The Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence, Law and Society provides a solid foundation for students aspiring to law school and other graduate study, as well as for work in many other careers that require analytic, conceptual, and communications skills. It provides an opportunity for the interdisciplinary study of law in the liberal arts. The major in Jurisprudence represents the confluence of law, theories of justice, humanistic studies and social issues.
Through this major, undergraduate students at Montclair State University have the opportunity to acquire the fundamental knowledge essential to understanding legal institutions and processes. Students in the major develop intellectual skills necessary to evaluate policies, practices, and philosophies within the context of nation and legal systems.
The major draws its essence from a core of Jurisprudence courses, while at the same time building upon the liberal arts focus of discipline-based courses at the university. The capstone experience of the major is a rigorous Senior Research Seminar. This two part, year-long course involves intensive research and writing in a seminar setting. Students prepare a scholarly interdisciplinary, law related, research paper, developed in consultation with a faculty advisor and designed to enhance the student's understanding of the field. Many law schools find the Senior Seminar particularly advantageous in student preparation.
Program objectives include:
- To sharpen skills as readers and thinkers, as interpreters of culture, and as citizens.
- To advance the ability to test ethical arguments and textual understandings in contexts where decisions must be made.
- To understand legal materials, by further developing students interpretive and analytical skills.
- To study the role of law in the liberal arts by inviting an examination of a wide range of critical questions about people and the ways they live together, to raise issues traditionally linked to liberal inquiry.
- To participate in a rigorous two-semester Capstone Research Seminar which encompasses intellectual preparation for thinking processes, expands the knowledge base and enhances preparation for law-related study.
In addition to the general criteria for admission to Montclair State University, all students must apply to and be admitted into Jurisprudence, Law and Society major. For entry into the program students must meet one of the following criteria:
- Top twenty percent of high school graduating class.
- An overall minimum GPA of 3.0 at the completion of a minimum of 24 credits at Montclair State University or transfer institution.
- An overall minimum GPA of 3.0 in the student's first three courses in the Jurisprudence major.
Program Requirements Overview
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
General Education Requirements | 42 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-9 | |
Major Requirements | 33 | |
Free Electives | 42-36 | |
Total Credits | 120 |
Major Requirements
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Major Requirements | ||
JURI 210 | Perspectives on Law | 3 |
or LAWS 200 | Introduction to Law | |
JURI 300 | Essentials of Jurisprudence | 3 |
JURI 324 | Legal Reasoning | 3 |
or PHIL 324 | Legal Reasoning | |
JURI 495 | Senior Research and Writing Seminar in Jurisprudence I | 3 |
JURI 496 | Senior Research and Writing Seminar in Jurisprudence II | 3 |
LAWS 302 | Legal Research | 3 |
Major Electives | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Feminist Jurisprudence | ||
Human Rights Law | ||
Special Topics in Jurisprudence (May be taken twice for credit) | ||
Legal Writing | ||
American Government and Politics | ||
Law in Society: Civil Law | ||
Law in Society: Criminal Law | ||
American Constitutional Law: The Federal System | ||
American Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties | ||
Animal Rights: Law, Politics and Culture | ||
U.S. Immigration: Law and Politics | ||
Comparative Legal Perspectives: Israel and the United States | ||
Intelligence and National Security | ||
Politics and Morality of War | ||
International Law | ||
Globalization and Security | ||
Other Major Electives | ||
Philosophy Elective | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Ethics | ||
Logic | ||
Philosophical Issues in Law and Justice | ||
Critical Reasoning and Arguments | ||
Philosophy of Law | ||
Additional Elective I | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Creative Nonfiction | ||
Style and Editing | ||
English Vocabulary: Classical Roots | ||
General Humanities II (from 1400) | ||
Roman Civilization | ||
Seminar in Law and Literature | ||
Language of Propaganda | ||
Additional Elective II | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Forensic Interviewing of Children | ||
Social History of the United States | ||
Political History of the United States | ||
Cultural and Intellectual History of the United States Since 1880 | ||
Pre-Law Internship | ||
American Political Thought | ||
The American Congress | ||
American Public Policy | ||
Forensic Psychology | ||
Sociology of Law | ||
Total Credits | 33 |
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
A. New Student Seminar | ||
Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar | 1 | |
C. Communication | ||
1. Writing | 3 | |
2. Literature | 3 | |
3. Communication | 3 | |
D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
F. Humanities | ||
1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
G. Computer Science | ||
Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
H. Mathematics | ||
Complete a 3 credit Mathematics course. | 3 | |
I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course. | 4 | |
J. Physical Education | ||
Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
K. Social Science | ||
1. American and European History | 3 | |
2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
3. Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
Total Credits | 42 |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
World Languages | ||
Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. | 3-6 | |
World Cultures | ||
Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. | 0-3 | |
Total Credits | 3-9 |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This recommended four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar | 1 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (H) Mathematics | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (K3) Social Science – Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
World Language 1 | 3 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (G) Computer Science | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (K1) Social Science – American and European History | 3 | |
JURI 210 or LAWS 200 |
Perspectives on Law or Introduction to Law |
3 |
World Language 2 | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Second Year | ||
Fall | ||
GENERAL EDUCATION: (D) Fine and Performing Arts | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (F1) Humanities – Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (K2) Social Science – Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
LAWS 302 | Legal Research | 3 |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
GENERAL EDUCATION: (F2) Humanities – Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
GENERAL EDUCATION: (I) Natural Science Laboratory | 4 | |
World Cultures | 3 | |
JURI 300 | Essentials of Jurisprudence | 3 |
Major Department Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Third Year | ||
Fall | ||
GENERAL EDUCATION: (L) Interdisciplinary Studies | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
JURI 324 | Legal Reasoning | 3 |
Major Department Elective | 3 | |
Major Elective | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Spring | ||
Major Elective | 3 | |
Major Elective | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Credits | 15 | |
Fourth Year | ||
Fall | ||
GENERAL EDUCATION: (J) Physical Education | 1 | |
JURI 495 | Senior Research and Writing Seminar in Jurisprudence I | 3 |
LAWS 497 | Pre-Law Internship | 4 |
Major Elective | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 2 | |
Credits | 16 | |
Spring | ||
JURI 496 | Senior Research and Writing Seminar in Jurisprudence II | 3 |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Free Elective/Minor Course | 3 | |
Credits | 12 | |
Total Credits | 120 |