of Law.

Politics and Law

The Politics and Law major brings together the complementary disciplines of political science and legal studies. Students learn how to explore complex problems from the role of government in society to the nature of democracy and civil rights, as well as the ways that culture, social change, and history shape both politics and the law.

A partnership between Bryant University and The Washington Center in the U.S. capital provides access to a variety of semester-long internships. Students participate in the work of leading think tanks, the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency, and more.