Law and Public Affairs is an interdisciplinary major including a core set of courses that give students the background to appraise and understand the American political and legal systems. It examines the law as it cuts across themes central to other disciplines and examines how law permeates social, political, economic, and other institutions. Students discover how decisions are made by these institutions and how policy is created, and they develop skills in advocacy, research, problem-solving, writing, and critical thinking. Students are also exposed to a global perspective on law and justice, comparing American legal issues and policies to those of other cultures. Graduates are prepared to pursue career opportunities in policy and regulation, advocacy, non-profit agency work, government agency work, legal offices for municipalities, or government organizations. Students may also continue with graduate study in such fields as public administration, policy studies, management, political science, and law. A graduate with a degree in Law and Public Affairs is qualified to work as a lobbyist, a city and regional planner, a public or program administrator, a volunteer coordinator, or a community outreach coordinator, as well as to work in a law firm - public interest or otherwise -- and/or to do corporate work. Graduates receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Public Affairs.

By planning early in consultation with an academic advisor, students may be able to reduce the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree in Law and Public Affairs to 3 or 3½ years.