Political Science BA / Law JD
Major: Political Science and Law
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Juris Doctor (JD)
Calendar Type: Quarter and semester
Minimum Required Credits: 180.0 quarter credits & 85.0 semester credits
Co-op Options: No Co-op (Six years)
About the Program
This accelerated degree program combines the BA in Political Science in the College of Arts and Sciences and the JD offered by the Kline School of Law. It is a "3+3" program, allowing qualified students to earn both their BA in Political Science and their JD in six years. The study of government and politics provides a strong foundation for success in law school.
For more information about this program, contact Kate Hughes at mailto:kfh28@drexel.edu.
Admission Requirements
For the BA: Standard admission requirements for all Drexel undergraduate programs
To be admitted to Drexel's Kline School of Law, students must:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.45
- Earn a LSAT score that meets or exceeds the Kline School of Law's current LSAT median (as determined by point of entry into the undergraduate program) no later than December of year three of undergraduate program
- Actively participate in pre-law and BAJD activities
- Meet regularly with academic advisor and the pre-law advisor
- Maintain satisfactory progress towards completing required undergraduate coursework as set out in the plan of study in three years
- File complete, binding application to the Kline School of Law by December 31 of year three of undergraduate program
- Comply with all admission and seat deposit requirements of the Kline School of Law
- Comply with all character and fitness requirements of the Kline School of Law
Degree Requirements
| University Requirements | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
| UNIV H101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
| UNIV H201 | Looking Forward: Academics and Careers | 1.0 |
| College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum * | ||
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning * | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Two courses in MATH based on placement exams OR * | ||
| Symbolic Logic I | ||
| Symbolic Logic II | ||
| Engaging the Natural World * | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Analyzing Cultures & Histories * | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Understanding Society & Human Behavior * | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Cultivating Global Competence * | 6.0-8.0 | |
| Perspectives in Diversity * | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Political Science Major Requirements | ||
| Required Introductory Courses | ||
| PSCI 110 | American Government | 4.0 |
| PSCI 120 | History of Political Thought | 4.0 |
| PSCI 140 | Comparative Politics I | 4.0 |
| PSCI 150 | International Politics | 4.0 |
| Required Research Methods Courses | ||
| PSCI 131 | Research Design for Political Science | 4.0 |
| PSCI 231 | Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Research in Political Science | 4.0 |
| PSCI 232 | Quantitative Research Methods in Political Science | 4.0 |
| Required Intermediate Courses | 12.0 | |
| Political Science Upper-level Elective Courses | 20.0 | |
Any five PSCI courses at 300-level or above ** | ||
| Free Undergraduate Electives | 28.0 | |
| Free electives fulfilled by 22.0 semester credits from first-year law courses (Law School Requirements) | 33.0 | |
| Law School required courses | ||
| LAW 550S | Torts | 3.0-5.0 |
| LAW 552S | Contracts | 3.0-5.0 |
| LAW 554S | Civil Procedure | 3.0-5.0 |
| LAW 555S | Legislation and Regulation | 3.0 |
| LAW 556S | Property | 3.0-5.0 |
| LAW 558S | Criminal Law | 3.0-5.0 |
| LAW 560S | Constitutional Law | 3.0-5.0 |
| LAW 565S | Legal Methods I | 2.0-4.0 |
| LAW 566S | Legal Methods II | 2.0-4.0 |
| LAW 830S | Professional Responsibility | 2.0-3.0 |
| Electives and Menu Requirements including: | 49.0-50.0 | |
One Upper-Level Writing Course (WUL). See list below. | ||
One Statutory Course. See list below. | ||
One Professional Practice Course. See list below. | ||
- *
See Core Curriculum List for complete list of core options.
- **
Law School Electives and Menu Requirements:
| Upper-level writing (WUL) courses may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled | ||
| Reproductive Rights & Justice | ||
| Sex, Gender, & the Law | ||
| Supreme Court Seminar | ||
| The Rights of Children | ||
| Justice Lawyering Sem | ||
| Crime and Community | ||
| Toxic Torts | ||
| Regulating Patient Safety | ||
| Mental Health Law | ||
| Immigration Litigation | ||
| International Business Transactions | ||
| Contract Theory Seminar | ||
| Legal History | ||
| Foundations of Legal Analysis | ||
| Literature and The Law Seminar | ||
| Law and Mind Sciences | ||
| Law and Social Movements | ||
| Appellate Advocacy | ||
| Drexel Law Review | ||
| Special Topics in LAW | ||
| Statutory Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled): | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Employment Discrimination | ||
| Election Law | ||
| Environmental Law | ||
| Health Care Fraud and Abuse | ||
| Federal Criminal Law | ||
| White Collar Crime | ||
| Business Organizations | ||
| Federal Income Tax | ||
| Enterprise Tax | ||
| Secured Transactions | ||
| Payment Systems | ||
| Bankruptcy | ||
| Sales | ||
| Securities Regulation | ||
| Trusts and Estates | ||
| Copyright | ||
| Trademarks & Unfair Competition | ||
| Food and Drug Law | ||
| Insurance Law and Emerging Technologies | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| European Union Law | ||
| Refugee and Asylum Law | ||
| Professional Practice Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled): | ||
| Law Co-op | ||
or LAW 654S | Lawyering Practice Seminar | |
| Co-op Intensive | ||
or LAW 654S | Lawyering Practice Seminar | |
| Criminal Litigation Clinic I | ||
or LAW 944S | Civil Litigation Clinic II | |
or LAW 656S | Justice Lawyering Sem | |
| Civil Litigation Clinic I | ||
or LAW 944S | Civil Litigation Clinic II | |
or LAW 656S | Justice Lawyering Sem | |
| Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic | ||
or LAW 948S | Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic II | |
or LAW 656S | Justice Lawyering Sem | |
| Community Lawyering Clinic I | ||
or LAW 951S | Community Lawyering Clinic II | |
or LAW 656S | Justice Lawyering Sem | |
| Entrepreneurial Law Clinic | ||
or LAW 653S | Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Seminar | |
Free Electives (may require permission to enroll) | ||
Any other unspecified LAW course numbered 550S and above may count as JD elective | ||
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.
Sample Plan of Study
Undergraduate course credits are quarter credits
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENGL 101 or ENGL 111 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research or English Composition I | 3.0 |
| PSCI 110 | American Government | 4.0 |
| PSCI 140 | Comparative Politics I or History of Political Thought or International Politics | 4.0 |
| UNIV H101 | The Drexel Experience | 1.0 |
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Winter | ||
| CIVC 101 | Introduction to Civic Engagement | 1.0 |
| ENGL 102 or ENGL 112 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing or English Composition II | 3.0 |
| PSCI 120 | History of Political Thought or Comparative Politics I or International Politics | 4.0 |
| PSCI 131 | Research Design for Political Science | 4.0 |
| Developing Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGL 103 or ENGL 113 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres or English Composition III | 3.0 |
| PSCI 120 | History of Political Thought or Comparative Politics I or International Politics | 4.0 |
| Analyzing Cultures & Histories | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Perspectives in Diversity | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 13-15 | |
| Summer | ||
| VACATION | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSCI 232 | Quantitative Research Methods in Political Science | 4.0 |
| PSCI Intermediate course | 4.0 | |
| Cultivating Global Competence | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Analyzing Cultures & Histories | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 14-16 | |
| Winter | ||
| PSCI 231 | Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Research in Political Science | 4.0 |
| PSCI Intermediate Course | 4.0 | |
| Cultivating Global Competence | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Understanding Society & Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 14-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSCI Intermediate Course | 4.0 | |
| Understanding Society & Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Upper-level PSCI elective | 4.0 | |
| Credits | 14-16 | |
| Summer | ||
| VACATION | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| UNIV H201 | Looking Forward: Academics and Careers | 1.0 |
| Upper-level PSCI electives | 8.0 | |
| Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Free elective | 3.0-4.0 | |
| Credits | 15-17 | |
| Winter | ||
| Upper-level PSCI electives | 8.0 | |
| Free Electives | 9.0 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| Free Electives | 16.0 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| VACATION | ||
| Student transitions to First Year of Law School | ||
| Credits | 0 | |
| Total Credits | 133-145 | |
Law School course credits are semester credits
First Year Law course credits (22 semester credits) are counted toward the Political Science BA.
| Fourth Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| LAW 550S | Torts (Counts toward UG free elective) | 4.0 |
| LAW 552S | Contracts (Counts toward UG free elective) | 4.0 |
| LAW 554S | Civil Procedure (Counts toward UG free elective) | 4.0 |
| LAW 565S | Legal Methods I (Counts toward UG free elective) | 3.0 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| LAW 555S | Legislation and Regulation (Counts toward UG free elective) | 3.0 |
| LAW 556S | Property (Counts toward UG free elective) | 4.0 |
| LAW 558S | Criminal Law | 4.0 |
| LAW 566S | Legal Methods II | 3.0 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| LAW 560S | Constitutional Law | 4.0 |
| Law Requirements/Electives | 10.0 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| LAW 830S | Professional Responsibility | 2.0 |
| Law Requirements/Electives | 12.0 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Sixth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Law Requirements/Electives | 14.0 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| Law Requirements/Electives | 14.0 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 85 | |
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