Preparing You for Success in the Legal Profession
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
逗奶视频鈥檚 Legal Studies Program focuses on preparing students for career success by offering courses and emphasizing the skills students need to succeed in law school, as a paralegal, or in other law-related fields. Our program was the first in Maryland, and one of the first in the nation, to be approved as a paralegal education program by the American Bar Association (ABA).
At Stevenson, our small class sizes allow students to build one-on-one professional mentoring relationships with our experienced faculty 鈥� all of whom are attorneys or judges. Beginning in your sophomore year, you will gain valuable internship experience working in the legal field. You can also join our nationally ranked mock trial team for credit and develop your legal skills while practicing in our state-of-the-art courtroom.
Legal Studies is a pre-law program, and our curriculum consists of the same courses offered in law school at an undergraduate level. We offer an LSAT preparation class for credit and have a strong network with law schools in the region. Throughout your time at Stevenson, you will work one-on-one with a dedicated pre-law advisor to help you prepare for future success 鈥� whether you choose to pursue law school or apply your legal skills to a variety of careers.
Graduates of the Legal Studies program will:
- Conduct research using all appropriate resources to identify and obtain relevant legal authority.
- Compose documents based on factual investigation, legal research, and analysis to inform and/or persuade.
- 逗奶视频 legal terminology, principles of law, and rules of ethical legal practice to the performance of legal services.
- Operate as productive and professional members of a legal services delivery team using appropriate communication, technology, and time-management skills.
- Perform substantive legal work under the direction of an attorney, as permitted by law.
Paralegals may not provide legal services directly to the public, except as permitted by law.
Stay Connected
Francis X. Pugh Courtroom Tour
Stevenson’s Francis X. Pugh Courtroom lets our students practice law hands-on in a real courtroom environment and provides our award-winning Mock Trial Team a practice space for upcoming trials and competitions.
Approved by the American Bar Association
逗奶视频鈥檚 Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies program is an American Bar Association (ABA) approved paralegal education program. Approval applies to both the on-campus and online teaching modalities.
Stevenson Legal Studies
Career Connections
Internship Placements
- Baltimore County State’s Attorney Office
- Gallagher, Evelius, & Jones
- Legal Aid Society
- Maryland Association of Boards of Education
- Office of the Public Defender
- Office of the United States Attorney, District of Maryland
- Under Armour
Top Employers
- Baltimore County Victim Witness Unit
- Cozen O’Connor
- Maryland House of Delegates
- Miles & Stockbridge
- T. Rowe Price
- Venable LLP
Law Schools Attended
- American University Washington College of Law
- George Washington University Law School
- Georgetown University School of Law
- Howard University School of Law
- Penn State Law School
- University of Baltimore School of Law
Career Pathways
- Attorney
- Arbitrator or Judge
- Mediator
- Paralegal or Legal Assistant
- Policy Analyst
Meet Our Students & Alumni
An Appeal for Advocacy
Jaden Thorton
Legal Studies Major
As an All-Regional Attorney on Stevenson鈥檚 award-winning Mock Trial Team, Jaden has been practicing his craft in courtrooms across the country with his team. 鈥淲e learn skills on how to present a position and argue that point against another person. This creates the ability to think quickly on your feet and convince a third party (or jury) that you are correct.鈥�
Study Legal Studies at Stevenson
Courses
The courses in the preview below are required for completion of the bachelor鈥檚 degree in Legal Studies. Students must complete all remaining major requirements in addition to the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE) courses.
Course Preview
| LAW 102 | Introduction to Legal Studies | 3 credits |
| LAW 217 | Rules of Evidence | 3 credits |
| LAW 302 | Pre-Law Seminar (LSAT Preparation Class) | 3 credits |
| LAW 305 | Special Topics in Law (e.g., Law and Film, AI and the Law, Law and Advocacy, Law and Legislation) | 3 credits |
| LAW 322 | Criminal Investigation and Procedure | 3 credits |
| LAW 356 | Domestic Relations Law | 3 credits |
Academic Catalog
Explore our academic catalog for a full listing of courses, course descriptions, and suggested course sequence for Stevenson’s Legal Studies program.
| First Year Seminar | 1 credit | |
| Introduction to Legal Studies | 3 credits | |
| Torts | 3 credits | |
| Estates and Trusts | 3 credits | |
| Contract Law | 3 credits | |
| Legal Research and Writing I | 3 credits | |
| Business Organizations Law | 3 credits | |
| Constitutional Law | 3 credits | |
| Legal Research and Writing II | 3 credits | |
| Civil Litigation and Pleading | 3 credits | |
| Internship: Part I | 1 credit | |
| Internship: Part II | 3 credits | |
| Law Office Technology | 3 credits | |
| Legal Studies Capstone | 3 credits | |
| American Government: Political Institutions and Procedures | 3 credits |
Minors and Other Options
Minor in Legal Studies
The minor in legal studies requires successful completion of a minimum of 18 credits of LAW courses that are program requirements for the major. The minor in legal studies is not intended to prepare students to work as paralegals and is not approved by the American Bar Association. All course prerequisites must be met to be eligible to take the selected course for a minor. Please see an academic advisor for more information. General guidelines regarding minors may be found in the Minors section of the catalog.
Add a Professional Minor
Open yourself up to additional career paths with one of our professional minors. Each minor is designed to pair with students鈥� majors to give them additional career options, a competitive edge in the job market, and an opportunity to shape their Stevenson experience to meet their specific career goals.
Double Major
Students may also double major in legal studies and another program of their choice (depending on the second major requirements). If you are interested in double majoring, please contact your success coach or the legal studies academic program administrator to develop a plan of study.
Pre-Law Option
The legal studies program is an excellent option for students interested in applying to law school. Many of our program’s graduates go on to law school and become lawyers. Legal studies students can combine law classes with a series of designated liberal arts courses that develop critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills. The same substantive and procedural law courses offered at law schools are offered in Stevenson’s legal studies program. Legal studies program faculty are experienced lawyers and judges. A full-time legal studies faculty member, also an attorney, serves as a dedicated pre-law advisor and assists students with Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) preparation and law school applications. An upper-level law elective is available to help prepare students to take the LSAT. Graduates who attend law school find that the legal studies program at Stevenson gives them a competitive advantage.
Transferring to Stevenson
Stevenson makes it easy for students to transfer into Stevenson鈥檚 Legal Studies Program from community colleges and other higher education institutions. We have several articulation agreements with community colleges, making for a seamless transfer of credits. Transfer students also have the chance to earn a transfer scholarship or a mock trial scholarship for transfer students.
Bachelor’s to Master’s Option
BS/MS options are available for students majoring in Legal Studies who wish to combine their bachelor鈥檚 coursework while working toward a 逗奶视频 Master鈥檚 Degree in one of the following:
Explore more Bachelor’s to Master’s options
Second Bachelor’s Degree
A second bachelor’s degree is available in legal studies, which includes 33 credits of LAW courses with at least 21 legal specialty credits required. Consult the website for additional information and for program requirements. All LAW courses and legal specialty courses must be taken at Stevenson.
3+3 Dual Degree Programs
University of Baltimore School of Law
A 3+3 Early Entry Program Option with the University of Baltimore School of Law (UB Law) is available to legal studies majors. Students who complete the 3+3 curriculum can apply to UB Law during their junior years. If admitted, students begin law school in lieu of their senior years, and graduate from 逗奶视频 after successful completion of the first year of law school. If you are interested in the 3+3 program, please tell your success coach or academic advisor advisor as early as possible and contact Melanie Snyder at msnyder@stevenson.edu.
Widener University Delaware Law School
Stevenson and Widener University Delaware Law School (Delaware Law) offer two special admissions programs for Stevenson undergraduate students: a 3+3 Early Admission Program and an Express or Guaranteed Admission Program. Stevenson Legal Studies Program students may earn both a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor degree in six years, instead of the usual seven. Additionally, Delaware Law will offer a minimum $30,000 merit scholarship to all Stevenson students who are admitted through the 3+3 or Express Admission Program and attend on a full-time basis.聽
If you are interested in the 3+3 program, please tell your success coach or academic advisor advisor as early as possible and contact Melanie Snyder at msnyder@stevenson.edu.
Mock Trial
Mock Trial is a competitive trial experience for undergraduates. Every year the creates a case file for all teams to use during competition. Each semester you compete on mock trial, you also can choose to receive one credit, up to three credits total, towards an upper-level LAW elective.
Mock Trial Scholarship
Freshman applicants interested in participating in Stevenson鈥檚 nationally recognized Mock Trial team can apply for the Mock Trial Scholarship. Students will need to submit a by January 15. Finalists will be invited via email to attend an on-campus audition and interview day in the spring.
Pre-Law Advising
逗奶视频鈥檚 pre-law advising program is dedicated to supporting students interested in pursuing a career in law. Our pre-law advisor works closely with students to guide them through the law school application process, from applying for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to crafting a competitive application.
Internships and the Legal Society
Beginning as soon as their sophomore year, all legal studies majors complete a 120-hour internship in a legal field. This internship can be either paid or unpaid and may even lead to a job opportunity after its completion. The university has a dedicated internship coordinator who can assist students throughout the internship process.
Legal studies majors also can join the Legal Society, a student-run organization focused on providing an environment that encourages learning, using, and applying the law. The Legal Society organizes several events each year, such as Law Day, where students can network with legal professionals, Constitution Day, and trips to the courts. The Legal Society also offers comprehensive mentoring, provides advice on coursework, and facilitates networking between students and working professionals. Those interested in learning more about the Legal Society can reach out to the group at legalsociety@stevenson.edu.
Putting Knowledge into Practice: Stevenson’s Mock Trial Experience
Stevenson Legal Studies students can participate in Mock Trial, preparing them for careers in the legal profession. Our teams are nationally ranked and have competed against high-level teams from across the nation, including American University, Boston University, Brown University, Cornell University, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas, and Yale University.
100%
of students can have an internship as soon as their sophomore year.
100%
of qualified applicants from SU鈥檚 Legal Studies program are accepted to law school.
3+3
3+3 programs with UB Law and Delaware Law provide an opportunity for early entry to Law School.
Learn more.
Have a Question?
Contact Admissions
Undergraduate Admissions
Owings Mills Campus
Garrison Student Union
North Entrance, Second Floor
1-877-468-6852