2023-2024 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies
Students seeking a bachelor's degree in legal studies must complete the general education requirements of the university. Students must also meet the degree requirements i.e., third-semester proficiency in a foreign language to earn a B.A. for legal studies, or CIS 150, CJ 300, and STA 215 to earn a B.S. The bachelor's degrees in legal studies are approved by the American Bar Association.
Although most courses taken at other colleges and universities may be accepted for full credit, only a limited number will be counted toward the major. Students must take at least two-thirds of the credits constituting the major at Grand Valley. In addition, at least nine credits of legal specialty courses must be taken through traditional classroom instruction.
Requirements
A minimum of 36 credit hours is required. All majors must take the following core courses:
- LS 101 - Law in our Lives (3 credits)
- LS 224 - Legal Research (3 credits)
- LS 324 - Legal Writing (3 credits)
- LS 226 - Civil Litigation I (3 credits)
- LS 320 - Property and Probate Law (3 credits)
- LS 322 - Commercial Law (3 credits)
- LS 428 - Civil Litigation II (3 credits)
- LS 490 - Legal Studies Internship (1 to 6 credits)
- LS 495 - Legal Thought (Capstone) (3 credits)
In addition, all majors must take:
- CIS 150 - Introduction to Computing (3 credits) included as part of degree requirement for B.S. degree
AND two of the following courses for B.A. candidates or three of the following courses for B.S. candidates:
- CJ 302 - Criminal Law (3 credits)
- CJ 305 - Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties (3 credits)
- LS 350 - Family Law (3 credits)
- LS 370 - Women and the Law (3 credits)
- LS 380 - Special Topics in Legal Studies (1 to 4 credits)
- LS 399 - Independent Reading in Legal Studies (1 to 3 credits)
- LS 499 - Independent Study and Research (1 to 3 credits)
- MGT 334 - Employment and Labor Law (3 credits)
- PLS 307 - American Constitutional Law II (3 credits)
Suggested Order of Coursework
Please visit the website of the College of Education and Community Innovation Advising Center at gvsu.edu/ccpsadvising for a four-year curriculum plan for the legal studies major. Taking courses in the sequence recommended in the curriculum plan for legal studies will help you avoid delays in completing the legal studies degree.