Frequently Asked Questions
Am I allowed to take courses for the Law and Society minor pass/no pass?
Yes. You can take up to two courses (for a total of eight units) with a pass/no pass grading option.
Am I allowed to take required courses (such as LAWS 101) pass/no pass?
Yes. You can take ANY two courses within the minor with a pass/no pass grading option.
How do I know if LAWS 101 will be counted as a History, Philosophy, Political Science, or Sociology course?
The course will be counted in the department of your instructor. For example, if you took the course from Professor Doppelt, from the Philosophy Department, it will be counted as a Philosophy course.
Do I have to be an Earl Warren College student to participate in the Law and Society program?
No. Although it is administered by Warren College, Law and Society is available to all undergraduate students at UC San Diego.
Am I allowed to have any of my major and minor courses overlap?
Lower-division courses are allowed to overlap but upper-division courses may not.
I have more than one minor. Am I allowed to have overlap between minor courses?
Lower-division courses are allowed to overlap but upper-division courses may not.
Can I use Academic Internship credit as part of my minor?
It is possible to use academic internship credit if the internship is law-related and approved by the Warren College Academic Advisors for the minor. Up to eight units of academic internship credit can be used in lieu of upper-division elective courses. Please see the Academic Internship Program (AIP) website for more information on the program.
NOTE: AIP courses can only be taken with a pass/no pass grading option. These units will count toward your pass/no pass limit. Therefore, if you use a 4-unit internship as an upper-division elective for the minor you can only take one other course pass/no pass.
Can I study abroad and apply some of those courses to my minor?
All courses taken while studying abroad are subject to the petition process upon return to UCSD. A member of the Law and Society Faculty Advisory Committee will review your petitions and determine if the courses you took can be included in the minor. If you are thinking about trying to take courses for the minor while abroad, ask a question for more information.
Can I use a Law and Society minor in lieu of a Program of Concentration?
(Warren College students only)
It is possible to use a Law and Society minor in lieu of a Humanities and Fine Arts (H&FA) or Social Sciences (SS) Program of Concentration (PofC).
Humanities and Fine Arts
To use the Law and Society minor in lieu of a H&FA PofC, you must complete all minor requirements and at least 4 of the 7 classes taken for the minor must be chosen from the approved History or Philosophy courses. LAWS 101 or 102S may also be applied.Social Sciences
To use the Law and Society minor in lieu of a SS PofC, you must complete all minor requirements and at least 4 of the 7 classes taken for the minor must be chosen from the approved Anthropology, Communication, Critical Gender Studies, Economics, Environmental Studies, Ethnic Studies, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, or Urban Studies and Planning courses. LAWS 101 or 102S may also be applied.
How do I know when and if a course I am interested in taking will be offered?
Many of the courses in the Law and Society program are only offered one quarter per academic year so it is important to plan ahead and be flexible when selecting courses. The Program Coordinator will make every effort to ensure courses are offered frequently and publicize available courses at the earliest possible date but the individual academic departments make the final decisions on course offerings. While past course offerings are not a guarantee of future schedules, they can provide general guidelines. Please view archived Law and Society course schedules.
Declaring a Law and Society Minor
How do I declare a Law and Society minor?
You can declare your minor online using the Major and Minor tool on TritonLink. View a sample minor declaration form (pdf).
I am not exactly sure which courses I will use to complete my minor. Can I still declare the minor?
Yes. You can still declare your minor online using the Major and Minor tool on TritonLink. When you complete the form list all the courses you plan to use for the minor (minimum of 28 units). You can change course selections at a later date by resubmitting your minor form. If there are any discrepancies between the courses you complete and those listed on your minor form your degree audit will be incorrect.
What do I do if the courses I originally selected for my minor change?
Resubmit your minor form online using the Major and Minor tool on TritonLink. The tool does not yet have a revision feature so you have to delete the existing minor before you can add it back in with the revised course list. Once the new minor is approved it can take up to two weeks for your degree audit to reflect the changes.
Is an application required to declare a Law and Society minor?
No application is required. Simply declare your minor online using the Major and Minor tool on TritonLink. Be sure to list all courses you plan to use for the minor.
When should I declare my Law and Society minor?
The online minor system requires students who have completed 135+ units to receive special permission from the department before declaring. To avoid this additional step, be sure to declare before you hit 135 units.
Students are encouraged to declare the minor early as there are many benefits:
- By submitting your course selections for review, you will ensure that your planned courses appropriately fulfill all minor requirements.
- Your degree audit will be updated to include the minor and more accurately reflect your planned path to graduation.
- You will receive information from the department about new courses, approved topics courses, Law and Society events, and more.
What is the minor code for Law and Society?
The minor code is M025.
Creating a Law and Society Major
How can I create a major in Law and Society?
The Law and Society program does not currently have the capacity to house students for a major. Students who are interested in the major can go through their College’s Academic Advising Office to create an Individualized Studies or Special Studies Major in Law and Society. The requirements and process are slightly different at each college but there are some common items:
Faculty Advisor
Students interested in the major will need to secure a faculty advisor who will sign off on selected courses and serve as a mentor throughout the process.
Minimum GPA
Based upon cumulative UCSD GPA.
Statement of Intent
Students interested in the major will be required to submit a written proposal, typically two-pages in length, that explains the purpose of the proposed major, how the major will help with long-term career or graduate school goals, etc.
Please find your college below and contact the appropriate Academic Advising Office for more information on this option.
Earl Warren College
Eleanor Roosevelt College
John Muir College
Roger Revelle College
Sixth College
Thurgood Marshall College
Requirements
The Law and Society Department requires that you meet all of your college's requirements plus the following:
1. One of the following two courses:
Political Science 40
Sociology 50
2. Law & Society 101
3. One of the following four courses:
History US 150
History US 151
Political Science 104A
Political Science 104B
4. One of the following two courses:
Philosophy 168 - Philosophy of Law
Sociology 140 - Sociology of Law
5. 9 additional upper-division courses from the approved course list, approved academic internship units from a law-related internship (AIP 197), or approved independent research on a law-related topic (199 credit).
In total, there are 13 courses - 1 lower-division and 12 upper-division.
Within these 13 courses, students must take at least one course from each of the following academic departments to ensure an interdisciplinary learning experience: History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology.
Can any courses taken for the major be completed with a pass/no pass grading option?
The only courses that may be taken with a pass/no pass grading option are those that do not offer a letter grade option. Examples of such courses include Academic Internship credit (AIP 197) and Independent Study credit (199). Some colleges have a limit on the number of pass/no pass units that may be applied to the major.
How do I go about securing a Faculty Advisor?
The process will be slightly different for each student but here are some tips and ideas to keep in mind.
- It is strongly recommended that you write your statement of intent first. This will help prepare you to answer the questions “why should I be your faculty advisor” or “what do you hope to gain from this major” when asked.
- Think about the classes you have taken in the Law and Society program. Was there a faculty member you particularly connected with or whose research interests are similar to yours? If so, that faculty member might make an excellent candidate. If not, be proactive in the next class you take -- go to Office Hours and speak with the Professor about your goals and your plan to create a major within the program.
- When you write to or meet with the faculty member be courteous, be prepared, and make sure to be on time. When they agree, be grateful and demonstrate your appreciation with a thank you note.
- It is important to have a faculty advisor who will be easily accessible throughout your tenure at UCSD as you will need approvals or signatures at various stages during the process. Therefore, is it generally best not to ask someone who is a Visiting Professor, is planning to take an extended leave of absence or sabbatical, or who plans to retire in the near future.
I still have more questions, who can I contact?
Select ask a question.