George Mason University

Bachelor of Applied Science in Legal Studies

• A concentration in legal studies provides a perfect entry for those students wishing to pursue a career in law.
• The interdisciplinary nature of the concentration provides an excellent springboard for graduate study in many disciplines such as law, business, history, politics, and economics.
• The legal studies curriculum is excellent preparation for a job as a court official or for careers in business, government, and corrections.
• The legal studies concentration hones important tools such as critical thinking and analysis, which are valuable in any career field.

Some fields in which graduates find jobs include:

• Court Officials
• Paralegal
• Corrections Officers
• Mediator
• Legal Aids

Degree Requirements

Total credits: 120-126

In addition to satisfying all Mason Core requirements, students must satisfy the requirements for one of the eight concentrations.

Concentration in Legal Studies (LGLS)

This concentration is in collaboration with the School of Integrative Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Schar School of Policy and Government.

Core Requirements

• BAS 300 Building Professional Competencies 3
• BAS 490 Introduction to Research Methods 3
• BAS 491 Applied Sciences Capstone (Mason Core) 3

Concentration Requirements

Required Courses:

• INTS 300 Law and Justice (Mason Core) 3

Additional Courses (minimum 18 credits): 18

• BULE 303 Legal Environment of Business
• CLAS 330 Roman Law and Society
• COMM 230 Case Studies in Persuasion
• COMM 430 Persuasion
• COMM 475 Journalism Law
• CONF 425 Mediating Conflict
• CRIM 100 Introduction to Criminal Justice (Mason Core)
• CRIM 220 Introduction to Law and Society
• CRIM 301 Public Law and the Judicial Process 3 or GOVT 301 Public Law and the Judicial Process
• CRIM 405 Law and Justice around the World (Mason Core)
• CRIM 406 Family Law and the Justice System
• CRIM 407 Advanced Topics in Law and Society
• CRIM 422 Controversial Legal Issues
• CRIM 423 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties or GOVT 423 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties
• CRIM 424 Constitutional Law: Criminal Process and Rights
• CRIM 430 Criminal Law
• ECON 415 Law and Economics
• GOVT 103 Introduction to American Government (Mason Core)
• GOVT 407 Law and Society
• GOVT 443 Law and Ethics of War
• GOVT 446 International Law and Organization
• GOVT 452 Administrative Law and Procedures
• HAP 312 Healthcare Law
• HDFS 401 Family Law and Public Policy
• INTS 202 Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Skills (Mason Core)
• INTS 304 Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core)
• INTS 305 Conflict Resolution and Transformation
• INTS 336 Poverty, Wealth and Inequality in the US (Mason Core)
• INTS 362 Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core)
• INTS 416 Refugee and Internal Displacement (Mason Core)
• INTS 417 Human Trafficking and Smuggling
• PRLS 460 Sport and Recreation Law
• PHIL 311 Philosophy of Law
• RELI 364 Religion and Law in the United States
• SOCI 301 Criminology
• SOCI 302 Sociology of Delinquency

Total Credits: 33

George Mason is All Together Different

We became Virginia’s most diverse and highest-ranked university for innovation by welcoming all who are prepared for the academic rigor of a Research 1 (R1) university. Here, Patriots live and learn together in a research-intensive environment, gaining the skills necessary to build a better world for themselves and their communities.

When our students graduate, they continue that work, with nearly nine in ten graduates achieving positive career outcomes within just six months of graduation as they strive for the future they want and deserve. George Mason didn’t achieve this incredible success by being like other institutions. We did it by being All Together Different.

George Mason is ranked a top public university

Undergraduate Programs

Tied for #51 in U.S. News & World Report Five “top 100” undergraduate programs in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report:

• Business (#84)
• Computer science (#100)
• Economics (#99)
• Psychology (#67)
• Teaching (#48 – top 50)

George Mason is a local powerhouse with a global reach

Located just outside Washington, D.C., George Mason’s beautiful 677-acre residential campus in Fairfax, Virginia, is home to the most diverse student body in Virginia. Our physical presence extends across the state and beyond, with Mason Square, our campus in Arlington; the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas; the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation in Front Royal; and our overseas campus in Songdo, South Korea.
As a Patriot, you will be part of a powerful regional presence with a global reach.

George Mason is focused on outcomes

89% of our graduates achieve positive career outcomes within six months of graduation.

George Mason is strengthened by our alumni

245,000+ Alumni. With nearly 70 percent of our alumni remaining in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area after graduation, you’ll be connected to an influential and effective network of Patriots ready to help you land the interview, internship, or job that advances your career.

George Mason is fueled by Patriot Pride

We wear green and gold. Patriot Pride flows all throughout campus and is demonstrated by the George Mason gear that we wear, the fight song that we sing, and the work that we do to create a better George Mason community and a better world.