Legal Studies Certificate

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The Legal Studies Certificate is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop skills needed to do well on the LSAT and in law school. Those skills include critical thinking, logical reasoning, argumentative writing, listening, and speaking skills. Because it is primarily skills-based, the certificate can accommodate a wide range of majors/minors and includes courses from a range of disciplines/departments.

Students who are interested in exploring a legal career and those who are preparing for law school will benefit from the certificate by developing core skills in reading, writing, and speaking while also being exposed to a variety of programming including mentorship, legal exploration, and more.

The Legal Studies Certificate will be integrated with the external LawReady Certificate offered in partnership with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). To earn the external certificate through LSAC, students must not only complete UM-Flint coursework but must also meet the standards for the external certificate. Students are not required to complete the external LawReady certification to earn the internal Legal Studies Certificate through the University of Michigan-Flint.

For more information on the LawReady Certificate, email PreLawAdvising@umich.edu.

The certificate may be earned in conjunction with a degree program or as a stand-alone credential. (Students pursuing a stand-alone credential are not eligible for federal financial aid and may not participate in Commencement.) After the student applies for graduation, the certificate is posted to the student’s official transcript and an official diploma stating the area of the certificate is issued.

Requirements

Coursework

Fifteen credits as follows:

Orientation to Legal Studies and Reasoning

PHL 103 - Critical Thinking (3)
POL 150 - Introduction to Legal Studies (3)

Argumentative Writing

Two courses in different disciplines from:

CRJ 485 - Law and Society (3)
ECN 330 - Political Economy (3)
ECN 367 - World Economic History (3)
PHL 162 - Introduction to Ethics (3)
PHL 173 - Punishment and Responsibility (3)
PHL 362 - Philosophy of Law (3)
POL 261 - Introduction to Political Theory (3)
POL 329 - Civil Liberties and the Constitution (3)
POL 333 - International Law and Organizations (3)
POL 380 - The U.S. System of Law (3)
POL 389 - Moot Court (3)
SOC 301 - Social Theory (3)
SOC 485 - Law and Society (3)

Speaking and Active Listening

Two from:

COM 204 - Argumentation and Debate (3)
COM 210 - Introduction to Public Speaking (3)
LIN 231 - Language and Law (3)
POL 389 - Moot Court (3)

Additional Requirements

A minimum of 9 credits in the program must be completed at UM-Flint.

Coursework older than 3 years must be reviewed by the CASE Social Sciences and Humanities Department for content alignment with current certificate requirements.