B.A. Program and Minor
Legal Studies B.A. Program
Legal studies is an interdisciplinary liberal arts major that provides multiple perspectives on legal issues and the conceptual frameworks of law. Our program gives students the opportunity to learn from faculty across campus in order to explore the impact areas of law that they’re most interested in, from human rights to criminal justice to environmental and business law, in the United States and beyond.
Students in our program also have valuable opportunities to complete for-credit internships, field study, and independent research and to study in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere around the world. These experiences allow students to apply what they’ve learned and deepen their real-world understanding of laws and legal systems.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the major, undergraduates with a B.A. in Legal Studies will have met the following objectives:
- Describe, explain, and compare the sources and functions of law in the US and other national or international contexts, including drawing on theoretical perspectives, institutional perspectives, and social/cultural perspectives;
- Analyze the role of laws, courts, and other legal institutions in broader society, including the historical, social, political, and economic contexts in which it operates;
- Evaluate the operation and function of legal norms, practices, and systems/institutions from a variety of disciplinary and social perspectives;
- Apply and critically evaluate arguments about legal principles and norms, practices, and institutions based on logic and evidence, and from a variety of disciplinary perspectives; and
- Develop and communicate well-organized, persuasive, and well-supported written and oral arguments and analyses regarding law and legal issues based on appropriate empirical and/or theoretical evidence and logic.
Legal Studies Minor
The legal studies minor offers valuable perspective on law and legal issues that students can apply to many fields. The minor entails six courses: LGST 10: Introduction to Legal Process plus any five upper-division 5-credit courses offered by the Legal Studies Program or chosen from our extensive list of approved courses across campus.
What can you do with a degree in legal studies?
While our program is often a good fit for students considering law school or law-related careers, it’s important to note that the major is not organized as a “pre-law” preparation for law school. Instead, it provides a broad academic platform that offers students a wide range of options for how to apply their knowledge after graduation, with law school being one of those many options.
Our students develop strong critical thinking and writing skills, which prepare them for graduate or professional school in a variety of liberal arts and professional fields. Other students choose to immediately begin careers after graduation. Overall, our alumni have found success across fields like business, politics, education, journalism, law, public policy, technology, non-profits, public finance, social work, public service, and urban planning.
Meet our students and alumni
Alyssa Tamboura: Building bridges out of prison walls
Legal studies and philosophy double major Alyssa Tamboura started a project designed to help families touched by incarceration heal from the same issues of hurt and anger she experienced after her father went to prison. She recently graduated from Yale University Law School.
Monica Estrada Arias: Researching activism and human rights through social media
Estrada Arias took part in an open source research project led by UCSC’s Human Rights Investigations Lab for the Americas, uncovering how social media and revolution intersect in contemporary activism. She hopes to attend graduate or law school.
Emmanuel Ogundipe: Gabriel Zimmerman Award winner
Legal studies major Emmanuel Ogundipe used his award to gain paid hands-on advocacy experience as a LobbyCorps Director. In this role, he said he has been able to engage policymakers about higher education issues on local, federal, and state levels and represent the voices of fellow students.
More student stories
More alumni stories
Admissions requirements
First-year students
No specific high school courses outside of UC requirements are required for admission to the legal studies major at UC Santa Cruz. Courses in history, literature, philosophy, and the social sciences, whether taken at the high school or college level, are appropriate background and preparation for the legal studies major.
For more information, visit the catalog.
Transfer students
This is a non-screening major. Transfer students considering the legal studies major are strongly encouraged to complete most, if not all, of the general education requirements prior to transferring. Transfer students are encouraged but not required to complete a philosophy course in ethics or logic to fulfill one of the basic major requirements. Only one philosophy course substitution is allowed.
Transfer students cannot declare the legal studies major until they complete LGST 10: Introduction to Legal Process at UCSC. However, they can designate legal studies as their intended major and begin working toward the major as soon as they arrive at UCSC.
Additional transfer credit information
Transfer students who wish to pursue the legal studies major should arrange to meet with the Legal Studies Program Undergraduate Advisor as early as possible to discuss plans for enrolling in LGST 10, declaring the major, and major course planning. They are also strongly encouraged to attend the UCSC Summer Orientation Transfer Day and UCSC Summer Edge. For more information, email legalstudies@ucsc.edu.
Courses taken through the Education Abroad Program (EAP) are automatically accepted for UCSC credit but will need to be petitioned with the department should they wish to apply the courses towards meeting LGST requirements. No Advanced Placement courses are accepted for credit to the major. Students should discuss the process with the program advisor.
Services for Transfers, and Re-entry Students (STARS) provides extra academic and personal support for transfer, re-entry, and readmitted students, assisting with pre-admissions questions, transition concerns, academic support network, and post-graduation planning.