Sociology BA / Law JD

Major: Sociology 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)
BA Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 45.1101
BA Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-3041
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 BA in Sociology 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 Sociology and their JD in six years. The study of sociology provides a strong foundation for success in law school.

Additional Information

For more information about the Sociology major, visit the Department of Sociology webpage. 

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 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

General Education Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
UNIV H101The Drexel Experience1.0
UNIV H201Looking Forward: Academics and Careers1.0
Two Consecutive Foreign Language Courses *8.0
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 Competences **6.0-8.0
Perspectives in Diversity **3.0-4.0
Sociology Core Requirements 3.0
Introduction to Sociology
Required Major Capstone4.0
Capstone in Sociology
Theory Sequence 8.0
Classical Social Theory ([WI])
Contemporary Social Theory ([WI])
Methods Sequence8.0
Research Design: Qualitative Methods
Research Design: Quantitative Methods
Required Sociology Electives40.0
Select at least 10 of the following: (At least four must be at the 300 or 400 level; and at least one must be at the 400-level.)
Social Problems
Medicine and Society
Race, Ethnicity and Social Inequality
Sociology of Work
Wealth and Power
Sociology of the Family
Sex and Society
Gender and Society
Sociology of Health and Illness
Sociology of Health Professions
Urban Sociology
Sociology of the Environment
Sex and The City
Sociology of Sport
Sociology of Aging
Global Climate Change and Society
Gentrification and Neighborhood Change
Sociology of Global Health
Social Networks and Health
Sociology of Deviance
Development and Underdevelopment in the Global South
Sociology of Education
Globalization
Environmental Justice
Sociology of Disasters
Practicum in Applied and Community Sociology
Medicine, Technology and Science
Housing and Homelessness
Imagining Multiple Democracies
Love, Rage & Debt: The Debt Society
Politics of Life
Social Movements
Sociology Research Seminar I: Research Design
Sociology Research Seminar II: Data Acquisition and Analysis
Sociology Research Seminar III: Practicum in Sociological Research
Special Topics in Sociology
UG Free Electives 31.0
Additional Free Electives fulfilled by 22 semester credits from first-year law courses33.0
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
Upper level writing (WUL) courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 610SReproductive Rights & Justice2.0-3.0
LAW 611SSex, Gender, & the Law3.0
LAW 614SSupreme Court Seminar3.0
LAW 640SEducation Law2.0-3.0
LAW 647SThe Rights of Children2.0
LAW 656SJustice Lawyering Sem ((if full year paper))1.0-3.0
LAW 673SCrime and Community2.0
LAW 741SEstate Planning2.0
LAW 790SToxic Torts2.0
LAW 791SRegulating Patient Safety2.0
LAW 793SMental Health Law3.0
LAW 827SImmigration Litigation2.0
LAW 832SContract Theory Seminar2.0-3.0
LAW 836SLegal History2.0-3.0
LAW 838SFoundations of Legal Analysis2.0
LAW 840SLiterature and The Law Seminar2.0
LAW 842SLaw and Mind Sciences2.0
LAW 844SLaw and Social Movements3.0
LAW 848SCourts and Public Policy2.0-3.0
LAW 882SLitigation Drafting2.0
LAW 884SContract Drafting2.0
LAW 910SAppellate Advocacy2.0
LAW 920SDrexel Law Review ((if WUL option))1.0-6.0
LAW T880SSpecial Topics in LAW1.0-5.0
Statutory Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 620SAdministrative Law4.0
LAW 622SEmployment Discrimination3.0
LAW 623SElection Law3.0
LAW 624SEnvironmental Law3.0
LAW 642SSpecial Education Law2.0-3.0
LAW 674SHealth Care Fraud and Abuse2.0
LAW 675SFederal Criminal Law2.0-3.0
LAW 676SWhite Collar Crime2.0-3.0
LAW 700SBusiness Organizations3.0-4.0
LAW 701SFederal Income Tax4.0
LAW 702SEnterprise Tax4.0
LAW 706SSecured Transactions3.0
LAW 708SPayment Systems3.0
LAW 710SBankruptcy3.0-4.0
LAW 711SSales3.0
LAW 714SSecurities Regulation3.0
LAW 740STrusts and Estates3.0
LAW 760SCopyright3.0
LAW 764STrademarks & Unfair Competition3.0
LAW 792SFood and Drug Law3.0
LAW 796SInsurance Law2.0
LAW 820SImmigration Law3.0-4.0
LAW 821SEuropean Union Law2.0-3.0
LAW 826SRefugee and Asylum Law2.0
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 933S
LAW 654S
Co-op Intensive
and Lawyering Practice Seminar
11.0-12.0
LAW 941S
LAW 942S
Criminal Litigation Clinic I
and Criminal Litigation Clinic II
12.0
LAW 943S
LAW 944S
Civil Litigation Clinic I
and Civil Litigation Clinic II
12.0
LAW 947S
LAW 948S
Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic
and Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic II
12.0
LAW 950S
LAW 951S
Community Lawyering Clinic I
and Community Lawyering Clinic II
12.0
Free Electives (may require permission to enroll)
Any other unspecified LAW courses numbered 550S and above may count as JD elective
*

Select from one of the following:

Two courses in: ARBC 103 or ARBC 201-499, CHIN 103 or CHIN 201-499, FREN 103 or FREN 201-499, GER 103 or GER 201-499, JAPN 103 or JAPN 201-499, KOR 103 or KOR 201-499, SPAN 103 or SPAN 201-499.

At least one foreign language course must be at the 200-level. In addition, the department recommends students take two additional foreign language courses as free electives.

**

See Core Curriculum List for complete list of course options.

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
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CIVC 1011.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0VACATION
SOC 1013.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0Analyzing Cultures & Histories 3.0-4.0 
UNIV H1011.0SOC 2414.0Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0 
Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Foreign Language Course4.0Perspectives in Diversity3.0-4.0 
Foreign Language Course4.0Understanding Society & Human Behavior 3.0-4.0Sociology Required Elective4.0 
Free Elective3.0   
 17-18 15-16 16-19 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
SOC 2424.0Analyzing Cultures & Histories 3.0-4.0SOC 3554.0VACATION
Developing Quantitative Reasoning3.0-4.0Engaging the Natural World3.0-4.0Cultivating Global Competence 6.0-8.0 
Free Electives3.0Free Elective4.0Free Elective3.0 
Sociology Required Electives8.0Sociology Required Elective4.0Sociology Required Elective 4.0 
 Understanding Society & Human Behavior 3.0-4.0  
 18-19 17-20 17-19 0
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
SOC 3564.0SOC 4504.0UNIV H2011.0VACATION
Free Elective6.0Free Elective6.0Free Electives6.0Student transitions to first year of Law School
Sociology Required 300/400 Elective 4.0Sociology Required 300/400 Elective4.0Sociology Required Elective4.0 
  Sociology Required 300/400 Elective4.0 
  Sociology Required 300/400 Elective4.0 
 14 14 19 0
Total Credits 147-158

Law School course credits are semester credits

First Year Law course credits (22.0 semester credits) are counted toward the Sociology BA.

Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LAW 550S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0LAW 555S (Counts toward UG free elective)3.0
LAW 552S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0LAW 556S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0
LAW 554S (Counts toward UG free elective)4.0LAW 558S4.0
LAW 565S (Counts toward UG free elective)3.0LAW 566S3.0
 15 14
Fifth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LAW 560S4.0LAW 830S2.0
Law Requirements/Electives 10.0Law Requirements/Electives 12.0
 14 14
Sixth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Law Requirements/Electives 14.0Law Requirements/Electives 14.0
 14 14
Total Credits 85