Overview

About the Program

Students majoring in the Legal Studies program of the University of Massachusetts Amherst are exposed to a wide array of courses that focus on the interrelationship between law, politics, and society in American, foreign, and international contexts. Our faculty are some of the best teachers and researchers in the nation and are experts on areas like human trafficking, judicial decision making, immigration, legal policymaking, alternative dispute resolution, the right to privacy, transitional justice, and many others.

Legal Studies is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of law and society. The major is housed in the Department of Political Science within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. There is no minor in Legal Studies. There are five Letters of Specialization available to Legal Studies majors. The purpose of this multifaceted program is to develop the study of law within a liberal arts framework and to explore the myriad ways in which law is connected with other disciplines pertinent to an understanding of society.

Legal Studies is an education about law as a social and political product, whereas law school is education in rules and procedures. The critical, social scientific approach of the program encourages students to investigate and develop their attitudes toward law, politics, and society within the context of a growing literature of Legal Studies and related disciplines.

Legal Studies also examines law and society from the perspective of other cultures. The department encourages study abroad to expand cross-cultural understanding in an increasingly global legal community.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Race, Citizenship, and the US Constitution

Law, Literature and History of the 19th c. United States

Civil Liberties in Wartime

Law and Public Policy

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Justice in Diverse Democracies

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-01-30 00:00:00
- Apply before 2024-10-15 00:00:00 , National
- Apply before 2024-10-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2025-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Legal Studies View 289 other Bachelors in Legal Studies in United States

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

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TOEFL^® IBT

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of Massachusetts Amherst and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Other requirements

General requirements

A complete Common Application (including the UMass questions)

Official high school transcript (grades 9 -11) or Secondary School Exams

Official transcripts for all completed college coursework

Letter of recommendation

Application fee of $85 (unable to waive)

English Language Proficiency Requirements

(Optional) SAT and/or ACT scores

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

40882 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 40882 USD per year during 48 months.
National

40449 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 40449 USD per year during 48 months.
In-State

17772 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 17772 USD per year during 48 months.

Regional Tuition: $33,512

Living costs for Amherst Center

1228 - 2543 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Legal Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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