Legal & Justice Studies: Overview

The Legal and Justice Studies Program offers opportunities to the student who seeks to understand how society does and doesn’t work for men and women of the planet and how engaged citizens can help shape their world. The major consists of courses in history, politics, law, economics and the environment taught by professors, lawyers and community activists, and leads to the acquisition of information essential to understand society and to conserve or change it.

Students in the Legal and Justice Studies program are encouraged to participate in the activities of the Institute for Civic Engagement. Founded with the mission of informing students and the community on timely issues and thereby fostering community involvement with those issues, the Institute welcomes to Burlington College on Wednesday evenings experts who lecture, debate and discuss topics important to the health and well being of our society.

Established to further the mission of Burlington College to help students to develop the information, skills and passion for the lifelong engagement of an informed citizen of the world, the Legal and Justice Studies program prepares students for meaningful employment in law, politics, business, government, non-governmental organizations, mediation, and community agencies, environmental policy and community programs. The major also helps prepare students for law school or graduate school.

All students are required to complete an upper-level internship in the major; typical placements include the Burlington College Pro-se Legal Clinic, community non-profits, activist organizations, state and local governmental positions, and law offices and organizations.