Legal Studies, B.A./B.S.

The Legal Studies program provides students with a broad understanding of the law and the way the legal system functions in society. Legal Studies majors gain the necessary knowledge and skill for law school, other graduate degree programs, or a law-related career. Students may pursue either a B.S. or B.A. in Legal Studies.

Rooted in liberal arts, the Legal Studies program incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to legal studies to ensure students have the opportunity to engage and explore the many intersections between law and other disciplines.

Legal Studies majors may also seek early admission to Belmont’s College of Law by enrolling in the “3+3” program no later than the end of their second semester (freshman year) at Belmont. The 3+3 program allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctorate (J.D.) in six years. Enrolling in the 3+3 program does not guarantee admission to the Belmont University College of Law.

The primary purpose of the Legal Studies program is to gain knowledge of the law through a liberal arts perspective. Significantly, students will examine legal issues using the methods and skills that are rooted in the social science and humanities.

For students planning to attend law school, the Legal Studies program emphasizes important skills including critical thinking, analysis, communication, and close reading. Similarly, for students not planning to attend law school, a degree in Legal Studies will prepare students for careers in law as well as non-legal occupations.

Students enrolled in the 3+3 program will matriculate to the Belmont College of Law after their junior year upon acceptance by the law school. Students in the 3+3 program are not required to pursue a minor unless they do not gain admittance to the law school. After successful completion of their first year of law school, students will be awarded their bachelor’s degree. Upon completion of the requirements for a law degree, students will earn the Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree.

BELL Core Requirements: 53 Hours (minimum)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Technical Requirements (count in BELL Core):

Technical Requirements are courses identified by the program as required courses and will count in the BELL Core or as General Electives.

PHI 1510 Critical Thinking 3 Hours
PHI 1520 Ethics 3 Hours

Legal Studies Major: 30 Hours

Major Core Requirements: 18 Hours

MGT 2410 Business Law I 3 Hours
COM 2200 Persuasion 3 Hours
or
COM 2020 Argumentation and Debate 3 Hours
LGS 1300 Intro to Legal Studies 3 Hours
LGS 1350 Introduction to Legal Writing 3 Hours
LGS 3130 Legal Entrepreneurship 3 Hours
PHI 3430 Philosophy of Law 3 Hours
or
PHI 3440 Social & Political Philosophy 3 Hours

Major Electives: 12 Hours

(choose twelve hours from the following)

ENW 2310 Introduction to Rhetoric 3 Hours
HIS 2010 The American Experience to Reconstruction 3 Hours
HIS 2020 The American Experience Since Reconstruction 3 Hours
Any LGS 2000-4000 level course
LGS 2320 Trial Practice 3 Hours
MGT 3230 Business Ethics 3 Hours
MGT 4220 Business Law II 3 Hours
MGT 4310 Negotiation 3 Hours
PSC 3280 American Constitutional Law I 3 Hours
PSC 3290 American Constitutional Law II 3 Hours
PSC 4320 International Law 3 Hours
REL 3510 Poverty and Justice 3 Hours ¹
REL 3540 Eco-Justice and Faith 3 Hours ¹
SOC 3700 Criminal Justice 3 Hours
SOC 3800 Criminology 3 Hours
SWK 2020 Social Movements and Social Change 3 Hours
SWK 2350 Poverty in the United States 3 Hours

Legal Studies Major (3+3 option)

Sub total of BELL Core (Gen Ed) plus major above = 83 credit hours. If pursuing the 3+3 option student must take 16 additional free elective hours to equal 99 earned hours prior to ability to matriculation to College of Law.

Legal Studies Major (Non 3+3 option)

Students electing to pursue the Legal Studies Major but not seeking early entry into Belmont’s College of Law, or students leaving the Law School and returning to complete the undergraduate degree.

Minor Requirements: 18 Hours

(may not be in Legal Studies)

General Electives: 27 Hours (minimum)

Total Required for the Program: 128 Hours

¹REL 2350 and REL 2510 are recommended prequisites.

Should a student in the 3+3 program decide to withdraw from the college of law after matriculation, or fail to successfully complete law courses such that the student is not eligible to continue toward the J.D. at Belmont, the student may be readmitted to Belmont University in the undergraduate program to complete the remaining undergraduate credits needed to graduate, (if the earning of the B.A. or B.S. degree has not already occurred).

Up to the first 29 hours of LAW courses (primarily year one of law school) in the Belmont College of Law will be listed as undergraduate LST (Legal Studies) courses. For example: LAW 6100, Contract and Sales (4) will be listed to an undergraduate rubric LST 4895, Contract and Sales (4). This provides accurate monitoring and auditing of the progress toward the undergraduate degree and ensures the student has a valid undergraduate transcript showing allowed course work in a “plus” program, with degree.

Legal Studies majors seeking early admission through the 3+3 program should consult the Legal Studies advisor and the Belmont College of Law for admissions criteria. The list below is provided as a guideline for Admissions to the Belmont College of Law:

Admission requirements:

Admission into Belmont’s graduate law program (J.D.) is competitive. Participation in the Legal Studies 3+3 is not a guarantee of admission to the Belmont College of Law J.D. program. Students interested in the program should work closely with the undergraduate law school advisor to ensure that they are meeting requirements and their GPA is competitive for graduate studies.
Students may apply to the Belmont graduate program after successfully completing a minimum of 99 semester credit hours as given in the curriculum matrix above.
Finish major requirements in the Major of Legal Studies
Finish general education requirements (B.A. or B.S.)
Create an account with the Law School Admissions Council’s Credential Assembly Service (LSAC CAS) early in your junior year and apply for a need-based fee waiver from LSAC (if relevant)
Provide information to the Director of Legal Studies for the assessment letter, including information on academic honors and awards, work experience, public service, significant achievements in extracurricular activities
Complete personal statement for law school application
Complete resume for law school application
Complete financial aid application (if relevant) for law school application and also research other scholarship/financial aid options
Contact the College of Law’s Admission Coordinator and complete law school application
An applicant must present a satisfactory score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). If taken multiple times, the highest score will be used.
Be in good standing with the university and “academic good standing.”

Students will be advised to take these additional calendared steps to prepare for the LSAT:

Take an LSAT prep course in August, November, or January of the Junior year
Take the LSAT exam in September, December, or February of the Junior year
Submit law school application online via the LSAC CAS on or before March 1st