A minor in law studies consists of 18 credit hours in law studies courses including the following required courses:
Bachelor of Science in Law Studies
Law Studies creates firm foundation for those students who plan to attend law school.
About this Program
The Law Studies Degree at The University of Mississippi serves as a firm foundation for students who plan to attend law school.
Law Studies Majors prepare for the fast-paced and rapidly growing paralegal career field, honing the skills and attributes employers are looking for.
On this Page…
Program Information
Program Type
Major
Minor
Area of Study
Social Sciences, Law, and Policy
School
Duration
8 semesters
Degree
B.S.L.S. in Law Studies
Emphases
B.S.L.S. 3+3 Accelerated Law;
B.S.L.S. Law Studies
Required Credit Hours
42 hours
Degree Requirements
The law studies program is designed for the student who wishes to pursue a career as a paralegal or legal assistant.
MINIMUM TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 120
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
See the General Education Core Curriculum for the School of Applied Sciences. Students in the law studies major are allowed to take Math 120 to fulfill the College Algebra math requirement. Law studies students are also allowed to take CJ 202 in order to fulfill their statistics requirement.
An additional 3 hours is required in the following related subject: Pol 101 (3 hours).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The B.S. in law studies degree requires the following 30 semester hours of LA courses:
- LA 102 Ethics in the Legal Environment
- LA 103 Logic and Critical Analysis in Legal Reasoning
- LA 104 Public Speaking in the Legal Environment
- LA 201 Introduction to Law
- LA 202 Law Office Environment
- LA 204 Legal Research/Writing I
- LA 205 Legal Research/Writing II
- LA 303 Civil Litigation I
- LA 304 Civil Litigation II
- LA 305 Criminal Law and Procedure
OTHER ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
For majors in this field, a minimum grade-point average of 2.5 must be maintained on all law studies coursework.
Emphasis - Accelerated Law (3+3)
DESCRIPTION
Under this emphasis, the student’s fourth-year requirements are satisfied by successfully completing first-year law school classes at the University of Mississippi School of Law. The student must meet the School of Law’s requirements for admittance to this special program, which are established each year based on the previous year’s data on the grade-point averages and (Law School Admission Test) scores for students admitted to the School of Law. A student who chooses this emphasis but does not meet those requirements must switch to one of the other emphases. No minor is required for this emphasis, but students will be encouraged to develop a minor-like concentration so they do not get caught short in the event they have to switch to the other emphasis, which requires a minor.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the 30-hour law studies core, students who select the paralegal emphasis must complete the following 12 hours of LA coursework:
- LA 490: Advanced Seminar in Legal Studies
- LA 491: Advanced Studies in Law
- LA 392: Law School Prep Seminar
- LA electives (3 hours)
The remaining courses will be completed after admission to the UM School of Law:
- Law 501:Contracts
- Law 502: Torts
- Law 503: Civil Procedure I
- Law 504: Property
- Law 507: Constitutional Law I
- Law 514: Legal Research & Writing I
- Law 515: Legal Research & Writing II
- Law 568: Criminal Law
- Law 577: Civil Procedure II
- Law 590: Contract Negotiation & Drafting
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
The academic regulations for this degree program, as entered in the University of Mississippi Catalog, are in effect for the current or selected academic year and semester. The University of Mississippi reserves the right to 1) change or withdraw courses; 2) change rules for registration, instruction, and graduation; and 3) change other regulations affecting the student body at any time.
The legal studies program with a paralegal emphasis is designed for the student who wishes to pursue a career as a paralegal or legal assistant.
MINIMUM TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 120
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
See the General Education Core Curriculum for the School of Applied Sciences. Students in the law studies major are allowed to take Math 120 Quantitative Reasoning to fulfill the College Algebra math requirement. Law studies students are also allowed to take CJ 202 Statistics in Criminal Justice in order to fulfill their statistics requirement.
An additional 3 hours is required in the following related subject: Pol 101 Introduction to American Politics.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The B.S. in law studies degree requires the following 30 semester hours of LA courses:
- LA 102: Ethics in the Legal Environment
- LA 103: Logic and Critical Analysis in Legal Reasoning
- LA 104: Public Speaking in the Legal Environment
- LA 201: Introduction to Law
- LA 202: Law Office Environment
- LA 204: Legal Research/Writing I
- LA 205: Legal Research/Writing II
- LA 303: Civil Litigation I
- LA 304:Civil Litigation II
- LA 305: Criminal Law and Procedure
OTHER ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
For majors in this field, a minimum grade-point average of 2.5 must be maintained on all law studies coursework.
Emphasis - Law Studies
DESCRIPTION
The paralegal emphasis will provide students with the experiences, knowledge, and skills for careers as paralegals.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the 30-hour law studies core, students who select the paralegal emphasis must complete the following 24 hours of LA coursework:
- LA 440: Issues in Access to Justice
- LA 490: Advanced Seminar in Legal Studies
- LA electives (18 hours). LA 495: Internship is strongly recommended.
OTHER ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
All students in the paralegal emphasis must choose a minor. The legal studies minor will not be allowed for paralegal studies majors.
General electives may be needed to meet the degree requirement of 120 college credit hours.
The Department of Criminal Justice & Legal Studies offers an accelerated bachelor’s/master’s program for law studies majors currently admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (B.S.C.J.). This program offers our outstanding, advanced undergraduate students the opportunity to begin earning credit towards their graduate degree while they complete the final requirements for the undergraduate degree.
How many credit hours can I take towards a graduate degree while completing my undergraduate studies?
12 credits. Students can take up to 2 graduate level courses per semester during their senior year.
What graduate courses can I take while in the 4+1 program?
- CJ 600: Criminal Justice Administration
- CJ 601: Criminal Justice Statistics
- CJ 602: Criminal Justice Research Methods
- CJ 624: Theories of Criminal Behavior
- CJ 620: Criminal Justice in American Society: Policy & Practice
- CJ 621: Seminar in Law Enforcement
- CJ 622: Seminar in Courts and Sentencing
- CJ 623: Seminar in Corrections
- CJ 641: Transnational Crime
What are the eligibility requirements?
Students will typically apply to the 4+1 program during their final semester of their junior year to start taking graduate level classes in their senior year of undergraduate studies. Students are welcome to apply as long as they have at least one semester of undergraduate coursework remaining.
Students interested in pursuing the 4+1 accelerated degree program, must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Be a Criminal Justice major
- Must have completed 90 credit hours of undergraduate coursework completed
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
- Completion of Criminal Justice Communications (CJ 322) or Advanced Composition (Writ 250) (or equivalent writing course) with a minimum grade of B.
How do I get admitted to the 4+1 program?
Interested students should first meet with the graduate program advisor, Dr. Kimberly Kaiser and the undergraduate advisor, Ms. Susan Tyler, to review their eligibility for the program.
Students must be accepted into a Launch PAAD and complete the requisite GradSHARK Launch PAAD Application Form for the Graduate School (the form requires approval from your undergraduate advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator for the area of graduate study you intend to pursue). After the student is accepted into the Launch PAAD, the student will need to complete the GradSHARK Launch PAAD Course Enrollment Form each term (students will not officially be registered for graduate courses until this form is complete).
For more information about participation in the GradSHARK Launch PAAD, guidelines, financial aid and available areas of study, please see the GradSHARK Launch PAAD homepage.
Students must also take 2 additional LA courses at the 300 level or above.
A minimum grade of C- is required in all courses for the minor. Criminal Justice majors can minor in Law Studies.
What does Law Studies look like in the job market?
Median income for Paralegal in 2022.
Median income for Jury Consultants in 2022.
Median income for Legal Secretaries in 2022.
Jobs for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists in 2022.
What jobs can you get with a law studies degree?
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Court Reporter
- Legal Process Server
- Paralegal
- Legal Assistant
- Jury Consultant
- Law Librarian
- Mediator
Stay up to date with Law Studies at UM
Follow us on Instagram to stay in the know.
View this profile on Instagram
We're here for you!
We are here to answer any questions you may have about a degree in Law Studies.
Susan Tyler
Academic Advisor, Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
Apply to the University of Mississippi
Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?