The Legal Studies major provides a liberal arts education across traditional disciplines, focusing on law, legal processes, legal institutions, and their operation in society. In addition to courses in Legal Studies, students can take a wide range of courses offered by other units, including Sociology, Psychology, Religious Studies, Political Science, Educational Policy, African American Studies, Philosophy, Gender and Women’s Studies, American Indian Studies, Chicanx/e & Latinx/e Studies, English, and History.
The curriculum is designed around five themes, each of which is associated with a group of courses, and each of which incorporates comparative and historical approaches.
Theme Group 1: Legal Institutions
Institutions are at the core of social life. They govern our interactions, distribute power and resources, and influence how we make sense of the world. Courses in this theme group focus on those institutions involved in the creation and application of law. They explore such questions as how legal institutions evolve; how legal institutions help determine the shape of law—in doctrine and in action—and how and whether, in turn, legal institutions can be shaped to create different social outcomes. Institutions are central to the studies of society and politics throughout the disciplines, and courses in the group include perspectives from history, anthropology, sociology, political science, and political theory.
Theme Group 2: Processes of Legal Order and Disorder
This theme examines the dynamics of order at the individual and societal levels. In the course of this examination, students are made aware of the political and social biases that can underlie definitions of “order.” This theme should also allow students to address how social and political biases relate to divisions of class, race, and gender, and how the mechanisms of conflict resolution and order maintenance can be used to reinforce or challenge existing power structures.
Theme Group 3: Law and Social Forces
This theme group explores the intersection between law, social structures, and social movements. Courses in this group address social inequality, generally in the U.S. context, grounded in ethnoracial, gender, and sexuality-based difference. At critical points, the struggle for equality has taken pointedly legal form, whether in the shape of campaigns for legislative change or recognition, or through the litigation of particular cases. Legal categories have informed social identities. Equally, changing social identities have pushed back on legal categories. Courses integrate broad social dynamics with the rise of organized social movements that use law as an arena in which to reassess social life and values.
Theme Group 4: Law, Literature, and Culture
This theme group introduces students to legal thought, institutions, and practices beyond mainstream or contemporary legal systems, specifically modern Euro-American legal cultures. Courses in this theme group present either culturally based challenges to mainstream modern legal systems or legal systems that are culturally or historically distinct from them. The comparative study of distinct legal traditions and movements forces us to reexamine the cultural presuppositions embedded in modern legal systems, revealing both good reasons for defending mainstream Euro-American laws and arguments and models for changing or questioning prevailing systems. Courses examine historical developments in or affecting law, non-Western legal thought or traditions, and the effect of cultural institutions such as religion, literature, or media on law.
Theme Group 5: Law and Theory
Many theoretical and philosophical questions are articulated as propositions about law: its nature, sources, contents, and relations to other aspects of social life. While only some philosophers or social, political, or legal theorists work specifically in the area of “legal theory,” almost all work in any of these areas contributes to our understanding of the sources and nature of law, legal institutions, and legal practices, and for many theorists, explicit discussions of law are central elements of their work. Courses in this theme group focus on the ways in which “law” is treated as a working concept or as a subject of study in theoretical works, and conversely on how understandings drawn from theoretical writings inform our own understanding of law in all its dimensions.
How to Get in
Requirements to Declare the Major
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | the third unit of a language other than English |
| Mathematics | Complete two courses of 3+ credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level in MATH, COMP SCI, or STAT subjects. A maximum of one course in each of COMP SCI and STAT subjects counts toward this requirement. |
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
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| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
12 total courses in the following categories and a minimum of 36 credits.
Introductory Course
Choose one:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LEGAL ST/SOC 131 | Criminal Justice in America | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/POLI SCI 217 | Law, Politics and Society | 3-4 |
Theme 1: Legal Institutions
Two courses required from:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AMER IND/LEGAL ST 480 | Federal Indian Law and Policy | 3 |
| AMER IND/LEGAL ST 485 | American Indian Natural Resources Law | 3 |
| GEN BUS 301 | Business Law | 3 |
| GEOG 307 | International Migration, Health, and Human Rights | 3 |
| INTL ST 601 | Topics in Global Security (Topic: Human Rights, Lat. Am Policy, Law and Security) | 3 |
| INTL ST 602 | Topics in Politics and Policy in the Global Economy (Topic: The EU and the World) | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 261 | American Legal History to 1860 | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 262 | American Legal History, 1860 to the Present | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/POLI SCI 352 | Transitional Justice in World Politics | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 400 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Social Sciences | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/GEN&WS/SOC 406 | Law, Sexuality, & Society | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 409 | Human Rights in Law and Society | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/ELPA 442 | Civil Rights Laws, the Courts, and Public Education | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 444 | Law in Action | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/POLI SCI 445 | Legal Writing, from Counselor to Advocate | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 450 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Humanities | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/ED POL/ELPA 542 | Law and Public Education | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/LAW/SOC 641 | Sociology of Law | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 304 | The Political Economy of Race in the United States | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 311 | United States Congress | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 340 | The European Union: Politics and Political Economy | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 347 | Terrorism | 3 |
| POLI SCI 349 | Global Access to Justice | 3 |
| POLI SCI 354 | International Institutions and World Order | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 356 | Principles of International Law | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 400 | Topics in Political Science (Topic: Int'l Environmental Politics) | 3 |
| POLI SCI 401 | Selected Topics in Political Science (Topic: Crime and Politics) | 3 |
| POLI SCI 405 | State Government and Public Policy | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 408 | The American Presidency | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 411 | The American Constitution : Powers and Structures of Government | 4 |
| POLI SCI 412 | The American Constitution: Rights and Civil Liberties | 4 |
| POLI SCI 414 | The Supreme Court as a Political Institution | 3 |
| POLI SCI 417 | The American Judicial System | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/PUB AFFR 419 | Administrative Law | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 434 | The Politics of Human Rights | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/GEN&WS 435 | Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | 3 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 439 | The Comparative Study of Genocide | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 470 | The First Amendment | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 601 | Proseminar: Topics in Political Science (Topic: Supreme Court) | 3 |
| POLI SCI 635 | Comparative Politics of Sport | 3-4 |
| PUB AFFR 270 | The Private and Public Sectors in Policymaking | 3 |
| PUB AFFR 520 | Inequality, Race and Public Policy | 3 |
Theme Distribution
Four courses from at least three of the following Theme groups.
Theme 2: Processes of Legal Order and Disorder
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COM ARTS 371 | Communication and Conflict Resolution | 3 |
| HISTORY 344 | The Age of the American Revolution, 1763-1789 | 3-4 |
| INTL ST 601 | Topics in Global Security (Topic: International Criminal Justice: Models & Practice) | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/L I S 460 | Surveillance, Privacy, and Police Powers | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/SOC 694 | Criminal Justice Field Observation | 3 |
| POLI SCI 314 | Criminal Law and Justice | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 526 | The Criminal Mind: Forensic and Psychobiological Perspectives | 4 |
| PSYCH 601 | Current Topics in Psychology (Topic: Juv Delin) | 3 |
| PSYCH 626 | Issues in Prisoner Reentry | 3 |
| SOC 421 | Processes of Deviant Behavior | 3-4 |
| SOC 441 | Criminology | 3-4 |
| SOC 446 | Juvenile Delinquency | 3-4 |
| SOC 496 | Topics in Sociology (Topic: Serial Killers in America) | 3 |
Theme 3: Law and Social Forces
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFROAMER 272 | Race and American Politics from the New Deal to the New Right | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 321 | African American History Since 1900 | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 323 | Gender, Race and Class: Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 326 | Race and Gender in Post-World War II U.S. Society | 3 |
| AFROAMER 621 | Slavery and Capitalism in the United States | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 625 | Gender, Race and the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| AFROAMER 671 | Selected Topics in African American History (Topic: Cim Blkns; Race & Inprison; TopicL Women & US Slavery) | 3 |
| AFROAMER 673 | Selected Topics in African American Society (*Race and Policing ) | 3 |
| AMER IND 450 | Issues in American Indian Studies (Topic: Indigenous Rights; Topic: Ind Child Welfare; Topic: Land Grant/Grab; Topic: Sovereignty and the Schoolhouse) | 3 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS 332 | Latinas: Self Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS 334 | Feminist Social Movements Across the Americas | 3 |
| ECON 522 | Law and Economics | 3-4 |
| ED POL/INTL ST 220 | Human Rights and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 355 | The Politics of Education Injustice in the US | 3 |
| ENVIR ST 349 | Climate Change Governance | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/GEOG 439 | US Environmental Policy and Regulation | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/PSYCH 322 | Sexual & Relationship Violence Research & Activism | 3 |
| GEN&WS/INTL ST 535 | Women's Global Health and Human Rights | 3 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Topic: Global History of Unpaid Labor; Topic: Global History of Human Rights) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 393 | Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1848-1877 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 403 | Immigration and Assimilation in American History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 500 | Reading Seminar in History (*Chinese Law) | 3 |
| HISTORY 600 | Advanced Seminar in History (Topic: Abolitionist Movements; Gen, War Crimes and Human Rights; Topic: Global Anti-Apartheid Movement; Topic: Indian Removal) | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 628 | History of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States | 3 |
| INTL ST 401 | Topics in Global Security (Topic: Human Rights in Global Context) | 3-4 |
| INTL ST 601 | Topics in Global Security (Topic: Refugees in Global Context) | 3 |
| LACIS 440 | Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies (Topic: Spanish: Immigration Law Clinic) | 2 |
| LEGAL ST/RP & SE 135 | Disability and the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/JEWISH/RELIG ST 203 | Jewish Law, Business, and Ethics | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/CURRIC/ED POL 250 | Incarceration and Education | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 400 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Social Sciences | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/GEN&WS/SOC 406 | Law, Sexuality, & Society | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/GEN&WS 422 | Women and the Law | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/GEN&WS/SOC 425 | Crime, Gender and Justice | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/ENVIR ST/HISTORY 430 | Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 434 | Criminal Injustice in America | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 435 | Civil Rights: Policing, Prisons, Voting, Housing, Employment | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 440 | Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 443 | Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/SOC 451 | Race, Family & the State | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/L I S 645 | Intellectual Freedom | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/L I S 663 | Introduction to Cyberlaw | 3 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 434 | The Politics of Human Rights | 3-4 |
| PSYCH 401 | Psychology, Law, and Social Policy | 3 |
| PSYCH 601 | Current Topics in Psychology (*Legal Psych) | 3 |
| SOC/ASIAN AM 220 | Ethnic Movements in the United States | 3-4 |
| SOC WORK 275 | Contemporary Issues in Social Welfare (*Families and Crim Legal System) | 1-3 |
| SOC WORK 375 | Contemporary Issues in Social Welfare (Topic: Pwr Poss, SJ and Social Change) | 2-3 |
| SOC WORK/AMER IND 636 | Social Work in American Indian Communities: The Indian Child Welfare Act | 3 |
| SOC WORK 675 | Topics in Contemporary Social Welfare (*Reproductive Justice) | 1-4 |
| SPANISH/CHICLA 215 | Border and Migration Studies of Latinx America | 3 |
Theme 4: Law, Literature and Culture
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 350 | Political Anthropology | 3-4 |
| ED POL 150 | Education and Public Policy | 3 |
| ENGL 174 | Literature and Social Justice (*Law and Literature) | 3 |
| ENGL 177 | Literature and Popular Culture (Topic: Narco-Narratives) | 3 |
| ENGL 548 | Topic in Literature and Politics (*Guilt) | 3 |
| ENGL 182 | Introduction to Literature for Honors (Topic: Doing Time) | 3 |
| ENGL/GEN&WS 350 | Special Topics in Gender & Literature (*Human Rights and Global Lit) | 3 |
| ENGL 457 | Topic in American Literature and Culture since 1900 (Topic: Law and Literature; Topic: Cultures of AIDS Activism) | 3 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (*Shanghai Life) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 500 | Reading Seminar in History (*Chinese Law) | 3 |
| ILS 371 | Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts and Literature (*Books by Crooks) | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/ENGL 160 | Truth and Crime | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 477 | History of Forensic Science | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 510 | Legal Pluralism | 3 |
| LITTRANS 236 | Bascom Course-In Translation (*Extreme Stories ) | 3 |
Theme 5: Law and Theory
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 476 | Medieval Law and Society | 3 |
| HISTORY 500 | Reading Seminar in History (Topic: Medieval Law and Society) | 3 |
| HISTORY 600 | Advanced Seminar in History (*Law and the Sacred) | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 213 | Introduction to Law and Humanities | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 235 | Prisons: From Antiquity to Supermax | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 407 | Jurisprudence and Social Issues | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| JOURN 563 | Law of Mass Communication | 4 |
| L I S 461 | Data and Algorithms: Ethics and Policy | 3 |
| MED HIST/PHILOS 558 | Ethical Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| PHILOS 304 | Topics in Philosophy: Humanities (Philos and Criminal Punishment) | 3-4 |
| PHILOS 341 | Contemporary Moral Issues | 3-4 |
| PHILOS/C&E SOC/MED HIST 565 | The Ethics of Modern Biotechnology | 3 |
Methods and Research
Two courses, one each from:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Research Design | ||
| Research Methods in Political Science | ||
| Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Education | ||
| Introduction to Survey Research | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| Evidence-Based Policy Making | ||
| Analytic Tools for Public Policy | ||
| Methods of Sociological Inquiry | ||
| Methods of Social Work Research | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Statistics: Measurement in Economics | ||
| Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Education Policy | ||
| Business Analytics I | ||
| Navigating the Data Revolution: Concepts of Data & Information Science | ||
| Basic Statistics for Psychology | ||
| Statistics for Sociologists I | ||
| Introduction to Statistical Methods | ||
| Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | ||
Core Perspectives
Please note: Though some courses may appear in a Theme and the Core Perspective listing, a single course will only satisfy one (and only one) requirement. Courses will not be double counted in the Theme section and the Core Perspectives section.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one Core Perspectives course. | ||
| Prisons: From Antiquity to Supermax | ||
| American Legal History to 1860 | ||
| American Legal History, 1860 to the Present | ||
| Transitional Justice in World Politics | ||
| Topics in Legal Studies and the Social Sciences | ||
| Law, Sexuality, & Society | ||
| Jurisprudence and Social Issues | ||
| Human Rights in Law and Society | ||
| Crime, Gender and Justice | ||
| The History of Punishment | ||
| Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives | ||
| Criminal Injustice in America | ||
| Civil Rights: Policing, Prisons, Voting, Housing, Employment | ||
| Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | ||
| Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | ||
| Topics in Legal Studies and the Humanities | ||
| Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | ||
| Surveillance, Privacy, and Police Powers | ||
| Medieval Law and Society | ||
| History of Forensic Science | ||
| Legal Pluralism | ||
| Special Topics in Legal Studies | ||
| Sociology of Law | ||
| Electives | ||
| Complete at least two courses and any additional credits (as needed) to reach 36 credits in the major. Students may complete either a Senior Thesis sequence or additional courses from the Theme: Legal Institutions or Theme Distribution requirements for the two course minimum. | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis and Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Senior Thesis and Senior Thesis | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis and Senior Honors Thesis | ||
Global Legal Systems
At least two courses in the major must have substantial content dealing with countries or cultures outside the United States, or with the international legal system. For this requirement, a course can count both for purposes of meeting Theme or Core requirements and the Global Legal Systems requirement. The following courses fulfill the Global Legal Systems requirement:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 350 | Political Anthropology | 3-4 |
| ENGL 174 | Literature and Social Justice (*Law and Literature) | 3 |
| ENGL/GEN&WS 350 | Special Topics in Gender & Literature (*Human Rights and Global Literature) | 3 |
| ENGL 457 | Topic in American Literature and Culture since 1900 (Topic: Law and Literature) | 3 |
| ENGL 548 | Topic in Literature and Politics (*Guilt) | 3 |
| GEN&WS/INTL ST 535 | Women's Global Health and Human Rights | 3 |
| GEOG 307 | International Migration, Health, and Human Rights | 3 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft (Topic: Shanghai Life and Crime; Topic: Global History of Unpaid Labor; Topic: Global History of Human Rights) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 500 | Reading Seminar in History (Topic: Chinese Law) | 3 |
| HISTORY 600 | Advanced Seminar in History (Topic: Global Anti-Apartheid Movement) | 3 |
| INTL ST 401 | Topics in Global Security (Topic: Human Rights in Global Context) | 3-4 |
| INTL ST 601 | Topics in Global Security (Topic: International Criminal Justice; Topic: Human Rights, Lat Am Policy; Topic: Refugees in Global Context; Law and Security) | 3 |
| INTL ST 602 | Topics in Politics and Policy in the Global Economy (Topic: The EU and the World) | 3 |
| LACIS 440 | Topics in Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies (Topic: Spanish: Immigration Law Clinic) | 2 |
| LEGAL ST/JEWISH/RELIG ST 203 | Jewish Law, Business, and Ethics | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 235 | Prisons: From Antiquity to Supermax | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/POLI SCI 352 | Transitional Justice in World Politics | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 400 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Social Sciences (Topic: Law and Climate Justice) | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/GEN&WS/SOC 406 | Law, Sexuality, & Society | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 409 | Human Rights in Law and Society | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/SOC 425 | Crime, Gender and Justice | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/ENVIR ST/HISTORY 430 | Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 450 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Humanities (Topic: Criminal Justice and Popular Culture) | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 450 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Humanities (Courts, Constitutionalism and Human Rights) | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 476 | Medieval Law and Society | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 477 | History of Forensic Science | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/HISTORY 510 | Legal Pluralism | 3 |
| LEGAL ST 600 | Special Topics in Legal Studies | 1-3 |
| LITTRANS 236 | Bascom Course-In Translation (Topic: Extreme Stories) | 3 |
| LITTRANS 324/SCAND ST 436 | Topics in Scandinavian Literature (Topic: Criminal Utopias) | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 340 | The European Union: Politics and Political Economy | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 347 | Terrorism | 3 |
| POLI SCI 349 | Global Access to Justice | 3 |
| POLI SCI 354 | International Institutions and World Order | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 356 | Principles of International Law | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 400 | Topics in Political Science (Topic: Int'l Environmental Politics) | 3 |
| POLI SCI 401 | Selected Topics in Political Science (Topic: Global Access to Justice; Topic: Transitional Justice) | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 434 | The Politics of Human Rights | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/GEN&WS 435 | Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | 3 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 439 | The Comparative Study of Genocide | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 635 | Comparative Politics of Sport | 3-4 |
| SPANISH/CHICLA 215 | Border and Migration Studies of Latinx America | 3 |
Race and Justice Studies
At least one course in the major must have substantial content dealing with race and justice studies. The following courses fulfill the Race and Justice Studies requirement. For this requirement, a course can count both for purposes of meeting Theme or Core requirements and the Race and Justice Studies requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFROAMER 272 | Race and American Politics from the New Deal to the New Right | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 321 | African American History Since 1900 | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 323 | Gender, Race and Class: Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 326 | Race and Gender in Post-World War II U.S. Society | 3 |
| AFROAMER 621 | Slavery and Capitalism in the United States | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 625 | Gender, Race and the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 628 | History of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States | 3 |
| AFROAMER 671 | Selected Topics in African American History (Topic: Women & US Slavery) | 3 |
| AMER IND 450 | Issues in American Indian Studies (Topic: Land Grant/Grab; Topic: Sovereignty and the Schoolhouse) | 3 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS 332 | Latinas: Self Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS 334 | Feminist Social Movements Across the Americas | 3 |
| HISTORY/ED POL 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 393 | Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1848-1877 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 403 | Immigration and Assimilation in American History | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST 400 | Topics in Legal Studies and the Social Sciences (Topic: Criminal Injustice in America) | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 434 | Criminal Injustice in America | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/AFROAMER 435 | Civil Rights: Policing, Prisons, Voting, Housing, Employment | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 440 | Ethnicity, Race, and Justice | 3-4 |
| LEGAL ST/CHICLA/SOC 443 | Immigration, Crime, and Enforcement | 3-4 |
| PUB AFFR 520 | Inequality, Race and Public Policy | 3 |
| SOC/ASIAN AM 220 | Ethnic Movements in the United States | 3-4 |
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all LEGAL ST and major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level major credits, taken in residence1
- 15 credits in LEGAL ST and courses for the major, taken on campus
Honors in the Major
Students may apply for admission to Honors in the Legal Studies Major in consultation with the Legal Studies undergraduate advisor(s).
Honors in the Legal Studies Major: Entrance Requirements
- Declaration of the legal studies major
- A 3.300 University GPA
- A 3.500 GPA for all LEGAL ST courses, and all courses accepted in the major
- Completion of or current enrollment in, for Honors credit, at least one course accepted in the major
Honors in the Legal Studies Major: Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Legal Studies, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA for all LEGAL ST courses, and all courses accepted in the major
- Complete the research design and statistics requirements for the regular major prior to enrollment in the Senior Honors Thesis (typically junior year)
- Complete 15 credits in the major, taken for Honors, earning a B or better grade in each course
- Complete a two-semester Senior Honors thesis in LEGAL ST 681 and LEGAL ST 682, for a total of 6 credits.
Footnotes
- 1
Upper-level in the major includes all LEGAL ST and major courses that are designated Intermediate or Advanced level.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyze and articulate their own arguments about how social, political, and cultural phenomena shape law and legal systems.
- Analyze and articulate their own arguments about the social, political, and cultural impacts of law at the societal and individual levels.
- Demonstrate knowledge about how legal ideas and ideologies have changed over time and have shaped law and legal systems.
- Demonstrate their abilities to find, interpret, and utilize resources relevant to law and society.
- Demonstrate their abilities to analyze information, to write clearly and persuasively, and to construct original arguments.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A (complete during the first year) | 3 | Ethnic Studies (complete within first 60 credits) | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A (complete during the first year) | 3 | Humanities Breadth | 3 |
| Language (if needed) | 3-4 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| LEGAL ST/SOC 131 or 217 | 3-4 | I/A COMP SCI, MATH, or STAT (if required for the BS) | 3-4 |
| First-Year Seminar (optional) | 1 | Electives | 3 |
| 13 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Legal Studies Theme Course | 3 | Legal Studies Theme Course | 3 |
| Literature Breadth | 3 | Communication B | 3-4 |
| Statistics (also satisfies Quantitative Reasoning B) | 3-4 | Research Design requirement | 3-4 |
| Science Breadth | 3 | Physical Science Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Legal Studies Theme Course | 4 | Legal Studies Theme Course | 4 |
| Global Legal Studies Course | 3 | Global Legal Studies Course | 3 |
| Literature Breadth | 3 | Humanities Breadth | 3 |
| Race and Justice Legal Studies Course | 3 | Elective (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 6 |
| Science Breadth | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Additional Theme Course or First Semester Senior Thesis | 3 | Additional Theme Course or Second Semester Senior Thesis | 3 |
| Core Perspectives Course | 3 | Elective (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 12 |
| Elective (Intermediate/Advanced level) | 9 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the Center for Law, Society, and Justice website.
Advising Appointments
Please use Starfish to schedule an appointment with a Center for Law, Society, and Justice academic advisor.
If you are not a current UW–Madison student, please email us at cjcp@ssc.wisc.edu to schedule a meeting.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students