2014-2015 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Legal Education Admission Program (LEAP), Political Science

• MSU Law Requirements for LEAP with Political Science
• LEAP Admission Requirements
• Sample Curriculum

The Legal Education Admission Program (LEAP) provides an opportunity for Grand Valley State University's political science undergraduate students to earn both a bachelor's degree and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in about six years of full-time study (three years of political science studies plus three years of legal studies). The program was developed by Grand Valley State University's Political Science department and Michigan State University College of Law (MSU Law).

Students accepted into the program may combine their last year of political science undergraduate work at Grand Valley State University with their first year of law school at MSU Law, thereby saving a year in both time and money. Interested students complete a minimum of 91 credits comprising the required undergraduate courses in their first three years of study at Grand Valley State University. This includes all university-level requirements as well as the requirements for the political science major. Upon admission to the law school, PLS students complete their undergraduate electives with law school courses. Up to 29 credits of MSU Law work in which the student earned a 2.0 or above will be accepted. The BS/BA will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the number of credits and requirements necessary for the undergraduate program. It is anticipated that MSU Law will admit up to five Grand Valley State University PLS LEAP students per year.

Interested students may apply to LEAP after they have accumulated 30 credits or more with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students planning to apply to MSU Law under LEAP should plan to take the LSAT in the summer before their junior year, or in September of their junior year, and must not apply to MSU Law later than March 1 of their junior year. Applicants must also register with the LSDAS.

MSU Law Requirements for LEAP with Political Science

1. Complete at least 91 credits at GVSU
2. Complete all GVSU university-level requirements
3. Complete all GVSU PLS major and cognate requirements
4. GPA of 3.6 or above
5. LSAT score of 156 or above
6. Any other current MSU Law requirements

LEAP Admission Requirements

1. Matriculate as a first-year student at GVSU
2. Political Science Major (There are other LEAP programs for Legal Studies and Business majors.)
3. Accumulate at least 30 credits
4. GPA of 3.5 or above
5. To apply, send an e-mail to Professor Richards ([email protected]) with your: name, major(s), current GPA and number of credits, e-mail address, and phone number

Sample Curriculum

First Year:

• A writing skills course
• One or two humanities/arts general education courses
• One or two science general education courses
• Electives (or foreign language)
• One PLS course at 200 level
• PLS 102 - American Government and Politics (3 credits)
  AND
• PLS 103 - Issues in World Politics (3 credits)

Second Year:

• Three or four PLS courses at 200-300 level
• One or two general education courses
• Electives (or foreign language)
• Additional writing skills if needed
• PLS 300 - Political Analysis (3 credits)
  AND
• STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics (3 credits)
  (B.S. Majors)

Third Year:

• Two or three political science courses at 200-300 level
• Completion of general education courses
• PLS internship
• PLS Capstone
• PLS 315 - International Political Economy (3 credits)
  OR
• PLS 341 - Elections and Voting Behavior (3 credits)

Click here for the program description.