Insight into society’s significant issues
Learn to skillfully engage in justice, law, politics and advocacy.
Law & Justice Major
How does the American legal system function? What is justice and how is it connected to political ideas and legal institutions? The law and justice major offers you an opportunity to engage these and other questions that are vital for members of a democratic society.
What Will I Learn?
You will develop the skills in critical thinking, clear and analytical thinking necessary for engaging with significant issues in society and for exercising informed citizenship. You’ll take courses in fields such as constitutional law and judicial politics, political thought, and international law and justice; engage in interdisciplinary study; develop research and writing skills; and complete independent research, culminating in one of two specialized senior seminars.
Law and justice is an interdisciplinary program, providing depth in the study of law and political thought in political science and breadth in its inclusion of courses from across the college. We’ll help you build a curated set of electives in anthropology, criminal justice, English, gender and women’s studies, history, philosophy, and sociology. The set you choose will feature courses that will allow you to easily double-major or add a minor in another area of study.
What is Unique About Our Program?
Our major is the first of its kind in SUNY. Besides getting ready for your future work environment through professional development courses, you will gain a well-rounded education through liberal arts courses — setting you apart from other graduates.
You’ll have the opportunity to complete internships in local, state, and federal government, study internationally or in Washington, D.C., design an independent study, serve as a teaching assistant, and more. Through SUNY partner programs, internships may be available at the White House, Supreme Court, Senate, House of Representatives, and all of the cabinet departments and other executive-branch agencies; foreign embassies; nonprofit NGOs; trade organizations; policy think tanks; media organizations; party organizations; and on political campaigns.
What Are My Career Opportunities?
The versatility of the law and justice major opens a path to careers in law, politics and government, public service, social justice, activism and advocacy. It is also prepares you for graduate study in law, nonprofit management, public administration and public policy, politics and government, business, and other fields.