2024-2025 Undergraduate Bulletin

Law and Society, Bachelor of Arts

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 examines 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.

Learning Outcomes. 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.
  • Initiate, develop, and present independent research addressing and analyzing the relationship between law and society.
  • Develop written and oral communication skills to express informed opinions about issues in law and society.

Credits Required.

Law and Society Major 42
General Education 42
Electives 36
Total Credits Required for B.A. Degree 120


Prerequisites.
 Prerequisites for individual courses include ANT 315 which requires at least one course in either ANT or LAW, and ECO 215 which requires ECO 101.

Co-Coordinators. Professors Michael Yarbrough (646-557-4615, myarbrough@jjay.cuny.edu) and Ke Li (212-237-8186, kli@jjay.cuny.edu), Department of Political Science

Advisor. Ms. Tatyanna Robinson, Academic Advisement Center (tarobinson@jjay.cuny.edu)

Advising resources. Law & Society Advising Resources (including a Sample Four Year Degree Map). .  Law & Society Major Checklist

Experiential learning opportunities. Students in the Law and Society major have various opportunities for experiential learning. They can participate in one of four internship programs during their junior and senior years.  The Judicial Internship (LWS 378) places students with trial court judges in N.Y. state courts.  The New York City Internship program (POL 406), places students in the local offices of city, state, and federal elected representatives.  Lastly, students can apply to intern in the New York State Legislature in Albany for a semester, or in Washington, D.C. during the summer term.  Students can also engage in undergraduate research opportunities, either working individually with a faculty member as a research assistant or on their own project or with a group of three or more students working collaboratively with a faculty member. Finally, our students can also join the nationally recognized and award-winning Model United Nations Club.

Additional information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College or changed to this major in September 2020 or thereafter must complete the major in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose the form shown here or the earlier version of the major. A copy of the earlier version may be obtained in the 2019-20 Undergraduate Bulletin.

Part One. Introductory Courses

Required
POL 101American Government & Politics

3

SOC 101Introduction to Sociology

3

LWS 200Introduction to Law and Society

3

Subtotal: 9

Part Two. Skills

Required
LWS 225Research Methods in Law and Society

3

Subtotal: 3

Part Three. Foundations

(Two courses in this area must be at the 300-level or above)

Category A: American Legal Foundations

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

HIS 277American Legal History

3

POL 235Judicial Processes and Politics

3

POL 301Constitutional Powers

3

POL 305Constitutional Rights and Liberties

3

Category B: International Legal Foundations

Select one

ANT 315Systems of Law, Justice and Injustice Across Cultures

3

POL 250International Law and Justice

3

POL 320International Human Rights

3

Category C: Sociological Foundations

Select one

SOC 206The Sociology of Conflict and Dispute Resolution

3

SOC 232Social Stratification

3

SOC 302Social Problems

3

Subtotal: 12

Part Four: Philosophy/Jurisprudence/Ethics

Select one
LAW 301Jurisprudence

3

LAW 310/PHI 310Ethics and Law

3

PHI 302The Philosophy of Rights

3

PHI 317Philosophy of Law in Global Perspective

3

POL 270Political Philosophy

3

POL 273Western Political Thought

3

POL 371American Political Philosophy

3

POL 375Law, Order, Justice and Society

3

Subtotal: 3

Part Five: Societal and Political Change

Select four courses, or two courses plus a six credit internship (LWS 378, POL 406, POL 407, POL 408, or three courses plus a three-credit internship (LWS 375, POL 277). Only one 200-level course and a maximum of six credits of internship can be applied towards Part Five of the major. All students must take at least one course dealing with social change and race, gender, the LGBTQ community, or ethnicity (POL 313 or POL 318 or POL 319 or LLS 322 mentioned in the note below).

ANT 330American Cultural Pluralism, Justice and the Law

3

ECO 215Economics of Regulation and the Law

LLS 322Latinx Struggles for Civil Rights & Social Justice

3

LWS 330Law in Everyday Life

3

LWS 385Faculty Mentored Research Experience in Law and Society

3

POL 308State Constitutional Law and Politics

3

POL 313/LAW 313The Law and Politics of Race Relations

3

POL 316The Politics of Rights

3

POL 318The Law and Politics of LGBTQ Rights

3

POL 319Gender and Law

3

POL 344The Law and Politics of Immigration

3

SOC 305The Sociology of Law

3

LLS 322, POL 313, POL 318, POL 319: All students must take at least one course dealing with social change and race, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.

Internship Options

(Each internship requires permission of the instructor)

LWS 375Law and Society Internship

3

LWS 378Law and Society Internship Intensive

6

POL 277Political Science Internship

3

POL 406Seminar and Internship in New York City Government and Politics

6

POL 407New York State Assembly/Senate Session Internship Program

15

POL 408CUNY Washington, D.C. Summer Internship Program

6

Subtotal: 12

Part Six: Senior Capstone

Required
LWS 425Colloquium for Research in Law and Society

3

Subtotal: 3

Total Credit Hours: 42