Politics and Law
Students in the Politics and Law program take their first three years of courses at CBU and then apply to the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis during their junior year. If they meet the GPA and LSAT requirements, they begin law school at the University of Memphis in their fourth year. Upon successful completion of their first year of law school, they will be granted the BA degree from CBU and then continue for two more years at the law school to complete their Juris Doctorate.
The Politics and Law program is a type of 3+3 program that is becoming popular across the nation as a way for high-achieving students to earn credits towards a graduate degree as part of the requirements for their undergraduate degree. It is similar to earning college credits in high school through dual enrollment courses.
Program Highlights
The major requires 121 credit hours:
- 25-26 credits: General Education. Math, English, Religious Studies, Social Science, Lab Science
- 21 credits: Liberal Arts Core of foreign language, fine arts, and literature
- 42 credits: Major Requirements in Political Science, History, Philosophy, Psychology, and Religious Studies.
- 3 credits: Free elective
- 30 credits: First Year Law School Courses
- Students who meet the admissions requirements will start Law School at the University of Memphis after their junior year.
The major requirements for the BA in Politics and Law align with those of the BA in Political Science during the first three years. This alignment allows Political Science majors to opt into the program and change their major to Politics and Law through their junior year. It also allows students who do not meet the admission requirements for law school or who change their mind about law school to opt out of the program and change their major to Political Science, complete their fourth year at CBU, and graduate as a Political Science major.
What You’ll Study
Coursework in the Politics and Law program will concentrate on learning about governance and power, political thought and philosophy, and the political behavior of individuals and groups. Areas of study include Political Science, History, Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology, Economics, Psychology, and Religious Studies. Courses include topics such as:
- American Government
- Comparative politics
- Politics on Film
- International Law
- United States Foreign Policy
- Political History of the Space Age
- U.S. Constitutional Law
- World Politics
- Social and Political Theologies
- Environmental Politics
- Political Media
- Public Policy
- Contemporary Moral Issues
- Cultural Anthropology
Careers with a BA in Politics and Law
Students in this program enter law school in their fourth year if they meet the GPA and LSAT admissions requirements, and the 30 credits earned in that fourth year will count towards both the BA from CBU and their law degree from the University of Memphis. Career options include:
- Attorney at Law
- Judge
- Business and Business Law
- Politics
