Students need to take 9 required courses and 4 electives for the major:

• Nine required courses:
• LST 100 –  Introduction to Law
• PSC 151 – Contemporary Politics and Culture
• CRJ 210 – Constitutional Law
• PSC 231 – American Government
• LST 207  – Legal Research and Writing
• PSC 201 – Introduction to Politics
• LST 255 –  Philosophy of Law
• LST 322 –  Law, Justice and Society
• LST 490 –  Senior Seminar in Law, Justice and Society

Four electives, at least one from each of the following clusters:

Justice Cluster (take one or more)

• LST 307 – Contemporary Issues in Law, Justice and Society
• LST/CRJ 309 – Genocide Studies
• LST/CRJ 321 – Gender, Crime, and Justice
• LST/CRJ 323 – Race and Justice
• LST 300 – What is Justice

Law Cluster (take one or more)

• LST 200 – Introduction to Conflict Resolution
• CRJ 212 – Criminal Law
• LST 302 – Trial Practice
• LST 310 – Juvenile Law

Politics Cluster (take one or more)

• PSC 307 – American Foreign Policy
• PSC 320 – International Relations
• PSC 390 – Post Conflict Justice

Students are encouraged to do an internship which would count as an elective, a course in logic, or another course in consultation with their advisor in the LST Program

The Legal Studies Minor requires a total of 6 course: 3 are required and the other 3 are satisfied as follows:

REQUIRED

• LJS 100 – Introduction to Law
• LST 207 – Legal Research and Writing
• PSC 231 – American Government

1 of the following

• PSC 201 – Introduction to Politics
• LJS 255 – Philosophy of Law
• LJS 322 – Law, Justice and Society

2 of the following

• PSC 151 – Contemporary Politics and Culture
• CRJ 210 – Constitutional Law
• LST 300 – What is Justice
• LST 307 – Contemporary Issues in Law, Justice and Society
• LST/CRJ 309 – Genocide Studies
• LST/CRJ 321 – Gender, Crime, and Justice
• LST/CRJ 323 – Race and Justice
• LST 200 – Introduction to Conflict Resolution
• CRJ 212 – Criminal Law
• LST 250 – American Legal History
• LST 302 – Trial Practice
• LST 310 – Juvenile Law
• PSC 307 – American Foreign Policy
• PSC 320 – International Relations
• PPO 330 Comparative Public Policy
• PSC 390 – Post Conflict Justice

Students may take another course in substitution for one of the above in consultation with their advisor in the LST Program

The analytic skills and knowledge acquired through the study of political science can also be useful for students pursuing other major at the College, particularly those interested in law, government, public policy, and the nonprofit sector.

The minor requires six courses in Political Science, including these three courses:

• LST 151 – Contemporary Politics and Culture – from WWII to 9/11
• PSC 231 – American Government
• PSC 201 – Introduction to Politics

Students must also choose three of the following electives:

• PSC 307 – American Foreign Policy
• LSTS 307 – Contemporary Issues in Law, Justice and Society
• LST/CRJ 309 – Genocide Studies
• PSC 320 – International Relations
• LST/CRJ 321- Gender, Crime, and Justice
• LST/CRJ 323 – Race and Justice
• PSC 330 – Politics of Terrorism
• PSC 390 – Post Conflict Justice

One or more of the following may be taken as an elective:

• PHL 201 Introduction to Logic
• PHL 202 Philosophy of Race and Racism
• PHL 210 Philosophy of Human Nature
• PHL 219 Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy
• HST 118 Global History II
• HST 327 US in the 1960’s
• HST  242   – Scandals in American Politics
• HST  237   American Presidents
• HST  241   America’s Controversial War
• HST  266  The War to End All Wars – World War I

The LST program offers students the opportunity to work in the field through local internships and the Washington Center Internship program, which allows students to work and study in Washington, DC for a full semester. Below are a few of our students’ internships:

• International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Alexandria, VA.
• Worcester County District Attorney’s Office
• The U.S. Marshall’s Service, Washington, D.C.
• Lawyers Without Borders, Washington, D.C.
• Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington, VA
• Office of the U.S. Attorney
• Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Accelerated Path to Law School

LST offers qualified students the opportunity to enter Western New England Law School or the University of Massachusetts School of Law after 3 years of study to earn a Bachelor’s and a JD in only 6 years.

Active Learning Methods

LST faculty employ many active learning techniques to enhance student learning, such as debates, mock trials, and simulations.  Debates promote student verbal skills, exploration of multiple viewpoints, research, and critical thinking skills.  Mock trials motivate student learning to experience an adversarial legal system. Mock trials can have a transformative effect on students as they learn to engage in oral argument and advocacy with ease and competence.  Simulations of international peace conferences share objectives and outcomes to the mock trial.

1. To develop a multi-disciplinary understanding of various theoretical and empirical perspectives on justice, legal and political change.
2. To demonstrate understanding of the development and relationship of law, politics, and society in the United States and the world.
3. To demonstrate an understanding of world events and the increasing interchange of countries, regional and international institutions, and other social and political organizations.
4. To develop your critical thinking and written and oral communication skills to be able to express informed opinions and sustained arguments about issues in law, equality and justice.
5. To initiate, develop, and present (independent) research addressing and analyzing the relationship between law, politics, and society.