FAQ - Legal Studies for freshmen

Feeling lost? Here is an excellent campus map from OIT. But it predates Gordon Hall (you'll see PKA instead)

Parents worried about you? Having trouble letting go? UMass has created a new Office of Parent Services to help them. Maybe they'll even send you a birthday cake! There is also a web page for parents to get information about the UCard. You might point them there as well.

Most Legal Studies majors come to us in their sophomore year, once they're already established at UMass. Often they've taken Legal 250, and find they want to take more of our courses and declaring a major seems like the next step. Or they're already started a Sociology or Political Science major (or whatever) and find they have room for a 2nd major and decide to add us on. Our enrollment varies between 250 and 425 majors in any given point. Lately, we've been hovering over 400.

A small number of students know that Legal Studies is for them before they start at UMass. They may like our course descriptions, they may assume we are a pre-law program, or perhaps it's because we are part of the New England Regional Students Program. Perhaps it was a random decision made at the at the last minute.

Please browse our course offerings to get a sense of the major, and also browse the offerings in other majors that may appeal to you. We want you to find the department that makes you happy. Perhaps it will be us, perhaps it will be another major. Students often change course during their freshmen and sophomore years, and we want you to explore as many of your options as you can. Be aware that many of our majors do a minor or a second major, and that can easily be accomodated with a tiny bit of planning. By starting early, you have the luxury to plan.

Many of our students go on to law school, and they choose Legal Studies because they enjoy studying the law. But there are many paths to law school, and you are by no means bound to Legal Studies to get there. Law Schools wish to provide you with your legal training, they aren't assuming you'll get any background as an undergraduate. Rather, they expect applicants to have a strong liberal arts background. They look for analytical thinking, good writing, and of course good LSAT scores. They want you to have good grades, and strong letters of recommendation. Whether you major in Legal Studies, Political Science, English or History is up to you. We encourage you to pick the major that interests you the most, since interest is often tied to grades.

Consider getting an internship at some point during your College career. Review the Legal Studies write-up, and look at the pages under Field Experience at Career Services. The office is now located in 524 Goodell, so there's no excuse not to stop by! There is no better way to research a future career than by getting an up close view of people working in the field. Sometimes this can be a lightbulb, a clear signal that a certain profession is (or is not) for you. Internships help build a resume in a way that summer jobs aren't always able to do. You pay for the credits you earn and can't work for money, but in exchange you can get some wonderful opportunities that wouldn't normally be accessible. Start thinking about that now.

Another wonderful thing to do is sample school in another location. Going on National Exchange, or International Exchange, new experiences can be life altering. Give it some thought.

We welcome all students into our major, but you're probably not going to feel very much like a Legal Studies major during your first year. You can't take Legal 250 until Sophomore year, so that leaves your Freshmen year to fill requirements and take some electives. We encourage you to start working on your General Education Requirements, and your Global Education Requirement. We also encourage you to take some electives in some departments that are appealing to you. You may find that Legal Studies is not what you want next year, or you may find that you can add a second major without too much difficulty. Or a minor might appeal to you.

Explore your options and spend your first year getting to know UMass. Reach out, as much as you can. UMass can seem large and a bit overwhelming, so try to find some niches that make it more accessible and fun. Commonwealth College can offer some smaller classes and a more intimate academic environment. Dorm areas often have special interest floors. Find a Registered Student Organization where you feel at home. If you have a car, explore the Pioneer Valley a little bit. Or take a bus into Amherst or Northampton. Ask people what's fun and interesting in the area, and take a break to do some exploring.

Meet people and have fun, adjust to college. Freshmen year is a huge change and it takes some time to find balance. It's very easy to feel overwhelmed.

Here are a few things to think about:

• If you're having trouble in any way, seek out someone to talk to, get some support and advice. It's easier to deal with problems when they're still small, and you have time to turn things around. While you may feel isolated with your difficulties, you're not. Freshmen year is a very stressful time.
  
  
• Although in many classes attendance can seem optional, instructors know who is attending. You'll get much less out of the class if your attendance is spotty, and doing well is that much harder. And for classes where participation is a percentage of your grade? You get marked down when you don't show up.
  
  
• Be aware that many classes operate on similar rhythms, so it's all too easy to find yourself with papers and exams falling due in the same week. Take a close look at your syllabi when you get them, and try to plan for the hot spots in your semester. Try to stay up on your readings. Give yourself extra time to get the papers done. Procrastination creates a lot of campus misery.
  
  
• You must take 15 credits a semester for 8 semesters (120 credits), in order to graduate on time. If you run into trouble and need to drop a class, remember that you will need to make up the credits at some point. You can drop a class up to the midpoint of the semester with a 'W' on your record. After that, you will need to petition for permission from your Dean. Your financial aid package likely requires that you take 12 credits as a minimum each semester, so you must be aware of your credit load and any repercussions that come from dropping a class.
  
  
• Make a habit of checking your degree audit, and staying on top of your requirements. The degree audit will sometimes shuffle which courses fulfill which requirements, so periodically print out a hard copy to refer to, and fix anything that looks amiss. Don't assume anything will fix itself.

If you have any questions or you'd like to speak to your Legal Studies Advisor, call Tami Paluca at 413.545.9698 and she'll be happy to chat with you.