The Law & Society Program, established in 1972, offers an undergraduate major leading
to the Bachelor of Arts degree. The discipline of Law and Society is composed
of scholars in many fields and countries, whose interests involve the place of
law and legal systems in social, political, economic, and cultural life. Such
scholars bring training in law, sociology, political science, psychology, anthropology,
economics, and history, as well as in other related fields.
Although the discipline of law and society focuses broadly on developing both
theoretical and empirical understandings of law, narrower areas within the field
range widely. These concerns include, for example, the place of law in relation
to other social institutions, the nature of law in the context of broad social
theories, the legal decision-making of individuals and groups, the implementation
and impact of specific legal acts, compliance with the law, police discretion
and plea bargaining in the criminal justice system, legal rules and litigation,
alternative dispute resolution, the role of lawyers, the functioning of juries,
and law's relationship to language.
The Law and Society major at UCSB involves such a study of law and legal systems.
The Program is interdisciplinary, and is designed to benefit both the student
who desires a liberal arts education, as well as the student who intends to enter
graduate or law school.
The Law and Society major is not pre-law and provides no greater advantages than other majors for students who intend to pursue a career in law. According to the American Bar Association:
There is no single path that will prepare you for a legal education. Students who are successful in law school, and who become accomplished professionals, come from many walks of life and educational backgrounds. ..The ABA does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education. Students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline. You may choose to major in subjects that are considered to be traditional preparation for law school, such as history, English, philosophy, political science, economics or business, or you may focus your undergraduate studies in areas as diverse as art, music, science and mathematics, computer science, engineering, nursing or education. Whatever major you select, you are encouraged to pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills. Taking a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors is excellent preparation for legal education. http://www.abanet.org/legaled/prelaw/prep.html
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