Law and Society, BA
The Law and Society Major will provide students with an understanding of the place of law in economic, cultural, political, and social life. Rather than reflecting universal or natural laws, legal systems intersect with social structures and systems of stratification. Laws can mediate or exacerbate conflicts, reinforce or help to change social norms, determine access to institutions, and even regulate personal reproductive decisions and define intimate relationships. The major will include courses relating to a wide array of areas of study, including the criminal justice system; immigration law and policy; housing and residential segregation by race and social class; reproductive and marital rights; religious freedom; public welfare systems; and other historical and contemporary complexities at the intersection of law and society. Courses will examine how laws get made, how they evolve, and whether and how they are enforced. Courses will also delve into the impact of laws and legal systems, and how they shape social life by constraining some actions and enabling others. They will also elucidate how the law patterns inequality by race, ethnicity, nativity, religion, gender, and sexuality. The Law and Society major benefits students upon graduation with a wide range of opportunities including the pursuit of graduate studies in law, engaging in policy work, and other careers in the public and private sectors where a holistic understanding of the intersection of law and various aspects of society is beneficial.
The minimum total course units for graduation in this major is 34. Double majors may entail more course units.
For more information: https://sociology.sas.upenn.edu/undergraduate/law-and-society-major/law-and-society-major
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| College General Education Requirements and Free Electives | ||
| Foundational Approaches + Sectors 1 + Free Electivces | 20 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| SOCI 1120 | Law and Society | 1 |
| SOCI 1000 | Introduction to Sociology | 1 |
| SOCI 2000 | Sociological Research Methods | 1 |
| Breadth Requirements | ||
| Students are required to take at least 2 courses in each of 3 substantive areas: the criminal justice system, systems of stratification, and social problems and policy. | 6 | |
| The Criminal Justice System (2 CU) | ||
| Deviance | ||
| The US and Human Rights: Policies and Pratices | ||
| Carceral Crisis: The Question of Abolition | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Criminal Justice | ||
| Criminal Justice Data Analytics | ||
| Neighborhood Dynamics of Crime | ||
| The US Criminal Justice System in Urban Context | ||
| Systems of Stratification (2 CU - Must be in different areas. For example, if you take one course under "Race and Ethnicity," the other must be under "Immigration," "Social Stratification," or "Gender") | ||
Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Race and Ethnic Relations | ||
or SOCI 0003 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | |
or SOCI 2907 | Race, Rights and Rebellion | |
| Race, Rights and Rebellion | ||
| Anthropology, Race, and the Making of the Modern World | ||
| Race and Ethnic Politics | ||
Immigration | ||
| Contemporary Immigration in the U.S. | ||
| Dilemmas of Immigration | ||
Social Stratification | ||
| Poverty and Inequality | ||
| Social Stratification | ||
| Freedom, Power, and Equality | ||
Gender | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Gender, Sexuality, and Religion | ||
| Feminist Political Thought | ||
| Social Problems and Public Policy (2 CU) | ||
| The Law in our Lives: Governing Marginalized Populations | ||
| Urban Sociology | ||
| Fair Housing, Segregation and the Law | ||
| Religion | ||
| Law and Social Change | ||
| Social Problems and Public Policy | ||
| Race, Science & Justice | ||
| Poverty, Race and Health | ||
or SOCI 2460 | Social Inequality and Health | |
or SOCI 2952 | Health and Social Justice (SNF Paideia Program Course) | |
| Social Movements | ||
| Innovation, Regulations, Technology, and Society: Experience from East Asia | ||
| Homelessness & Urban Inequality | ||
| Global Urban Education | ||
| Perspectives on Urban Poverty | ||
| Health and Social Justice (SNF Paideia Program Course) | ||
| Electives and Cognate Courses | ||
| Any 4 courses in Sociology or from other departments that relate to the law (courses outside of this list may be approved at the discretion of the Associate Director or undergraduate chair): | 4 | |
| American Race: A Philadelphia Story (SNF Paideia Program Course) | ||
| Comparative and International Education - Focus on East Asian Education | ||
| Culture on Trial: Race, Media & Intellectual Property | ||
| American Slavery and the Law | ||
| Contemporary Politics, Policy, and Journalism | ||
| Digital Inequalities | ||
| Law and Economics | ||
| Global Governance and Cooperation: International Education Policy and Practice | ||
| Examining the School to Prison Pipeline: Implications of History, Policy, and Race | ||
| Access & Choice in American Higher Education | ||
| Introduction to Literature and Law | ||
| Cinema and Civil Rights | ||
| Crime and Criminality in Early America | ||
| Criminality and Gender Deviance in Early America | ||
| Law and Literature Seminar | ||
| Bodies, Race and Rights: Sex and Citizenship in Modern American History | ||
| History of American Law to 1877 | ||
| History of American Law Since 1877 | ||
| Free Speech and Censorship | ||
| ¡Huelga! The Farmworker Movement in the United States | ||
| Immigration and the Making of US Law | ||
| Diplomacy in the Americas - The Penn Model OAS Program (SNF Paideia Program Course) | ||
LALS 3745 | ||
| Market Women, Madames, Mistresses and Mother Superior | ||
| Law and Social Values | ||
| Law of Corporate Management and Finance | ||
| The Law at Work: Employment Law for Managers | ||
| Environmental Management: Law & Policy | ||
| Diversity and the Law | ||
| Law and Policy in International Business | ||
| Human Rights and Globalization | ||
| Markets, Morality & the Future of Capitalism | ||
| Philosophy of Law | ||
| Justice, Law and Morality | ||
| Constitutional Law | ||
| International Human Rights | ||
| International Law | ||
| Law, Religion, and Politics | ||
| Urban Law | ||
| Restorative Justice in the City: History, Theory and Practice (SNF Paideia Program Course) | ||
| Health on the urban margins: The experience of health in American cities | ||
| Advanced Research | 1 | |
| Independent Study/Research Project on the intersection of law and society | ||
| Total Course Units | 34 | |
Honors Requirements
Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| SOCI 4100 | Thesis Workshop I | 0.5 |
| SOCI 4101 | Thesis Workshop II | 0.5 |
| SOCI 4998 | Honors Independent Study | 1 |
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2025 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.