Psychology BS / Law JD
Major: Psychology and Law
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) 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)
BS Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 42.2799
BS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-3031
JD Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 22.0101
JD Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 23-1011
About the Program
This accelerated degree program combines the BS in Psychology within the College of Arts and Sciences with the JD in Law within Thomas Kline School of Law. Through this program, potential BS/JD students may be identified when first admitted as entering freshman psychology majors. Finally, this is a "3+3" program allowing qualified students to earn their BS and JD in six years.
Additional Information
For more information about the Psychology major, visit the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences webpage.
Admission Requirements
For the BS: 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 at least meets 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 3 of undergraduate program
- Actively participate in pre-law and BSJD 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 3 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 | |
Introduction to Analysis I | ||
or MATH 121 | Calculus I | |
Any additional MATH course OR | ||
Symbolic Logic I | ||
or PHIL 121 | Symbolic Logic II | |
Engaging the Natural World * | 6.0-8.0 | |
Analyzing Cultures and Histories * | 6.0-8.0 | |
Understanding Society and Human Behavior * | 6.0-8.0 | |
Cultivating Global Competencies * | 6.0-8.0 | |
Perspectives in Diversity * | 3.0-4.0 | |
Departmental Requirements | ||
Business Elective ** | 4.0 | |
COM 230 | Techniques of Speaking | 3.0 |
Fine Arts Elective *** | 3.0 | |
Free Electives | 16.0 | |
General Psychology Course Requirements | ||
PSY 111 | Foundations of Psychological Science for Majors I † | 3.0 |
PSY 112 | Foundations of Psychological Science for Majors II † | 3.0 |
Select two of the following: | 6.0 | |
Developmental Psychology | ||
Approaches to Personality | ||
Introduction to Social Psychology | ||
Required Psychology Courses | ||
PSY 212 | Physiological Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 240 [WI] | Abnormal Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 264 | Statistical Methods in Psychology I | 3.0 |
PSY 265 | Statistical Methods in Psychology II | 3.0 |
PSY 280 | Psychological Research | 3.0 |
PSY 290 | History and Systems of Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 325 | Psychology of Learning | 3.0 |
PSY 330 | Cognitive Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 360 [WI] | Experimental Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 370 | Forensic Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 371 | Law and Psychology | 3.0 |
PSY 380 | Psychological Testing and Assessment | 3.0 |
Advanced Psychology Electives | ||
Any non-required PSY course at the 200-level or above. | 18.0 | |
Free electives fulfilled by 29 semester credits from first-year law courses | 43.5 | |
Law School Requirements | ||
Torts | ||
Contracts | ||
Civil Procedure | ||
Legislation and Regulation | ||
Property | ||
Criminal Law | ||
Constitutional Law | ||
Legal Methods I | ||
Legal Methods II | ||
Professional Responsibility | ||
Electives and Menu Requirements including: | 49.0-50.0 | |
One Upper-Level Writing Course (WUL) | ||
One Statutory Course | ||
One Professional Practice Course |
- *
See Core Curriculum List for a complete list of course options.
- **
Any course from the following programs will count towards meeting this requirement: ACCT, BLAW, BUSN, ECON, FIN, INTB, MGMT, MIS, MKTG, ORGB, SMT, and STAT
- ***
Any course from the following programs will count towards meeting this requirement ARTH, DANC, MUSC, PHTO, THTR, and VSST.
- †
Students with AP psychology, or transfer students with PSY 101 credit, should check the AP Student Placement Exam Crosswalk or check with their advisor.
Upper-Level Writing (WUL) Courses (may also be used as elective once requirement is filled) | ||
LAW 610S | Reproductive Rights & Justice | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 611S | Sex, Gender, & the Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 614S | Supreme Court Seminar | 3.0 |
LAW 647S | The Rights of Children | 2.0 |
LAW 656S | Justice Lawyering Sem | 1.0-3.0 |
LAW 673S | Crime and Community | 2.0 |
LAW 790S | Toxic Torts | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 791S | Regulating Patient Safety | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 793S | Mental Health Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 827S | Immigration Litigation | 2.0 |
LAW 828S | International Business Transactions | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 832S | Contract Theory Seminar | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 836S | Legal History | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 838S | Foundations of Legal Analysis | 2.0 |
LAW 840S | Literature and The Law Seminar | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 842S | Law and Mind Sciences | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 844S | Law and Social Movements | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 848S | Courts and Public Policy | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 882S | Litigation Drafting | 2.0 |
LAW 884S | Contract Drafting | 2.0 |
LAW 910S | Appellate Advocacy | 2.0 |
LAW 920S | Drexel Law Review | 1.0-6.0 |
LAW T880S | Special Topics in LAW | 1.0-5.0 |
Statutory Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is filled) | ||
LAW 620S | Administrative Law | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 622S | Employment Discrimination | 3.0 |
LAW 623S | Election Law | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 624S | Environmental Law | 3.0 |
LAW 642S | Special Education Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 674S | Health Care Fraud and Abuse | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 675S | Federal Criminal Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 676S | White Collar Crime | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 678S | Juvenile Justice Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 700S | Business Organizations | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 701S | Federal Income Tax | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 702S | Enterprise Tax | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 706S | Secured Transactions | 3.0 |
LAW 708S | Payment Systems | 3.0 |
LAW 710S | Bankruptcy | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 711S | Sales | 3.0 |
LAW 714S | Securities Regulation | 3.0 |
LAW 740S | Trusts and Estates | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 760S | Copyright | 3.0 |
LAW 764S | Trademarks & Unfair Competition | 3.0 |
LAW 792S | Food and Drug Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 796S | Insurance Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 820S | Immigration Law | 3.0-4.0 |
LAW 821S | European Union Law | 2.0-3.0 |
LAW 826S | Refugee and Asylum Law | 2.0-3.0 |
Professional Practice Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled) | ||
LAW 924S & LAW 653S | Entrepreneurial Law Clinic and Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Seminar | 7.0 |
LAW 931S & LAW 654S | Law Co-op and Lawyering Practice Seminar | 8.0-9.0 |
LAW 941S & LAW 942S & LAW 656S | Criminal Litigation Clinic I and Criminal Litigation Clinic II and Justice Lawyering Sem | 14.0-15.0 |
LAW 943S & LAW 944S & LAW 656S | Civil Litigation Clinic I and Civil Litigation Clinic II and Justice Lawyering Sem | 14.0-15.0 |
LAW 947S & LAW 948S & LAW 656S | Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic and Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic II and Justice Lawyering Sem | 14.0-15.0 |
LAW 950S & LAW 951S & LAW 656S | Community Lawyering Clinic I and Community Lawyering Clinic II and Justice Lawyering Sem | 14.0-15.0 |
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 | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
PSY 111 | 3.0 | PSY 112 | 3.0 | UNIV H201 | 1.0 | VACATION | |
UNIV H101 | 1.0 | PSY 120, 140, or 150 | 3.0 | ENGL 103 or 113 | 3.0 | ||
ENGL 101 or 111 | 3.0 | CIVC 101 | 1.0 | PSY 240 | 3.0 | ||
MATH 101 or 121 | 4.0 | ENGL 102 or 112 | 3.0 | PSY 120, 140, or 150 | 3.0 | ||
Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | Engaging the Natural World | 3.0-4.0 | Cultivating Global Competencies | 3.0-4.0 | ||
Developing Quantitative Reasoning | 3.0-4.0 | Fine Arts Elective | 3.0 | ||||
14-15 | 16-18 | 16-17 | 0 | ||||
Second Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
PSY 264 | 3.0 | COM 230 | 3.0 | PSY 280 | 3.0 | VACATION | |
PSY 290 | 3.0 | PSY 265 | 3.0 | PSY 360 | 3.0 | ||
Psychology Elective | 3.0 | PSY 212 | 3.0 | Psychology Electives | 6.0 | ||
Cultivating Global Competencies | 3.0-4.0 | PSY 371 | 3.0 | Understanding Society and Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | ||
Free Electives | 3.0 | Analyzing Cultures and Histories | 3.0-4.0 | ||||
15-16 | 15-16 | 15-16 | 0 | ||||
Third Year | |||||||
Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
PSY 325 | 3.0 | PSY 330 | 3.0 | Psychology Elective | 3.0 | VACATION | |
PSY 380 | 3.0 | PSY 370 | 3.0 | Business Elective | 4.0 | Student transitions to First Year of Law School | |
Free Elective | 3.0-4.0 | Perspectives in Diversity | 3.0-4.0 | Understanding Society and Human Behavior | 3.0-4.0 | ||
Analyzing Cultures and Histories | 3.0-4.0 | Psychology Electives | 6.0 | Free Electives | 6.0 | ||
Free Elective | 3.0 | ||||||
15-17 | 15-16 | 16-17 | 0 | ||||
Total Credits 137-148 |
Law School course credits are semester credits
First Year Law course credits (29 semester credits) are counted toward the Psychology BS.
Fourth Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
LAW 550S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 4.0 | LAW 555S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 3.0 |
LAW 552S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 4.0 | LAW 556S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 4.0 |
LAW 554S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 4.0 | LAW 558S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 4.0 |
LAW 565S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 3.0 | LAW 566S (Counts toward UG Free Elective) | 3.0 |
15 | 14 | ||
Fifth Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
LAW 560S | 4.0 | LAW 830S | 2.0 |
LAW Reqts/Electives | 10.0 | LAW Reqts/Electives | 12.0 |
14 | 14 | ||
Sixth Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
LAW Reqts/Electives | 14.0 | LAW Reqts/Electives | 14.0 |
14 | 14 | ||
Total Credits 85 |