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.

Legal 298C: Citizen’s Police Academy

Open seats for Fall 2022!

This practicum course is a collaboration between the University of Massachusetts Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy and the Legal Studies program.  The Citizen’s Police Academy is a combination of in-class lectures and hands-on experiences through …

By Adrian Grace
Adrian Grace Director of Undergraduate Advising
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Seniors: What’s next for you?

SBS Seniors – congratulations on your upcoming graduation!  YOU DID IT!  What an accomplishment!  Now it’s time to tell us – what are your plans?

Are you still figuring it out? Let us know!

Have you been accepted to grad …

By Carol Sharick
Carol Sharick Director of Career and Professional Development for Undergraduates, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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Jump start your personal career journey…….. and get credit!

This class is unique because it is all about YOU. Everything you do in this class will benefit YOU in the present and the future.  You will learn about yourself and how to articulate YOUR STORIES and experiences to others.

By Karen Miller
Karen Miller Lecturer
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Featured Alumni

Featured Resources

Skill-Building With Linkedin Learning Classes

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

Relevant Courses

Research Opportunities

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 2022 was 70%, 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 2022 was 70%, though knowledge rate varies among departments.

  • First Destination
  • Top Employers
  • Starting Salary
  • Job Titles
  • Employment Locations
  • Top Universities
  • Degree Types
  • 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.