Rachel Baranello, a political science major and pre-law minor, explains how her experiences at Nazareth laid the foundation for a career in law school, public finance, and economic development.
- Nazareth Strengths
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Career Options:
- Federal, state, and local government
- Policy institutes and lobbying
- Advocacy and non-profit organizations
- Attorney
- Paralegal
- Law enforcement
- Criminal justice
- Finance
- International business
- Public relations
Internships:
- James Nobles Criminal Defense
- Underberg & Kessler LLP and other Rochester area law firms
- Monroe County District Attorney, Probation Department, and Public Defender
- New York State Attorney General’s Office for Consumer Affairs
- Empire Justice Center
- Semester internship in Washington, D.C.
Graduate Schools/Employers:
- Master’s degree programs in Business Administration (MBA), Non-Profit Management, Public Policy (MPP), Public Administration (MPA), Health Administration (MHA), Human Resource Management (MHRM), Political Science, and Public Relations
- Law school (J.D.)
Law is the cornerstone of our political, social, and economic systems and a grounding in law is essential in a broad variety of professional areas. All organizations – from multi-national corporations and federal agencies to small businesses and local non-profits – operate in a complex and dynamic legal environment. Effective navigation of the changing legal terrain is crucial to organizational success. Understanding the legal environment is a clear advantage to college graduates seeking jobs and careers in a variety of industries and professional fields. The legal studies major at Nazareth College is designed for students whose graduate study and career prospects will be enhanced by the knowledge of law, as well as the skills of logical analysis, effective communication, and ethical reasoning.
The legal studies major introduces students to our judicial system, fundamental concepts of law, and major areas of legal practice. It also develops those skills of analysis and communication that are essential in all areas of professional work. Students are encouraged to connect their learning with their career goals by choosing elective courses from one of five tracks designed to complement diverse graduate study plans and professional aspirations.
Why Choose Nazareth for Legal Studies?
- Nazareth’s legal studies major is the only self-standing and interdisciplinary program of its kind in Upstate New York and one of the few such programs in the nation offered at small liberal arts college
- Majors have the flexibility to tailor the curriculum to their interests and career plans by choosing elective courses from one of the five tracks: (1) Public Policy, Politics, and Government, (2) Non-Profit Management & Advocacy, (3) Business & Administration, (4) Criminal Justice, and (5) Law
- Required courses in logic, rhetoric, and ethics provide students with fundamental skills valuable in all working environments and professional fields
- The program has strong
relationships and a great reputation with a number of local legal
organizations and all majors experience a professional environment
through the required internship
- Small class sizes, personalized attention from faculty, and individual career guidance enhance our students’ learning and success after graduation
- Current
students and graduates benefit from connections with a broad and
supportive network of Nazareth College alumni in law, public service,
and other relevant professional fields
Program Director
Olena Prokopovych, Ph.D.
oprokop5@naz.edu
585-389-2495
Olena Prokopovych received her bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Williams College and her doctorate in government from Cornell University. She serves as Nazareth’s pre-law program advisor and teaches courses on constitutional history, social policy, and health politics in the legal studies program.
Curriculum
The legal studies major is a 33 credit program consisting of seven required courses, required internship, and three elective courses taken from one of five tracks designed to complement diverse career plans.
All students in the legal studies major are required to take the following:
Required Courses
- PHL 101 - Logic and Inquiry
or PHL.Q 101, Philosophical Inquiry - ENGL 251W - Rhetoric I [or ENGW 253 - Foundations of Communication and Rhetoric Theory I for Comm/Rhet majors]
- ENGL 252 - Rhetoric II [or ENGW 254 - Foundations of Communication and Rhetoric Theory II, for Comm/Rhet majors]
- PHL 212 - Ethics through Literature
or PHL 312 - Ethics
or RES 330 - Ethics of the Professions - PSC 356 - Introduction to Law
- HIS/PSC 308 - U.S. Constitutional History
- LGS 483 - Law Internship
[A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, junior or senior status, and approval of Pre-Law Advisor are required for this internship. It is also possible to fulfill this requirement with PSC 482, Washington D.C. Internship, which also requires 3.0 GPA minimum, application, and approval. Students without a 3.0 GPA will take LGS 489 – Legal Studies Internship selected under the guidance of the Legal Studies Program Director.] - LGS 440 - Junior-Senior Seminar
- LGS 499 - Comprehensive (0 credits)
Elective Courses
Students in the legal studies major choose one of the following five elective tracks.
Public Policy, Politics, and Government Track
Take any 3 courses from the following list:
- ACT 357 - Forensic Accounting
- COMM 202 - Media Law and Ethics
- MGT 305 - Legal Environment of Business
- MGT 306 - Law for Accountants & Management
- PSC 301 - American Government
- PSC 302 - State and Local Government
- PSC 341 - Healthcare Politics: US Policy in Comparative Perspective
- PSC 342 - US Social Policy in Comparative Perspective
- PSC 359 - Environmental Law
- PSC 416 - International Law
- PSC 418 - Public Administration
- PSC
482 - Washington DC Internship or PSC 484 - Political Science
Internship or LGS 484 – Law Internship or LGS 489 – Legal Studies
Internship
[LGS 489 option is available only if the student has not used, and is not planning to use, this course to fulfill the internship requirement under “Required Courses.” Other internship options listed have specific requirements, as well as application and approval procedures.]
Non-Profit Management and Advocacy Track
Take any 3 courses from the following list:
- ANT 432 - Refugee Resettlement and Adaptation
- CYD 201 - Youth Development in Community Settings
- HRM 329 - Labor Relations and Human Resource Law
- MGT 305 - Legal Environment of Business
- MGT 306 - Law For Accountants & Management
- MGT 331 – Social Entrepreneurship
- MGT 410 - Management Ethics
- PSC 341 - Healthcare Politics: US Policy in Comparative Perspective
- PSC 342 - US Social Policy in Comparative Perspective
- PSC 357 - Family Law
- PSC 358 - Civil Rights Law
- PSC 359 - Environmental Law
- RES 310 - Interfaith Studies and Dialogue
- RES 330 - Ethics of the Professions (if not taken as one of the required courses)
- SOC 204 - Social Problems
- LGS 484 – Law Internship or LGS 489 – Legal Studies Internship
[LGS 489 option is available only if the student has not used, and is not planning to use, this course to fulfill the internship requirement under “Required Courses.” LGS 484 – Law Internship requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, junior or senior status, and approval of Pre-Law Advisor]
Business Management and Administration Track
Take:
- MGT 305 - Legal Environment of Business [no prereq]
Take any 2 courses from the following list:
- ACT 209 - Principles of Accounting I [no prereq]
- MGT 212 - Organization and Management [no prereq]
- MKT 216 - Principles of Marketing [no prereq]
- ECO 250 - Managerial Economics [prereq: ECO 101, ECO 102]
- MGT 306 - Law for Accountants & Management [prereq: MGT 305]
- HRM 329 - Labor Relations and Human Resource Law [HRM 323 or permission from instructor]
- ACT 349 - Corporate Finance [SCT 209]
- ECO 349G - International Business Economics [prereq: ECO 101, ECO 102, International Studies Course]
- PSC 359 – Environmental Law [prereq: PSC 101]
- LGS 484 – Law Internship or LGS 489 – Legal Studies Internship
[LGS 489 option is available only if the student has not used, and is not planning to use, this course to fulfill the internship requirement under “Required Courses.” LGS 484 – Law Internship requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, junior or senior status, and approval of Pre-Law Advisor]
Criminal Justice Track
Take any 3 courses from the following list:
- ANT 336 - Anthropology of Terrorism
- PSC 354 - Fundamentals of Criminal Law
- PSC 355 - Criminal Trials: History, Context and Practice
- PSC 357 - Family Law
- PSC 358 - Civil Rights Law
- SOC 345 - Deviance
- SOC 409 - Crime and Justice
- LGS 484 – Law Internship or LGS 489 – Legal Studies Internship
[LGS 489 option is available only if the student has not used, and is not planning to use, this course to fulfill the internship requirement under “Required Courses.” LGS 484 – Law Internship requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, junior or senior status, and approval of Pre-Law Advisor]
Law Track
Take any 3 courses from the following list:
- ACT 357 - Forensic Accounting
- HRM 329 - Labor Relations and Human Resource Law
- MGT 305 - Legal Environment of Business
- MGT 306 - Law for Accountants & Management
- PHL/PSC - 303 Political Philosophy: Plato to Machiavelli or PHL/PSC 306 - Contemporary Political Theory or PHL/PSC 317 - Modern Political Philosophy
- PSC 354 - Fundamentals of Criminal Law
- PSC 355 - Criminal Trials: History, Context and Practice
- PSC 357 - Family Law
- PSC 358 - Civil Rights Law
- PSC 359 - Environmental Law
- LGS 484 – Law Internship
[A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, junior or senior status, and approval of Pre-Law Advisor are required.]
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