Revised 3/28/08, effective for students entering Fall 2008.
Students entering prior to Fall 2008 may adhere to this version or the previous version.
Advisory
Board: Dr. Mark
Tunick, Dr. Martin Sweet
Description: The concentration in law and
society seeks to give students a deep understanding
of the role law plays in resolving conflicts
within and between societies and in realizing
a just political order. The study of law
and justice has a rich humanistic tradition
and involves reflection on fundamental
values from multiple perspectives. Students
may address topics such as abortion rights,
civil rights, environmental protection,
euthanasia, or the insanity defense by
drawing on disciplines such as political
science, sociology, philosophy, economics,
literature, history, anthropology, the
natural sciences, and psychology.
The law and society concentration is excellent
preparation for students intending to attend
law school. It is not, however, a "pre-law" program.
Law schools do not require applicants to
have any prior knowledge of the law, and
assume that students will learn all they
need to know to practice law while in law
school. The intention of the law and society
concentration is not to provide the knowledge
one acquires in law school about the "black
letter law," or what the law is in
a given jurisdiction, but rather, to use
the law as a focal point in the students'
liberal arts education. Law schools seek
applicants with strong critical thinking
and communication skills and a commitment
to the study of law, and completion of
a law and society concentration should
demonstrate that these criteria are amply
met.
Depending on their selection of courses
and use of electives outside the concentration,
students concentrating in law and society
can be prepared to do graduate work in
a number of disciplines such as political
science, history, or sociology; students
considering these options should consult
faculty in those areas. A law and society
concentration provides excellent preparation
for law or business school or careers in
fields such as journalism, public affairs,
education, and government.
Honors
Constitutional Law I or
Honors Constitutional Law II
3
2 Theory courses
6
2 Legal Institutions courses
6
4 Electives
12
IDS 4970
Honors Thesis in Law
and Society
6
Total Credits
36
Requirements: Students must take POS 3691; one course in Constitutional law; two courses that address the theory underlying law and legal institutions; two courses focusing on legal institutions; and 12 credits of elective courses
with a substantial content in or bearing
on law. Except by special petition, at
least 6 of the 12 elective credits must be satisfied with 3000-level
or above courses, and students are reminded
that they need 45 credits of 3000 or
4000 level courses to graduate. Students
choose from courses listed below. Other
Honors College or FAU courses may be used only with prior
approval of the Concentration Advisor.
Courses used to satisfy the SBA or CIV
requirements of the Honors Core can not
be used towards this concentration. Except
by special petition, no more than two
non-Honors courses may be used to satisfy
the requirements of the Concentration
and they may be counted only when no
equivalent course is offered at the Honors
College.
Theory (2 courses)
6
PHI 2642
Honors Ethics of Social Diversity
3
PHI 3644
Honors Obligations
3
PHP 3502
Honors Hegel's Political Philosophy
3
POS 2692
Honors Punishment
3
POT 3021
Honors History of Political Theory
3
POT 3022
Honors History of Political Thought I
3
POT 3023
Honors History of Political Thought II
3
POS 3626
Honors Privacy
3
Institutions (2 Courses)
6
POS 4603
Honors Constitutional Law I
3
POS 4604
Honors Constitutional Law II
3
POS 4609
Honors The Judiciary
3
POS 4685
Honors American Legal Development
3
POS 4932
Honors Courts and Public Policy
3
POS 4932
Honors 1st Amendment
3
Electives (4 courses)
12
Students must take 4 additional elective courses. These may be courses listed above which are not counted for other concentration requirements; or interdisciplinary courses listed below. However, students must take at least 1 course from 2 of the 3 categories below. Students taking ECP 3451 or one of the Psychology courses below may count PSY 1012 or ECO 2013 as one of the 4 electives since these are recommended prerequisites.
1. History and philosophy electives
AMH 2010
Honors US History to 1877
3
AMH 2020
Honors US History since 1877
3
AMH 4932
Honors Violence in America
3
HIS 1933
Honors Civil Rights Movement
3
EUH 3604
Honors European Intellectual History I
3
EUH 3607
Honors European Intellectual History II
3
IDS 3932
Honors Ethics in Business, Government, Society
3
PHH 3100
Honors Ancient Greek Philosophy
3
PHI 4930
Honors Investigating Scientific Investigation
3
PHI 4930
Honors American Pragmatism
3
2. Social Science electives
SOP 3004
Honors Principles of Social Psychology
3
CLP 4144
Honors Abnormal Psychology
3
PSY 4930
Honors Psychobiology of Crime
3
ECP 3451
Honors Law and Economics
3
EVR 4930
Honors Environmental Disputes
3
3. Culture and Social Theory electives
ANT 4930
Honors Islam in World Culture
3
IDS 3932
Honors Hijab: Women and Boundaries in Islamic Cultures
3
IDS 4933
Honors Anthropology and Law
3
SYD 4792
Honors Race, Gender, Sexuality, Science
3
WST 3015
Honors Introduction to Women's Studies
3
WST 4504
Honors Feminist Theory
3
POS 4930
Honors Political Sociology
3
SYG 1000
Honors Introduction to Sociology
3
All students concentrating in law and
society are strongly encouraged to participate
in an internship or study abroad program
with a substantial content in law.
Minor Concentration in Law and Society
The Law and Society minor concentration is designed to offer students an understanding of the role law plays in resolving conflicts within and between societies and in realizing a just political order. The study of law and justice has a rich humanistic tradition and involves reflection on fundamental values from multiple perspectives.
Students take 15 credit hours: at least 9 hours must be at the 3000 or 4000 level; 6 hours may be at a lower level.
Students must have at least a 2.0 grade point average in courses taken for the minor concentration. At least 50% of upper level credits must be from Honors College courses. No more than 1 class taken for the minor concentration may also be counted towards the student's concentration.
Requirements:
POS 3691 Honors Law and American Society(3 cr);
POS 4603 Honors Constitutional Law I or POS 4604 Honors Con. Law II (3 cr);
3 Law and society electives from list below; other courses may be used as electives only with prior approval of Law and Society advisory board (9 cr).
