Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Legal Studies, B.S.


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Legal Studies, B.S. Degree Map  

The undergraduate degree in Legal Studies leads to the Bachelor of Science. It is the goal of the Legal Studies program to introduce students to the study of law and the workings of the American legal system as a foundation for a career as a paralegal professional or the more advanced study of law.

The degree program has three principal educational objectives:

  1. To educate students in the legal principles that underpin substantive and procedural areas of law such as torts, family law, probate, criminal law, the law of real property, dispute resolution and civil litigation.
  2. To equip students with the legal research, writing and critical thinking skills necessary to foster their continuing independent study of the law beyond the classroom.
  3. To raise students’ awareness and understanding of the important role that the system of trial by jury, the appellate process and dispute resolution play in preserving the governing principles of a democratic society.

A minimum of 60 upper-level (33XX and 43XX) hours and a total of 120 hours are required for the baccalaureate degree in Legal Studies.

University Core Requirements (42 hours)


Communication (6 hours)


Language, Philosophy and Culture (3 hours)


Choose one course from the approved list:

Creative Arts (3 hours)


Choose one course from the approved list:

American History (6 hours)


Government/Political Science (6 hours)


Component Area Option (6 hours)


Two 1-hour Life and Physical Science Labs

College Core Requirements (18 hours)


Choose from the following courses, or their approved equivalents.

Additional Information


May replace ACCT 2302  and/or MATH 1324  with an additional WRIT, ENGL, or Foreign Language not used to satisfy any other core curriculum requirement

Elective Requirements (30 hours)


Major Electives (6 hours)


Choose two of any upper-level (33XX or 43XX) LEGL rubric beyond the major requirements.

Elective Requirement (3 hours)


Choose one of the following:

Additional Information


or any upper-level (33xx or 43xx) of the following rubric: ACCT, FINC, ISAM, MGMT, MKTG.

Elective Requirement (3 hours)


Choose one: Any upper-level (33XX or 43XX) of the following rubric: ARTS, HIST, HUMN, SOCI, POLS.

Elective Requirement (6 hours)


Choose two of the following:

General Electives (12 hours)


Choose four of any upper-level (33XX or 43XX) courses offered by the Colleges of Business, Human Sciences & Humanities, Science & Computer Engineering, or Education.

Graduation Requirements


  • Students must complete the final 30 semester hours of 3000 and 4000 level course work in residence at UHCL
  • Students must complete a minimum of 12 semester credit hours of upper-level (3000-4000 level) coursework: (1) in the major and (2) in residence at UHCL
  • Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.000 on course work completed at UHCL with grades of “C” or better on at least 30 hours of resident upper-level work. Grades of “C-” or below cannot be applied toward the 30 hours of resident upper-level work

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