Bachelor of Science in
Interdisciplinary Studies - Legal Studies

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Build a wealth of law knowledge and perspective for your career

Just like the legal field itself, the BS in Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentration in Legal Studies program at UAlbany is built of many subjects and viewpoints, giving you a broad understanding of the law and its influences.

In this degree program you’ll gain perspectives from four distinct disciplines – history, philosophy, political science and criminal justice – to develop a multidimensional understanding of legal studies. This interdisciplinary approach will help you develop critical reasoning, analytical thinking and research skills while also allowing you to hone-in on the topics that interest you most through your chosen track – theory, practice or general legal studies.

You’ll graduate prepared to work in a range of disciplines, including legal, business and finance, or to go on to law or graduate school.

Additional Program Information

Undergraduate Bulletin | Course Catalog | Four-Year Plan | Contacts: Matthew Ingram and Ariel Zylberman

Program of Study
Tracks
Experiential Learning
Career Outlook
Academics Home

Program of Study

programofstudy

The BS in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Legal Studies is a minimum 48-credit combined major and minor program that invites you to get curious and explore varied subjects on your path to understanding the law.

The foundational course offers a unique interdisciplinary introduction to the study of law, bringing together insights from all contributing fields. From there, you’ll study a balanced mix of history, philosophy, political science and criminal justice in the required lower- and upper-level courses to establish a strong foundation in these subjects. In your capstone course, you’ll have the opportunity to delve deeper into a topic that sparks your interest.

You’ll also take electives in the areas that appeal most to you along one of three tracks – law in theory, law in practice or general. Experiential learning experiences, like study abroad or coursework in other disciplines, can be counted as some of your elective credits as well. Finally, in your senior year, you can get a “taste of law” by taking a course at Albany Law.

Required Courses

Foundational Course

Introduction to Legal Studies

Field Courses and Capstone Course

See below for Field and Capstone course requirements.

Track Courses

Choose one of the three tracks below, and complete upper-division credits from the courses listed for your chosen track.

Field and Capstone Courses

Lower-Level Field Courses

Choose one philosophy course:

Critical Thinking
Introduction to Logic

Choose one history course:

Public Policy in Modern America
Trials in United States History
The Supreme Court and American Constitutional History
History of Marriage and Family in the U.S.

Choose one criminal justice course:

Introduction to the Criminal Justice Process
Introduction to Law and Criminal Justice

Choose one political science course:

Introduction to Law and Politics
The Supreme Court and the American Constitutional History

Upper-Level Field Courses

Choose one philosophy course:

Intensive Study Ethical Theory
Political and Social philosophy
Philosophy of Law
Moral Philosophy
Intensive Study History of Social and Political Philosophy
Moral Problems in Medicine
Global Justice
Environmental Ethics
AI in Society: Ethical and Legal Issues

Choose one history course:

Constitutional History of the United States
The Roles of Law in American History
Lawyers in American Life, 1607 to Present
Crime and Punishment in Traditional China

Choose one criminal justice course:

American Criminal Courts
400-level criminal justice course

Choose one political science course:

Contemporary Democratic Theory
American Political Theory
Contemporary Political Philosophy
Comparative Criminal Procedure
Introduction to Public Law
Comparative Judicial Politics
Law and Policy
Law, Courts and Politics
Women and the Law
The American Supreme Court
Civil Liberties
Predicting the Supreme Court

Capstone Courses

Choose one:

Perspectives on Reasoning
Advanced Philosophy of Law
Bioethics
Contemporary Ethical Theory
Philosophy of Social Sciences
Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy
Senior Research Seminar
Incarceration
Communities and Crime
Contemporary Issues in Policing
Street-Level Bureaucracy
Special Topics in Criminal Justice
Race, Ethnicity, and Politics
Justice Reform in Latin America
American Constitutional Law I
American Constitutional Law II
Comparative Legal Systems
Law and Society
Topics in Public Law

Tracks

Law in Theory Track

In this track, you'll explore how the law works in theory by examining themes such as the foundations, nature and development of law. You'll choose courses that emphasize the ideas, debates and conceptual frameworks that shape legal systems and can guide legal reasoning. Relevant courses on this theme may be drawn from criminal justice, history, philosophy and political science.

Sample courses include:

Intensive Study Latin American Philosophy
17th–18th Century Philosophy
Intensive Study Human Freedom and Human Action
Intermediate Logic
Philosophy and Feminism
Advanced Philosophy of Law
Contemporary Democratic Theory
American Political Theory
Contemporary Political Philosophy
Constitutional History of the United States
Islam in the Middle East: Religion and Culture I

Law in Practice Track

In this track, you'll focus on how the law operates in practice. You'll choose courses that emphasize the application, revision and implementation of law in contexts such as the courts, policy, religion or internationally. Relevant courses on this theme may be drawn from criminal justice, history, philosophy and political science.

Sample courses include:

Moral Problems in Medicine
Environmental Ethics
Bioethics
The Indigenous Past and Future
History of Women in the United States
History of American Foreign Policy I & II
The Quest for Equality in United States History
The Era of the American Revolution 1763–1815
The French Revolution and Napoleon
Race and Racism in the Americas
Introduction to Public Law
Law and Policy
The American Supreme Court
American Constitutional Law I & II
American Criminal Courts
Issues in Biblical Civilization
Issues in Medieval Jewish History

General Track

The general track allows you to take mix of courses from subject areas that appeal to you. You may choose 18 credits of courses from either track, or from the 300 level or higher course options within the major that you haven’t otherwise completed.

Experiential Learning

In the BS in Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentration in Legal Studies you’ll gain valuable hands-on learning experiences through coursework and exciting experiential learning opportunities.

You can fulfill electives through study abroad courses or internships, including with the New York State Senate and Assembly, and participate in other opportunities such as our Semester in Washington program and an Albany Law School course.

A group of students standing inside a chamber of the New York State Capitol Building.

experiential

Career Outlook

Demand for professionals with a bachelor’s in legal studies is expected to hold steady and even grow a bit over the next few years. The types of jobs and fields seeking professionals with legal expertise will continue to be varied and wide-ranging. With this degree, you will also be well prepared to go on to graduate school or law school and expand your law career options into academia and legal practice.

Potential job titles with a Legal Studies bachelor's degree include:

Legal Assistant
Law Clerk
Compliance Officer
Law Enforcement officer
Mediator
Legal Journalist
Policy Researcher
Human Resources Generalist
Teacher
Researcher
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Staff

A student standing on Albany's Empire State Plaza with the Capitol building in the background.

career

Student Learning Objectives

Learning objectives that UAlbany students are expected to attain through their course of study within their academic program.

Bachelor of Science

1. Approach issues in legal studies from multiple disciplinary perspectives by examining key themes within disciplinary frameworks.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of primary and secondary legal-studies-related texts by writing about related topics using skills developed from each discipline:
- 2a. Demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts from criminology and criminal justice by applying them to real problems. [Criminal Justice]
- 2b. Demonstrate the ability to identify and assess evidence about what happened in the past by using historical evidence and writings about analogous cases to make persuasive arguments. [History]
- 2c.1 Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts from competing philosophies of law. [Philosophy]
- 2c.2 Demonstrate the ability to recognize both formal and informal logical analysis of legal concepts and arguments. [Philosophy]
- 2d.1 Demonstrate an understanding of how the legal system is used to control and legitimate the state. [Political Science]
- 2d.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the limitations of the legal system and how that system can be used to both constrain and empower marginalized groups. [Political Science]

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What Makes The University at Albany Great

Living-Learning Communities

Live and take classes with other incoming freshmen who share your personal interests, passions or intended academic major.

Study Abroad

Become a global citizen: international experience is crucial to success in business, education, research, and public policy.

Undergraduate Research

Research, scholarship, and creative activities at the University at Albany is an option for all students, across all academic disciplines. You will be able to learn more about a specific academic field or career path all while building a long-lasting mentoring relationship with a faculty member or principal investigator.

Explore Minors

Build competency in a passion or strengthen your resume.

A minor consists of 18–24 graduation credits which must include a minimum of 9 graduation credits of advanced coursework at or above the 300 level. Most undergraduate degrees require completing a minor and it has to have a different title from your major.

Full List of Minors

Acting
Africana Studies
Anthropology
Art
Art History
Atmospheric Science
Bioethics
Biology
Broadcast Meteorology
Business
Chemistry
Chinese Studies
Cognitive Science
Communication (Fully Online Option)
Computer Science
Creative Writing
Criminal Justice Studies (Fully Online Option)
Cybersecurity (Fully Online Option)
Documentary Studies
East Asian Studies
Economics
Educational Studies
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Electronics
Film Studies
Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (Fully Online Option)
English

Forensic Science
French
Game Design and Development
Geographic Information Science
Geography
Globalization Studies
Hebrew
History (Fully Online Option)
Informatics (Fully Online Option)
Instrumental Performance
International Studies
Italian
Japanese Studies
Journalism (Fully Online Option)
Judaic Studies
Korean Studies
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Law and Philosophy
Leadership
Legal Studies
LGBTQ Studies
Library and Information Science
Linguistics
Machine Learning
Mathematics

Medical Anthropology
Music
Musical Performance
Musical Theatre
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Portuguese
Pre-Education
Psychology (Fully Online Option)
Public Health
Public Policy
Religious Studies
Russian
Russian and Eastern European Studies
Social Welfare Studies
Sociology (Fully Online Option)
Spanish
Statistics
Sustainability
Theatre
Theatrical Design/Technology
Urban Studies and Planning
U.S. Latino Studies
Vocal Performance
Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies

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