Major and Minor in Legal Studies
Explore the central role of law in society with the undergraduate major and minor in legal studies. Core required courses are taught by law professors at the highly ranked S.J. Quinney College of Law. Interdisciplinary elective courses draw from a wide range of fields to give you a comprehensive understanding of the legal system.
The major and minor offer a comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of law’s role in society. Whether you're planning a legal career, exploring how law intersects with justice and policy, or seeking a rigorous undergraduate foundation, this program equips you with the tools to analyze, interpret, and apply legal concepts in real-world contexts.
The major and minor in legal studies are not pre-law programs, but students can choose to pursue them if they are considering law school.
The minor in legal studies is currently offered. The major in legal studies will be offered beginning in Fall 2026. Courses taken to meet the requirements of the legal studies minor can also be applied towards completion requirements for the major.
Why a major or minor in legal studies?
The law permeates every aspect of society. It impacts all fields of study and all areas of employment, from business to education, and from medicine to human services.
The major and minor in legal studies provide an in-depth understanding of the legal system, including the infrastructure, reasoning process, and basic procedural and substantive principles underlying the law. They can be especially useful for students who will encounter legal concepts in their careers but who may not want to become lawyers.
How the legal studies major or minor will benefit you
The major and minor in legal studies are valuable credentials that can enhance your success on the job market after graduation. The critical thinking, writing and research skills that you develop in the major or minor will also provide an advantage in the workplace.
The major and minor provide you with an introduction to the legal profession, and may be a helpful foundation if you decide to attend law school. They also open doors to careers in a wide range of areas, including:
- Public policy and government
- Nonprofit and advocacy work
- Corporate compliance and consulting
- Journalism, communication, and legal tech
- Criminal justice and social work
The major and minor can also benefit students interested in degrees, minors, or certificates in fields like political science, sociology, business, and philosophy.
What you’ll learn in the legal studies major or minor
As a student in legal studies, you’ll gain an understanding of:
- The basic structure, function, operation and role of modern U.S. legal systems (such as courts, administrative agencies, legislation, and enforcement mechanisms), fundamental legal rights, and core legal concepts, principles and doctrines.
- How law is used to govern human behavior, and the impacts of law on community.
- An interdisciplinary overview of substantive law (public and private) and procedural law (civil and criminal), and how our various legal systems operate in society.
- The basic tenets, constructs and skills underlying the legal profession—including legal reasoning, legal writing, and legal research.
- The interrelationship between law and other disciplines.
Academic Advising
Please contact Cyri Dixon (cyri.dixon@utah.edu) for academic questions about the major and minor in legal studies. Important note: The major cannot be declared until Fall 2026, but we are happy to discuss the minor and answer questions before that.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The major and minor in legal studies are not pre-law programs, and won’t necessarily be an advantage when applying to law school. However, completion of the major or minor will not in any way harm a student’s application to law school.
By providing an in-depth understanding of the legal system, the minor can be useful for students who will encounter legal concepts in their careers—but who may not want to become lawyers. It can also enhance students’ success on the job market after graduation, showing potential employers that they have strong critical thinking, writing and research skills that can be used in the workplace.
Please contact Cyri Dixon (cyri.dixon@utah.edu) for academic questions about the major and minor in legal studies. Important note: The major cannot be declared until Fall 2026, but we are happy to discuss the minor and answer questions before that.
Contact Us
For general questions about the minor in legal studies, please email stephanie.peterson@law.utah.edu. For academic advising, please email cyri.dixon@utah.edu.