University College at Syracuse University has added a new minor in legal studies, scheduled to begin during the fall 2006 semester.

The 19-credit minor is available to undergraduate SU students who get permission from their home college and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. Students are advised to begin the program during their freshman or sophomore year. Some exceptions for juniors will be made.

‘We have already had a number of interested students call us, and a number of departments have contacted us as well,’ said Bruce Hamm, the senior program administrator for the legal studies program. ‘There are about 600-plus Syracuse University students who identify themselves as pre-law.’

The minor is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the law, as well as to prepare those who are interested for law school and other various legal fields.

‘Syracuse University has never really has a formal pre-law program,’ Hamm said. ‘This will fulfill the need for people headed to law school. It will expose them to what they will see in law school, as well as in the work world. It will also allow students to decide whether or not they would like to study law before they invest in law school.’

Students will be able to customize their legal studies minor to fit within their academic concentration or a particular area of interest. In addition, a special legal studies minor will be made available to journalism majors enrolled in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications who are interested in legal reporting.

The minor can be used to enhance a number of majors, including human services, sports management, journalism, communications, the sciences and the performing arts.

Dylan Grady, a freshman political science major, said he is ‘really excited’ about the new minor.

‘It should help me see what law is really about,’ Grady said. ‘I’ve been thinking about going to law school, but I haven’t decided yet. Hopefully this will help me to figure it out.’

Published on April 22, 2006 at 12:00 pm