Every semester, we provide this list of the amazing array of law-related and law-adjacent courses that might be of interest to students considering legal careers. Some of these courses are squarely focused on the law. Others are more in the nature of background learning that will help you more deeply understand the law and its place in our world. These 100+ courses can be found in 30 different departments across 9 different colleges and schools at the University—and this is not even including the courses offered at the other four colleges (which are not listed here). It’s not just that the law touches every aspect of our lives and your studies, but that every area of study can support your eventual legal career. So think broadly as you consider which courses to take while you’re here at UMass, and rest assured that you will find something of value in every class you take, even if it takes years to figure out just what it might be.
There is nothing you MUST do as an undergrad in order to prepare for law school – no required classes or majors, no magic extracurricular activities.
Study what you love, pursue what you find meaningful, explore your interests.
You’ll find pages of info on undergraduate preparation for law school right here.
Beyond studying what you love, the most important things you can do in the classroom to enhance your eventual application to law school are the following:- Learn how to be a good writer – take classes in which you’ll write a lot and get good feedback on your writing.
- Maintain a strong GPA. Studying what you love will make this much easier.
- Get to know your professors. They’re an amazing resource, and the more they know about you, the better their eventual letters of recommendation can be.
Enrolling in law-related classes is NOT a prerequisite for getting into law school, but it may help you decide if law is the right path for you.
The list below can help you sample law in the classroom. This is NOT a complete list of all courses that touch on or provide background for understanding legal issues, only those most directly related to law (and policy, often). It is also limited to those classes offered this Spring. This list also does NOT indicate availability – classes may be full (check SPIRE). If you’re really interested in a class that’s already full, reach out to the instructor to inquire whether an override of enrollment limits is possible.
This list is in addition to ALL of the courses in the Legal Studies and Public Policy majors. It is NOT the same as the list of law-related electives for the Legal Studies major.
Did we miss a class you think should be on this list? Please let us know.
General Education classes (GenEd designation in parentheses)
AFROAM 132 — African-American History 1619-1860 (DU HS)
AFROAM 236 — History of the Civil Rights Movement (DU HS)
ANIMLSCI 260 — Animal Care & Welfare (SI)
ANTHRO 205 – Power and Inequality in the US (DU SB)
ASIAN-ST 312 – Bridging Asia and Asian America (DG I)
ECON 121 – International Economy (DG SB)
EDUC 101 – Introduction to Education: Schooling in the United States (SB)
EDUC 115 — Embracing Diversity (DU I)
GEOGRAPH 110 – Introduction to Climate Science (PS)
HISTORY 150 — US History to 1876 (DU HS)
HISTORY 151 – US History since 1876 (HS)
HISTORY 170 – Indigenous Peoples of North America (DU HS)
HISTORY 242H – American Family in Historical Perspectives, Honors (DU HS)
HISTORY 264 – History of Health Care and Medicine in the U.S. (DU HS)
JOURNAL 250 – News Literacy (DU SB)
PHIL 105 – Practical Reasoning (R2)
PHIL 110 — Introduction to Logic (R2)
PHIL 160 — Introduction to Ethics (DU SB)
PHIL 163 – Business Ethics (AT)
PHIL 164 — Medical Ethics (SB)
PHIL 166 – Environmental Ethics (SB)
PHIL 170 — Problems in Social Thought (SB)
POLISCI 101 – American Politics (SB)
POLISCI 162 – Introduction to Constitutional Law (SB)
POLISCI 181 – Controversies in Public Policy (DU SB)
PUBHLTH 129 — Healthcare for All (DU SB)
PUBHLTH 389 – Health Inequities (DU SB)
SOCIOL 103 — Social Problems (DU SB)
SOCIOL 106 — Race, Gender, Class and Ethnicity (DU SB)
SOCIOL 204 – Labor & The Global Economy (SB)
SOCIOL 222 – The Family (DU SB)
SOCIOL 224 – Social Class and Inequality (DU SB)
SOCIOL 242 – Drugs & Society (DU SB)
SOCIOL 244 – Sociology of Immigration (SB)
SOCIOL 316 – Environment and Society (DU SB)
SPP 181 – Controversies in Public Policy (DU SB)
SPP 208 – Defending Democracy in a Digital World (SB)
SPP 280 – Public Policy (SB)
SRVCLRNG 192 – Self-Awareness, Social Justice and Service (DU SB)
SRVCLRNG 293 – Learning Through Community Engagement (DU SB)
SUSTCOMM 225 – Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Equity (DU SB)
WGSS 187 — Gender, Sexuality and Culture (DU I)
WGSS 220 – Sustainability, Gender, and the Global Environment (DG SB)
WGSS 250 – Introduction to Sexuality and Trans Studies (DG SB)
WGSS 286 – History of Sexuality and Race in the US (DG HS)
Upper-Level Classes (not Gen Eds)
Prerequisites may apply and/or courses may be restricted to declared majors. Really want to take a class you’re not eligible for? Reach out to the professor — the worst that can result from a polite inquiry is an equally polite “Sorry, no.” But you’ll never know if you don’t ask!
ACCOUNTG 371 – Individual Taxation
ACCOUNTG 441 – Auditing
ACCOUNTG 472 — Corporate Taxation
ACCOUNTG 483 – CPA Law
AEROSPAC 441 – National Security Affairs and Preparation for Active Duty I
ANTHRO 215 – Forensics: Myth and Reality
ART 390R – This is the Remix
BCT 353 – Construction Project Management
CLASSICS 290X – Roman Law and Society
COMM 122 – Introduction to Media Industries and Institutions
COMPSCI 363 – Computer Crime Law
COMPSCI 563 – Internet Law and Policy
ECON 311 – Money and Banking
ECON 330 — Labor in the American Economy
ECON 333 – Income Inequality and Policy Alternatives
ECON 343 – Economics of Gender, Race and Work
ECON 346 – African Americans in the U.S. Political Economy
ECON 394EI – Economics and Ethics
ECON 499C – Honors Thesis- Social Values and Public Decisions: Philosophical & Economic Perspectives
ENGLISH 494SI – Literature and Social Justice
ENVIRSCI 213 – Introduction to Environmental Policy
ENVIRSCI 494JI – Social Movements and Environmental Justice
GEOGRAPH 342 – Environmental Geography and Sustainability
GEOGRAPH 420 – Political Ecology
HISTORY 268 – Women and the Law: History of Sex and Gender Discrimination
HISTORY 286 – Palestine, 1948
HISTORY 375 – US Constitutional History II
HISTORY 378G – Rape Law: Gender, Race, (In)justice
HISTORY 394EI – Human Rights & Energy in Eurasia
HONORS 499CC – Honors Thesis- Debating Globalization
HONORS 499CG – Honors Thesis- American Struggles: Immigration and Mass Incarceration
HONORS 499CQ – Honors Thesis – Conquest by Law
HT-MGT 320 — Hospitality and Tourism Law
INFO 203 – A Networked World
JOURNAL 445 – Journalism & Law
MANAGMNT 314 – Human Resource Management
MANAGMNT 361 — Contracts in Business Relationships
POLISCI 356 – International Law
POLISCI 394GI – Global Justice
POLISCI 499CD – Honors Thesis – Health and Health Care Inequality in the US
PSYCH 391CK – Seminar- Cultural Psychology and Social Issues
PUBHLTH 499N – Honors Project- Public Policy and Citizen Action
RES-ECON 363 – The Economics of Water Policy
RES-ECON 453 – Public Policy in Private Markets
SCH-MGMT 260 — Intro to Law
SCH-MGMT 333 – Principles of Real Estate
SCH-MGMT 350 – Professional Ethics in Contemporary Society
SOCIOL 241 – Criminology
SOCIOL 248 – Conformity and Deviance
SOCIOL 323 – Sociology of Law
SOCIOL 329 – Social Movements
SOCIOL 340 – Probation & Parole
SOCIOL 341 – Social Welfare
SOCIOL 346 – Communities & Crime
SOCIOL 349 – Race, Class, and Crime
SOCIOL 461 – Seminar on Race and Racism
SPP 590STF – Human Rights and Public Administration
SPRTMGT 335 — Sport Law
STOCKSCH 356 – Food Justice and Policy
WGSS 201 – Gender and Difference: Critical Analyses
WGSS 230 – Politics of Reproduction
WGSS 320 – Rape and Representation
WGSS 392W – Practicum-Teaching and Learning in Carceral Spaces
WGSS 393M – Seminar- Everything to Expect when You’re Expecting: Confronting Pregnancy Loss
WGSS 395R – Seminar- Social Reproduction: Class, Race, Gender and Labor
