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Letters of Specialization

A letter of specialization is an academic credential designed to help you explore a particular area of interest within a major. A course list guides you through class selection and creates a clear pathway within the major that is focused on this area of study. As you complete the courses, you develop an expertise in that area. Upon graduation you will receive a formal letter from the director of the program which can be cited as a credential on resumes, personal statements, and in letters of recommendation.

Comparative and International Law 

A letter of specialization in Comparative and International Law enables students to build greater expertise in the ways that laws, legal systems, justice, and rights operate internationally and in domestic contexts outside the United States. Students who complete the letter gain an appreciation for diverse international perspectives and approaches, become more engaged global citizens, and build a strong foundation for work in the public, non-profit and private sectors, especially in fields that require cross-cultural collaboration and understanding.

Requirements: Complete five courses from the Comparative and International Law Letter of Specialization course list. At least four classes must be Legal courses from the list. Each course must carry at least 3 credits and be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain a cumulative average GPA of 2.0 across the five courses.

To request approval for a class that is not on the course list, please email Dr. Lauren McCarthy with course title and description.  If approved, please upload documentation to the declaration form. 

Course List: Comparative and International Law Letter of Specialization

Declaration Form can be completed when last class is in progress.

 

Conflict Resolution 

The letter of specialization in Conflict Resolution reflects student achievement in the interdisciplinary study of conflict and conflict resolution. Students gain expertise through exposure to scholarship from a variety of cultures and disputing contexts and acquire analytical skills to effectively apply socio-legal analyses to case studies and real-world applications of dispute resolution. Students completing the letter demonstrate the ability to critically assess sources of complex conflicts and the applicability of legal and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to address them. This broad foundation and set of transferable analytical skills prepare students for careers in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Requirements: Complete five courses from the Conflict Resolution Letter of Specialization course list. At least four classes must be Legal courses from the list. Each course must carry at least 3 credits and be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain a cumulative average GPA of 2.0 across the five courses.

To request approval for a class that is not on the course list, please email Dr. Leah Wing with course title and description. If approved, please upload documentation to the declaration form. 

Course List: Conflict Resolution Letter of Specialization

Declaration Form can be completed when last class is in progress. 

 

Constitutional Law 

A letter of specialization in Constitutional Law enables students to build greater expertise in understanding the ways in which the U.S. Constitution is shaped by law, politics, and society. Students who complete the letter gain rich insights into how to read and critique case law, become more engaged in debates about how best to interpret the Constitution, and build a strong foundation for careers in the public, non-profit, and private sectors, especially in fields that require a deep understanding of how the Constitution does and does not serve the people who are governed by it.

Requirements: Complete five courses from the Constitutional Law Letter of Specialization course list. At least three classes must be Legal courses from the list. Each course must carry at least 3 credits and be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain a cumulative average GPA of 2.0 across the five courses.

To request approval for a class that is not on the course list, please email Dr. Rebecca Hamlin with course title and description. If approved, please upload documentation to the declaration form. 

Course List: Constitutional Law

Declaration Form can be completed when last class is in progress.

 

Law and Social Justice 

The letter of specialization in Law and Social Justice signifies a broad base for understanding economic, social, and political inequality, and the role of law and alternative dispute resolution in perpetuating and alleviating inequality. Courses that qualify for this letter span domestic and international legal studies, and students who earn this letter demonstrate commitment to understanding how law, as part of society, can serve emancipatory and oppressive goals.

Requirements: Complete five courses from the Law and Social Justice Letter of Specialization course list. At least four classes must be Legal courses from the list. Each course must carry at least 3 credits and be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain a cumulative average GPA of 2.0 across the five courses.

To request approval for a class that is not on the course list, please email Dr. Jamie Rowen with course title and description. If approved, please upload documentation to the declaration form. 

Course List: Law and Social Justice

Declaration Form can be completed when last class is in progress.

 

Data Analytics for Politics, Policy, and Legal Studies (DAPPLS)

Students who complete the letter will have a strong foundation in the basics of designing social and political research, as well as more extensive training in at least two techniques for collecting and analyzing data. Students will additionally have the opportunity to apply these technical skills in substantive coursework and in a hands-on research setting. Students will be well qualified to serve in positions where they work actively with specialists to design research to answer specific questions and to translate research for practitioners and other non-specialist audiences. Some students may want to combine the letter of specialization with an accelerated master’s program to build greater expertise in data analytic skills that are likely to be highly attractive for positions across the public, nonprofit and private sectors.

Requirements: Complete 12 credits of coursework and 3 credits of research experience. Coursework must consist of five classes from the DAPPLS course list and include one Research Design class, two Technical classes, and one Substantive classes. Each course must carry at least 3 credits and be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain a cumulative average GPA of 2.0 across the five courses.

To request approval for a class that is not on the course list, please email Dr. Justin Gross (for Political Science) or Dr. Doug Rice (for Legal Studies) with course title and syllabus.If approved, please upload documentation to the declaration form. 

Course List: Data Analytics for Politics, Policy, and Legal Studies (DAPPLS)

Declaration Form can be completed when last class is in progress.