Legal Studies

Welcome to the Legal Studies Program at UMass! We are the oldest undergraduate law and society major in the country and the only one offered at a public university in New England. Students majoring in Legal Studies are exposed to a wide array of courses that focus on the interrelationship between law, politics, and society in American, foreign, and international contexts. Our faculty are some of the best teachers and researchers in the nation and are experts on areas like human trafficking, judicial decision making, immigration, legal policymaking, alternative dispute resolution, the right to privacy, transitional justice, and many others.

Undergraduate program options include a Bachelor’s degree and letters of specialization.

Welcome to Undergraduate Advising & Support

We’ve built this webpage to serve as a dynamic hub for semester updates, event information, and useful advising links. The colorful buttons above offer quick links to the Political Science department website where a wealth of detailed information about the Legal Studies program is housed. Other buttons can connect you to academic, experiential, and career supports. If you have time, it’s worth exploring all of pages of this SBS Pathways website as your interests develop and change. We hope it will play an active role in your student success.

SBS LEAD (Linking Employment to Academic Development) Internship Programs at Charles River

STUDY & INTERN IN BOSTON SPRING 2027: APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! 

Want to jump start your career in law, government, advocacy, social work, or community organizing?

Apply to the SBS Linking Employment to Academic Development (LEAD) Programs …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Exec. Director of Career and Professional Development, SBS
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Applications for UMass Women into Leadership (UWiL) are now open

Have you considered a career in public service? Are you interested in learning more about leadership? Do you want to gain hands-on experience, expand your professional network, and jump-start your career? Apply now to join UMass Women into Leadership (UWiL)! 

…

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Exec. Director of Career and Professional Development, SBS
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Closed. Next round starts Oct. 5. See Propel website for more info. Fall Undergrad Research Opps for SBS Majors – deadline Aug. 23 (don’t wait til then!)

The Propel program of the UMass Office of Undergraduate Research (OURS) has opened the applications for fall semester research assistantships. Sunday, August 23rd is the deadline to apply for this cycle of opportunities. Listed below are a variety of research …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Exec. Director of Career and Professional Development, SBS
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Explore occupations by career categories and pathways and use real time labor market data to power your decision making.

Type in a keyword to select a relevant occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

Explore Outcomes

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students. The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2025 was 71%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

The SBS Office of Career & Professional Development annually surveys graduating seniors in order to provide a snapshot of their post-graduation plans.  The survey begins just prior to graduation, and continues until six months after graduation.  Our data collection process is guided by the industry standard put forth by the National Association of Colleges & Employers, and includes information collected by the SBS Office of Career & Professional Development, the Office of Institutional Research at UMass Amherst, and by various academic departments, as well as from information that is made publicly available by students. The SBS undergraduate outcomes knowledge rate for 2025 was 71%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

  • First Destination
  • Top Employers
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  • Job Titles
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  • Fields of Study

First Destination

SBS graduates pursue a range of plans after graduation, including employment, continuing education, and volunteering/service, among others.  This graph depicts what recent SBS graduates tell us they are doing within six months after graduation.

Featured Alumni

Annaly Monteiro-Serena’19, Legal Studies

Alumni
  • Boston, MA
  • Senior Homeownership Programs Coordinator MHP (Massachusetts Housing Partnership)
Meet Annaly

Gil Kim’23, Legal Studies

Alumni
  • English Teacher EPIK (English Program in Korea)
Meet Gil

Gabriella Galluzzo’23 Legal Studies

Alumni
  • New York
  • Paralegal Slater Slater Schulman LLP
Meet Gabriella
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Featured Resources

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Skill-Building With Linkedin Learning Classes

See below for skill-building classes – visit LinkedIn Learning for more.

Learning Data Science: Understanding the Basics

Taught by Doug Rose
Many of the people who work on data science teams won’t be data scientists. They’ll be the managers and associates…
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Relevant Courses

SBS Pathways Careers Courses

SBS Pathways Careers Courses SOC BEHAV 250: College to CareersSOC BEHAV 490C: Pathways to Career Success SOC BEHAV 490C: Pathways…
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Research Opportunities

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