Degree Requirements
Jurisprudence Degree Requirements
- These requirements apply to students entering this program in fall 2013 and thereafter. Students who enrolled earlier should consult the catalog in effect at the time they enrolled.
- You can also reference the graduation requirements for the year in which you enrolled on the portal; view graduation requirements by year (PDF) in the right-hand column of your MyResources page.
- Read the course descriptions.
- Learn about degree requirements for the Law School Early Entry Option.
General-Education Requirements
(43 credits)
Complete these courses with a grade of C- or better:
- English Composition
- Mathematics
- Oral Communication
- Literature
- History or Philosophy
- Fine Arts
- Computer Literacy
- Social and Behavioral Science 1
- Social and Behavioral Science 2
- Biological and Physical Science
- Laboratory course, 4 credits
- Non-laboratory course
Complete three courses with a grade of C or better:
- Advanced Expository Writing (WRIT 300)
completing WRIT 101 and either passing the writing placement test or successfully completing WRIT 200 required - Ethical Issues in Business and Society (IDIS 302)
and one of the following:
- World Cultures (IDIS 301)
- Arts and Ideas (IDIS 304)
required if no lower-level general-education course in fine arts
Jurisprudence Program Requirements
(57 credits)
Required Courses (12 credits)
- Introduction to Jurisprudence (JPLA 200)
- Ethics (PHIL 301)
- Logic of Language (PHIL 316)
- Capstone Project (JPLA 498)
Foundational Electives (9 credits)
- one 100- or 200-level course in American government
- one 100- or 200-level course in American history
- one 100- or 200-level course in philosophy
other courses may be substituted with the permission of the program director; with the permission of the program director, students may substitute a paralegal degree for the Foundational Electives
Advanced Electives (36 credits)
other courses may be substituted with the permission of the program director
English, Writing and Communication (6 credits)
Choose two of the following:
- Oral Communication in Business (CMAT 303)
- Ancient Myth: Paradigms & Transformations (ENGL 351)
- Literature & Law (ENGL 356)
- Shakespeare: Kings, Knaves & Fools (ENGL 364)
- The Age of Reason (ENGL 432)
- Argument & Persuasion (WRIT 314)
Government and Public Policy (12 credits)
Choose four of the following:
- American Political Institutions (GVPP 300)
- Constitutional Law (GVPP 340)
- Civil Liberties and the Bill of Rights (GVPP 341)
- The Legislative Process (GVPP 345)
- American Political Thought (GVPP 381)
- Political Ideologies (GVPP 382)
- Comparative Government (GVPP 384)
- Administrative Law and Process (GVPP 425)
- Internship (GVPP 490/491)
History (12 credits)
Choose four of the following:
- Age of Revolution (HIST 312)
- English Law to 1689 (HIST 331)
- English Law Since 1689 (HIST 332)
- American Legal History (HIST 340)
- New South and Civil Rights (HIST 377)
- American Constitutional History (HIST 434)
- Great Trials in History (HIST 438)
- History of Common Law (HIST 440)
- American Political History (HIST 468)
- Internship (HIST 490)
- Independent Study, 1-3 credits (HIST 492)
Philosophy (6 credits)
Choose two of the following:
- Ancient Philosophy (PHIL 317)
- Modern Philosophy (PHIL 319)
- 20th-Century Philosophy (PHIL 320)
- Religions in America (PHIL 419)
- Theories of Justice (PHIL 490)
- Independent Study, 1-6 credits (PHIL 492)
- International Law and Morality (PHIL 496)
These Jurisprudence courses may be substituted for any Advanced Electives:
- Topics (JPLA 400)
- Internship (JPLA 496)
General Electives
- First Year Seminar: Introduction to University Learning (IDIS 101)
freshmen only; transfer students replace this with a different elective
Complete as many courses as necessary from any discipline to fulfill your 120-credit requirement to graduate.
Information Literacy Requirement
Meet the UB Information Literacy graduation requirement by successfully completing:
- Introduction to Information Literacy (IDIS 110)