Explore how law shapes and is shaped by political, economic, and cultural forces.
The Bachelor of Arts program in Legal Studies in the College of Letters & Science provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to become familiar with legal ideas, legal institutions, and the legal process. It is designed to provide tools for reasoned appraisal of how the law works and of the policies that underlie it. The major is based firmly on the view that the study of law and justice has a rich humanistic tradition and that its pursuit can encourage sustained reflection on fundamental values.
Legal Studies is an interdisciplinary, liberal arts major in the College of Letters & Science but under the academic supervision of Berkeley Law faculty. Courses are taught by faculty with backgrounds in the humanities and social sciences as well as law, and deal with a wide variety of subjects, including philosophy of law, American legal history, non-western legal traditions, politics and law, the criminal justice process, property law, and economic regulation.
Highlights
- Get involved with the Berkeley Legal Studies Association.
- Gather evidence for advocacy, media, and legal accountability in the Human Rights Center Investigations Lab.
- Challenge yourself in the Legal Studies Honors Program.
Curriculum
The Legal Studies major course offerings examine law and legality from both humanist and empirical perspectives. Major prerequisites include one course each in statistics, philosophy, history, and social/behavioral sciences. Students must complete 30 units of upper division coursework, including four Core Legal Studies courses and four Distribution Requirements among five areas of study: I. Crime & Social Control, II. Law & Culture, III. Law & Markets, IV. Rights & Social Change, and V. Law & Sovereignty.
The program offers an optional capstone experience through the LEGALST 190 seminar, focusing on advanced research and analysis. Alternatively, students may pursue the honors program (LEGALST H195A and H195B), producing original scholarship under faculty supervision.
Learn more at jsp-ls.berkeley.edu/legal-studies
Advanced Studies
The Legal Studies major was not specifically designed to prepare students for law school (law schools recommend no specific major.) Many students who plan to go to law school choose Legal Studies as a field of liberal arts study. Our multidisciplinary approach exposes students to the great variety of human behavior and institutions, and helps students develop their ability to think and write clearly and to analyze arguments and complex concepts critically. Besides law school, students are encouraged to explore graduate programs in Legal Studies.
Declaring the Major
First-year students who are accepted to UC Berkeley are admitted to the College of Letters & Science as an undeclared student. To declare the Legal Studies major, you must:
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Have a 2.0 overall UC Berkeley GPA
-
Have completed at least two major prerequisites with an overall 2.0 GPA
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Submit an Application to the Major and essay to the Undergraduate Advisor
Transfer students (including those who selected Legal Studies on their undergraduate admissions application) should apply to the major by the end of their first semester at UC Berkeley.
Students in the Legal Studies major develop analytical, interpersonal, administrative, and critical thinking skills that are highly valued by employers and that are applicable to a wide variety of professions. Program graduates pursue careers in a wide range of fields such as law, communications, criminal justice, social services, and public policy, as well as a variety of roles, from web designer to probation officer to marketing consultant. A number of alumni also pursue graduate and law school following graduation.
UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying Legal Studies. The College of Letters & Science offers advising for undergraduates pursuing medical or health professions programs, law school, or masters and PhD programs. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Admissions Representative
- Attorney
- Business Analyst
- City Planner
- Claims Processor
- Consultant
- Content Review Analyst
- Criminal Justice Policy Researcher
- Legal Assistant
- Marketing Associate
- Paralegal
- Policy and Advocacy Manager
- Political Officer
- Program Manager
- Teacher
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- Business Administration
- Criminal Science
- Criminology, Law, and Society
- Education
- Jurisprudence and Social Policy
- Justice Studies
- Law
- Management Science
- Public Policy
Alejandra, class of 2018
Alejandra Colon graduated with degrees in Legal Studies and Rhetoric, and is an active member of the UC Berkeley Chicanx Latinx Alumni Association. She is involved with LEAP as well as LatinoJustice’s Next Generation Lideres program.
“I am constantly reminded of our collective desire as Cal Bears to make positive changes in our society and do it in a way that uplifts those around us. I truly feel that Cal Bears understand that we cannot just be ambitious for ourselves, but we must be ambitious for our communities, and do so in a way that honors the humanity of those around us.”
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Start exploring with L&S 1 and the L&S New Freshman Student Guide.
- Visit L&S Advising for help with major exploration and degree requirements.
- Familiarize yourself with the Legal Studies major and sample program plans; begin major prerequisites in statistics, philosophy, history, and social/behavioral science.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Join a student organization like the Berkeley Legal Studies Association.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out alumni stories on the Legal Studies website.
- Begin making a plan to get career ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Take LEGALST 100 Foundations of Legal Studies; continue exploring with a Sophomore Seminar or Big Ideas course.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see guidelines from the department.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as Public Policy or Human Rights.
- Verify you have completed all major prerequisites and declare the major.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events at the Center for the Study of Law and Society.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities from Legal Studies and OURS; apply to URAP to work on a faculty project (look for positions with the Human Rights Center Investigations Lab).
- Browse grants from the Center for Race and Gender and Institute for the Study of Societal Issues.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; consider the JusticeCorps Legal Access Internship.
- Browse graduate school resources from Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE; explore law school resources if pre-law.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on upper division requirements including Core and Area courses.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
- Consider applying to the Legal Studies Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars and SURF.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Get involved with the ASUC Renters’ Legal Assistance or Student Legal Clinic.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Look into the Human Rights Center Student Fellowship.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Take LEGALST 190 if doing the capstone experience.
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives.
- Enroll in LEGALST H195A and H195B if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to the California Legal Studies Journal or Berkeley Undergraduate Journal.
- If applicable, present your honors thesis at the Lauren Edelman Legal Studies Honors Research Conference.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Connect with alumni groups and events.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like LEGALST 138.
- Gain practical law and social services experience with the Access to Justice Summer Internship.
- Get hands-on research experience in the Othering & Belonging Institute Summer Fellowship.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Journalism or Race and the Law.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with L&S 198 Transitioning to Cal and the L&S New Transfer Student Guide.
- Familiarize yourself with the Legal Studies major and sample program plans.
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans; begin upper division coursework (Core and Area); check out the 190 seminars.
- Join Berkeley Connect for 1:1 mentoring and to meet peers with shared interests.
- Verify you have completed all major prerequisites and declare the major.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Join a student organization like the Berkeley Legal Studies Association.
- Connect with the Transfer Student Center or Re-entry Student Program.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Get academic help from the Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Attend events at the Center for the Study of Law and Society.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out alumni stories on the Legal Studies website.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Continue with upper division Core and Area courses; make sure to check out the 190 seminars.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see guidelines from the department.
- Explore new interests in a Berkeley Changemaker or DeCal course.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as Public Policy or Human Rights.
- Consider applying to the Legal Studies Honors Program; look into Haas Scholars and SURF.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Look into the Human Rights Center Student Fellowship.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities from Legal Studies and OURS; apply to URAP to work on a faculty project (look for positions with the Human Rights Center Investigations Lab).
- Browse grants from the Center for Race and Gender and Institute for the Study of Societal Issues.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields; consider the JusticeCorps Legal Access Internship.
- Browse graduate school resources from Legal Studies, Graduate Division, L&S Advising, and BCE; explore law school resources if pre-law.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on upper division Core and Area courses.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Intercampus Visitor Program.
- Enroll in LEGALST H195A if doing the honors program.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Transfer Student Center Leader.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Get involved with the ASUC Renters’ Legal Assistance or Student Legal Clinic.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs.
- Connect with alumni groups and events.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Take LEGALST 190 if doing the capstone experience.
- Finish all upper division coursework for your Core and Area requirements.
- Enroll in H195B and H195C if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Submit a course research project for the Library Prize, American Cultures Student Prize, or other awards.
- Get published! Submit your work to the California Legal Studies Journal or Berkeley Undergraduate Journal.
- If applicable, present your honors thesis at the Lauren Edelman Legal Studies Honors Research Conference.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services.
Summer
- Get ready for Berkeley with RHET 100 Writing at the University.
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like LEGALST 138.
- Gain practical law and social services experience with the Access to Justice Summer Internship.
- Get hands-on research experience in the Othering & Belonging Institute Summer Fellowship.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Journalism or Race and the Law.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about Legal Studies or the College of Letters & Science?
The Legal Studies Program provides comprehensive undergraduate major advising for current and prospective students. Students can meet with Undergraduate Advisors during drop-in hours to discuss major requirements, research opportunities, internships, study abroad options, and the major declaration process. For more information, visit jsp-ls.berkeley.edu/legal-studies-undergraduate-program/contact-legal-studies.
The College of Letters &Science helps students with non-major-specific academic topics, including major exploration, general program planning, finding campus resources, and pre-professional graduate programs. L&S College Advisors are available for in-person and virtual meetings. Visit lsadvising.berkeley.edu or email asklns@berkeley.edu.
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