Majors & Minors

This interdisciplinary program focuses on the effect of law on society as well as the ways in which social forces influence the legal system. The idea is that students will understand the law if they look beyond "law on the books" to "law in action." Thus, it is important to study key legal institutions such as the legal profession, the judiciary, juries, the police, legislatures and administrative agencies. In addition, the minor introduces students to legal policies like plea bargaining and the death penalty, and the constitutional principles that underlie political debates about them, e.g., equal protection, due process and privacy.

The requirements for the minor include seven courses (28 units), including at least four upper-division courses (16 units). All students are required to take POSC 130 Law, Politics, and Public Policy.

The Law and Technology minor studies the intersection of technological developments and the legal system through examining contemporary issues raised by developing technology, including internet privacy, patent law, intellectual property and cybercrime. 

The Law and Technology minor requires a minimum of 18 units.

Law, History and Culture is designed for students drawn to interdisciplinary, humanistic study of law and culture, as well as those who intend to pursue a law degree. It offers students an interdisciplinary education in legal institutions, languages and processes that are central to social, cultural and political developments in the past and present, and play a critical role in shaping our most basic concepts and categories of thought and identity. Students will gain theoretical and analytical perspectives on ethical, political and social issues relevant to law as they explore specific legal issues from a humanistic perspective. Students take courses in four core areas, which represent distinct disciplinary approaches to studying law’s position at the nexus of society. The major helps students develop skills for critical reading, writing and analysis that are both crucial to a liberal education and a gateway to further study of law.

The Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the legal system including the infrastructure, the reasoning process and the substantive commitments that the legal system has made. As future leaders, students in this major will become critical thinkers able to apply and understand various legal concepts in their interaction with real world issues locally, nationally and globally.

This program is particularly appropriate for students interested in pursuing a career that integrates legal concepts with other disciplines or that requires familiarity with extensive aspects of the legal system. It is a major designed for students who are looking to become future leaders in the community, the city, the state, the nation and the world. It is also suitable for students wanting to pursue graduate education in various disciplines, such as economics, humanities, social science, political science, business, health care, public service and many more, and for anyone who wants to obtain a general understanding of the place of law in contemporary society.

Departmental Honors Designation: 

To qualify and to request Departmental Honors, students must have completed at least 96 units of course work (toward the 128 total units which are required to satisfy the degree requirements).

Students must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative USC GPA at the time of their request and achieve at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA (A = 4.0) at the time of graduation.

Departmental Honors designation is linked to the Capstone Project. Additional requirements are set by the Office of Undergraduate Law Programs.

The minor in Legal Studies enables students to deepen their understanding of the U.S. legal system and provides them with the fundamentals of law. It combines courses in law, economics, history, philosophy, political science and public policy taught at the Gould School of Law, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the Sol Price School of Public Policy.

The minor in Legal Studies totals 22 units, consisting of 6 required units, and 16 elective units, as detailed below. 

The LGBTQ Studies minor focuses on how sexuality and sexual orientation shape gender identities, roles and status in societies past and present. Twenty units of course work are required for completion of the LGBTQ Studies minor: one course selected from SWMS 210gmw, SWMS 212gp, SWMS 215gw, SWMS 221g; required SWMS 306; and 12 units of upper-division electives.

The Bachelor of Science in Lifespan Health prepares students for admission to a graduate or professional school with an emphasis on the biomedical aspects of health including disease prevention, detection and treatment. This program is designed for students wishing to pursue graduate studies in a health field such as medicine, pharmacy, occupational/physical therapy, psychology and other related fields.

Admission to this program is granted through USC's admission process, described in the admission section of this catalogue. The same foreign language or programming skills requirement for the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging default Social Science track (12 units total) is required as well as the USC General Education program.

Honors students are required to complete GERO 497a, GERO 497b, GERO 497c for a total of 6 units, beginning in the fall or spring of the junior year. They must complete GERO 593 GERO 593 Research Methods with a minimum grade of B for a total of 4 units. Completion of the program requires a minimum GPA of 3.5 in gerontology and 3.3 in other courses.

Combined major program between the Department of Linguistics and the Department of Cognitive Science.

Combined major program between the Department of Linguistics and the Department of Philosophy.