2024-2025 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies
Students seeking a bachelor's degree in legal studies must complete the general education requirements of the university. Students must also meet the degree requirements i.e., third-semester proficiency in a foreign language to earn a B.A. for legal studies, or CIS 150, CJ 300, and STA 215 to earn a B.S. The bachelor's degrees in legal studies are approved by the American Bar Association. Students in this program can play an important role in the delivery of legal services but they are not permitted to practice law. To practice law, learners must obtain a law school degree and satisfy other state requirements for admission to the bar.
Although most courses taken at other colleges and universities may be accepted for full credit, only a limited number will be counted toward the major. Student must take at least two-thirds of the credits constituting the major at Grand Valley State University, and a maximum of nine designated legal specialty credits can be earned through transfer. In addition, at least nine credits of legal specialty courses must be taken through synchronous instruction. When a student makes a request for credit by transfer, an official transcript from the institution where those credits were awarded must be presented to Grand Valley State Universitys Registrars Office. The program coordinator will review the course description and syllabus from the institution that awarded the credits and determine whether the credit appears to cover substantially the same material as the course at Grand Valley State University. Courses that have already been reviewed and approved can be found on the Course Equivalency Guide. The Legal Studies program does not award legal specialty credit by examination.
Paralegals can play an important role in the delivery of legal services, but they are not permitted to practice law. To practice law, one must obtain a law school degree and satisfy other state requirements for admission to the bar.
Student Learning Outcomes
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
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Requirements
A minimum of 36 credit hours is required. All majors must take the following core courses:
- LS 101 - Law in our Lives (3 credits)
- LS 224 - Legal Research (3 credits)
- LS 324 - Legal Writing (3 credits)
- LS 226 - Civil Litigation I (3 credits)
- LS 320 - Property and Probate Law (3 credits)
- LS 322 - Commercial Law (3 credits)
- LS 428 - Civil Litigation II (3 credits)
- LS 490 - Legal Studies Internship (1 to 6 credits)
- LS 495 - Legal Thought (Capstone) (3 credits)
In addition, all majors must take:
- CIS 150 - Introduction to Computing (3 credits) included as part of degree requirement for B.S. degree
AND two of the following courses for B.A. candidates or three of the following courses for B.S. candidates:
- CJ 302 - Criminal Law (3 credits)
- CJ 305 - Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties (3 credits)
- LS 350 - Family Law (3 credits)
- LS 370 - Women and the Law (3 credits)
- LS 380 - Special Topics in Legal Studies (1 to 4 credits)
- LS 399 - Independent Reading in Legal Studies (1 to 3 credits)
- LS 499 - Independent Study and Research (1 to 3 credits)
- MGT 334 - Employment and Labor Law (3 credits)
- PLS 307 - American Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
Suggested Order of Coursework
Please visit the website of the College of Education and Community Innovation Advising Center at eduftp.net/ccpsadvising for a four-year curriculum plan for the legal studies major. Taking courses in the sequence recommended in the curriculum plan for legal studies will help you avoid delays in completing the legal studies degree.