Senior government and politics major
As a senior, it’s hard for me to get excited about the university’s upcoming developments, such as housing reform, when I know I will not be around to enjoy them. However, this is not the case with the law and society minor that will start next fall. Applications are being finalized and will be available to students later in the academic year.
This new academic concentration reflects a unique collaboration between the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s law school and this university, driven by the MPowering the State program. Its goal is to provide undergraduates with an unparalleled opportunity to explore law and legal professions through interdisciplinary coursework, internships and extracurricular opportunities. Students who have earned at least 30 college credits (including at least 15 from this university) are welcome to apply to the minor, which aims to accept 75 students for the upcoming year.
The minor is an 18-credit program designed for students interested in studying through a series of different lenses how law affects ordinary life. These six classes include a mandatory introductory course, a final capstone course, six credits in a particular track or field of interest and most likely a required internship or experiential credit. This program is the first of its kind and offers several signature opportunities. Many of the minor courses will be taught by both an undergraduate professor and a professor from the law school, and they will aim to greatly expand students’ analytical and research skills. Students will also have the opportunity to visit various governmental and nonprofit organizations while meeting with national leaders.
This program is an asset not only for pre-law students, but also for any student interested in studying the intersection between law, justice and society from a social science perspective. It is important for students to be aware of the institutions and policies that shape the ways we interact with one another in a civil society. This minor will fulfill this goal while exposing participants to the skills necessary for government work in Washington. By keeping the numbers small, the program has the opportunity to be very selective. Small class sizes will facilitate meaningful discussions and encourage more faculty-student interaction. These relationships will prove invaluable for academic and personal growth. Not to mention taking courses taught by actual law professors could work very nicely for graduate school letters of recommendation.
Another advantage of enrolling in the minor is that all of its law-related coursework is grouped into one school and can be reflected on an academic transcript. As a pre-law student myself, I have attempted to take interdisciplinary coursework. While many courses are offered — on topics such as American constitutional law, media law and business law — they are often difficult to get into and do not always mesh well with my government and politics coursework. The courses open to everyone often have too many prerequisites for a non-major to complete, and other courses are restricted to students in a particular school’s or major’s program. By enrolling in the Law and Society minor, students will have the luxury of taking interdisciplinary coursework without worrying about registration barriers.
I could not be more excited that an undergraduate institution is finally catering to the needs of pre-law students through an official program. While it would be foolish to have a law-related major (lawyers should bring an integrated worldview to the table), the minor is golden.
Tiffany Burba is a senior government and politics major. She can be reached at tburbadbk@gmail.com.
