Expanded Pre-Law Classes

Our pre-law classes are often 20-50-person, hands-on, seminar-style classes that expose students to legal writing (e.g. crafting memos), reasoning (e.g. synthesizing and digesting case law), and oral advocacy (e.g. mock arguments). These courses also integrate attorneys into the classroom as guest lecturers, coaches, and mentors.

Course Offerings:

POLI 104A. The Supreme Court and the Constitution: An introduction to the study of the Supreme Court and constitutional doctrine. Topics will include the nature of judicial review, federalism, race, and equal protection. The relation of judicial and legislative power will also be examined.
POLI 104B. Civil Liberties-Fundamental Rights: This course will examine issues of civil liberties from both legal and political perspectives. Topics will include the First Amendment rights of speech, press, assembly, and religion; other "fundamental" rights, such as the right to privacy; and some issues in equal protection. Conflicts between governmental powers and individual rights will be examined.
POLI 104C. Civil Liberties-The Rights of Accused and Minorities: Examines the legal issues surrounding the rights of "marginal" groups such as aliens, illegal immigrants, and the mentally ill. Also includes a discussion of the nature of discrimination in American society.
POLI 104D. Judicial Politics: This is an introduction to the study of law and courts as political institutions and judges as political actors, including the role of the judiciary in our constitutional system and decision making both within the Supreme Court and within the judicial hierarchy.
POLI 104E. Environmental Law and Policy: The course is an introduction to U.S. environmental law at the federal level. It emphasizes issues and current controversies involving natural resources, such as wilderness, biodiversity, water, and climate change.
POLI 104F. Seminar in Constitutional Law: This seminar will provide an intensive examination of a major issue in constitutional law, with topics varying from year to year. Recent topics have included equal protection law and the rights of civilians in wartime. Students will be required to do legal research on a topic, write a legal brief, and argue a case to the seminar. Prerequisites: POLI 104A/B; department stamp.
POLI 104G. Election Law: A detailed analysis of the legislative and judicial history of election related topics including registration laws, election administration, candidate requirements, voting rights, party organizational rules, nomination procedures, redistricting, and campaign finance.
POLI 104I. Law and Politics-Courts and Political Controversy: This course will examine the role of the courts in dealing with issues of great political controversy, with attention to the rights of speech and assembly during wartime, questions of internal security, and the expression of controversial views on race and religion. The conflict between opposing Supreme Court doctrines on these issues will be explored in the context of the case studies drawn from different historical periods.
POLI 104J. Introduction to Legal Reasoning: the building-blocks of legal writing and reasoning. Students learn basic legal analysis, making and supporting a position, as well as legal skills like crafting intra-office memos. For the final, students demonstrate the rudiments of legal research by presenting contemporary legal reasoning on key issues. Prerequisite: POLI 104A or 104B.
POLI 104K. Legal Argument Formulation: Students are given an appellate court case and taught the legal analysis skills necessary to succeed in court. Legal professionals and alumni coach students in the classroom, helping them write briefs and to prepare for their final: a simulated oral argument where they present in front of a panel of mock judges. Prerequisite: POLI 104J.
POLI 104L. Positive Political Theory of Law: We will discuss modern theories of the origins of law and legal behavior.
POLI 104M. Law and Sex: Survey course which will review numerous ways in which the law regulates and impacts sexuality and orientation. The course will focus on constitutional law in the areas of privacy, free speech, and association, the regulation of sexual conduct under criminal law, pornography, procreation, reproductive rights, and the regulation of family status.
POLI 104N. Race and Law: Has the law helped end or contributed to racism in the United States? This course will explore the law of Slavery, Segregation, and Immigration, and studying Equal Protection, Affirmative Action, and Criminal Justice (including hate crimes and First Amendment implications).
POLI 104P. Science, Technology and the Law: Science and technology advance rapidly. The law is slow to catch-up. Retired judge, Michael Orfield ’72, presents various case studies (e.g. driverless cars) and students lead arguments in favor and against.
POLI 104T. Survey in Evidence, Civil Procedure, and Criminal Law: This course offers a survey of criminal law, civil procedure, and evidence law. The course will use a text with both a civil case file and a criminal case file, where students will be assigned to be the state/plaintiff in one matter and the defendant in the other. Each class will have students arguing as if they were in the courtroom setting to teach the rules of civil procedure, rules of evidence, and criminal law.
POLI 104U. Introduction to Business Law (4): This course aims to introduce students to popular topics in business law. Structured as a survey course, this course will introduce students to the nature of business entities, contract formation, drafting, and negotiations, negligence and torts, as well as topics in intellectual property and employment law. The course will be structured as a lecture course, but will also provide students with ample opportunity for hands-on interactive practice.

POLI 104V. Public Law: Special Topics (4): This course is an opportunity for students to engage with and examine various topics on the theory, practice, and application of law. The content will vary according to recent developments in the field, as well as the particular research interests of the instructor.

Political Science - Public Law Major

As one of the Department's more popular majors, these courses allow students in the major to gain relevant academic knowledge and practical skills associated with the legal profession well before they enroll in a law program. Learn more about the major and it's requirements here.

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