Degree Requirements
Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree with this major
Major Requirements: 11 courses, 42-44 credits
Core Requirements (9 courses, 36 credits)
Elective Courses (2 courses, 6-8 credits)
Choose one from Elective Group 1:
Choose an additional course from Group 1 or one from Elective Group 2:
Note: Law majors cannot apply to the Paralegal Certificate program.
Residency Requirement Policy
In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.
Honors
To complete requirements for honors in the major, a candidate must:
- Graduate with a major GPA of 3.5 or higher
- Graduate with an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher
- Complete a major written assignment for a designated LAWU course using the honors contract system or an individually designed paper, supervised by a full-time Law program faculty member through independent study. Must receive a grade of A- or better on the paper.
- Present the research paper orally either:
- In the honorized course with the assent and discussion of the professor
- At the annual spring Political Science & Legal Studies Department Student Research Conference (typically held in April)
- CAS Honors Program students only: All CAS Honors Program students must comply with all requirements of the CAS Honors Program in order to receive honors in Law, including the requirement to present work from the senior honors experience at the Honors Symposium or Pecha Kucha event
To become a candidate for honors in the major, a student must:
CAS Honors Program students only: CAS Honors Program students who fulfill the above criteria are assumed to be candidates for departmental honors and should consult with a major advisor(s) during junior year about registering for major honors requirements as described above
All other students:
- Have a major GPA of 3.5 or higher
- Have an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher
- Have completed a minimum of 12 credits of LAWU coursework
- Apply to the honors coordinator before senior year
Law Major Learning Goals and Objectives
Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.
| Learning Goals |
Learning Objectives |
| Students will... |
Students will be able to... |
| Understand legal concepts |
- Communicate effectively orally and in writing
- Use critical thinking skills
- Be effective legal researchers |
| Understand ethical behavior in the workplace |
- Make ethical decisions in the workplace
- Appreciate importance of professional ethics and demonstrate understanding of code of ethics which apply to attorneys as well as paralegals |
| Understand legal analysis and research |
- Effectively use legal research tools, including technology
- Master new resources, including secondary authority, legislative histories, and administrative materials
- Understand legal analytic method |
| Understand legal procedure and the role of the paralegal in the American legal system |
- Analyze rules of precedent in substantive legal areas
- Apply legal principles to real life cases |