What Can You Do with a Major in Legal Studies?
The simplest answer is anything you want. A legal studies major provides you with the critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and writing skills necessary to succeed in a wide variety of career paths. After graduation, our students pursue grad school, begin their career, and engage in volunteering/service.
The focus of Legal Studies is to help students become informed, active, well-rounded, critical thinkers about law and society. Modern society is increasingly dominated by law and legal consciousness, and legal literacy is important for many careers. Because the Legal Studies major hones students’ critical thinking, conflict resolution, and oral and written communication skills, Legal Studies graduates are well-trained for a wide array of careers. While some of our students attend law school, Legal Studies alumni also go into careers in mediation, court administration, law enforcement, government, public interest, business, and education. Legal Studies is useful preparation for graduate work in such fields as political science, psychology, history, anthropology, natural sciences, journalism, economics, or sociology.
Recent Graduate Placements
- Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital
- Massachusetts Trial Court
- Cain Hibbard & Myers PC, Counselors at Law
- CGI: IT and Business Consulting Services
- EF Education First, international education company
- Eliassen Group, Strategic Consulting
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP
- Jones Kelleher, LLP
- Kajko, Weisman and Colasanti, LLP
- McLean Hospital
- Newburyport District Court
- Old Colony YMCA
- Oracle, Cloud Applications and Cloud Platform
- Teach For America
- Werfen, worldwide leader in specialized medical diagnostics
- Wisselman, Harounian & Associates, P.C.
- Worcester Probate & Family Court
- Legal Assistant
- Intellectual Property Clerk
- Case Specialist
- Family Law Paralegal
- Sales Development Representative
- Travel Sales Consultant
- Police and Security
- Court Service Center Coordinator
- Youth Services Coordinator
- Special Education Assistant
- Marketing Associate
- Suffolk University
- New England Law
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Western New England University
- Boston University
- George Washington University
- Howard University
- New England Law
- Roger Williams University
- University of Connecticut
- University of Houston
- University of Maine School of Law
- Rutgers University New Brunswick
Legal studies majors have access to a robust array of internships, including internships with the Massachusetts trial and appellate court systems, district attorneys’ offices, private law firms, public interest groups, mediation firms, law enforcement, legislators, corporations, and many others. UMass is also the home to the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution, the Law and Society Association, and the Five College Seminar in Legal Studies.
Resources for Current Students
Searching for a career will take time and research. Some resources can be found on our Internships webpage. If you need additional support, contact the SBS Career Advisors.
If you are considering a stand-alone master’s, a UMass 4+1 accelerated master’s, or a PhD program, you will want to connect with UMass faculty and administrative staff in those programs. You will need to prepare a writing sample, letters of recommendation, and possibly the GRE (UMass 4+1 program does not require the GRE).
UMass has a designated pre-law advisor, Diane Curtis. The pre-law advising webpage has a wealth of information. Please sign up for the mailing list where you can find out about events and additional resources.