Undergraduate Minor in Law and Society
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
Website: https://coss.fsu.edu/iss/law-and-society
Director: Lisa Turner de Vera
The Program in Law and Society offers an interdisciplinary study of the interaction of law and legal institutions and contemporary society. It is designed to provide an appreciation and recognition of the impact of law and legal institutions on society and the ways law is shaped by the values, behavior, and organization of social, economic, and political systems. Courses from the Departments of Economics, Geography, Political Science, Urban and Regional Planning, and Sociology, as well as the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy, are included. Students may minor in law and society or select a major concentration in law and society through the interdisciplinary social science major. The Program in Law and Society is appropriate for a variety of educational and occupational goals because it provides an introduction to the links between law and other human activity and serves as a broad liberal education in the social sciences. Although prelaw students may enroll in law and society, the program is not a prelaw or pre-professional program, and a minor or major concentration in law and society is not offered as preparation for law school.
Digital Literacy Requirement
Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:
- Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
- Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
- Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
- Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
- Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
- Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically
Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement.
Undergraduate majors in the law and society concentration in the Interdisciplinary Program in Social Science satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in CGS 2060 or CGS 2100.
Requirements for a Minor in Law and Society
A minor in Law and Society shall consist of at least five courses from the designated Law and Society curriculum. Students are required to include Introduction to Law and Society (POS 3691) and either Sociology of Law (SYP 3540), Economics and the Law (ECP 3451), or Legal and Administrative Issues in America (PAD 4604) as two of the five courses. The remaining courses come from the list of approved courses.
Approved Courses
The following courses have been approved for the law and society program. In addition to the required courses, students shall select remaining courses for the law and society minor. Descriptions of the following courses can be found under the individual departments in which they are taught.
Economics
ECO 4504 Public Sector Economics (3)
ECO 4554 Economics of State and Local Government (3)
ECP 3302 Economics of Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment (3)
ECP 3403 Business Organization and Market Structure (3)
ECP 3451 Economics and the Law (3)
ECP 4413 Government Regulation of Business (3)
Geography
GEO 4340 Living in a Hazardous Environment (3)
GEO 4357 Environmental Conflict and Economic Development (3)
GEO 4372 Natural Resources Assessment and Analysis (3)
Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
ISS 4164 Intersections, Power, and Policy
ISS 4159 Perspectives on Race, Ethnicity and Equality
Political Science
CPO 3123 Comparative Government and Politics: Great Britain (3)
INR 4075 International Human Rights (3)
POS 3122 State Politics (3)
POS 3691 Law and Society (3)
POS 4284 Courts, Law, and Politics (3)
POS 4413 The American Presidency (3)
POS 4424 Legislative Systems (3)
POS 4606 The Supreme Court in American Politics (3)
POS 4624 The Supreme Court, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights (3)
PHM 3331 Modern Political Thought (3)
PHM 4340 Contemporary Political Thought (3)
PUP 3002 Introduction to Public Policy (3)
Public Administration and Policy
PAD 4603 Administrative Law (3)
PAD 4606 Legal and Administrative Issues in America (3)
Sociology
SYD 4700 Race and Minority Group Relations (3)
SYG 2010 Social Problems (3)
SYO 3100 Families and Social Change (3)
SYO 3530 Social Classes and Inequality (3)
SYO 4300 Sociology of Politics (3)
SYP 3540 Sociology of Law (3)
SYP 4570 Deviance and Social Control (3)
Urban and Regional Planning
URP 4022 Collective Decision Making (3)
Other Courses
PHM 3400 Philosophy of Law (3)
SOP 3751 Psychology and the Law (3)
Students may consult with Dr. Lisa Turner de Vera, Director, Interdisciplinary Program in Social Science, for additional information.