The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the College of Arts and Sciences are pleased to offer a unique program of study for undergraduate students that enables them to explore multiple perspectives on law as an inter-school supplement to their major field of study.
To declare the LSHS minor: Submit a "Declare/Update Field of Study" request in Path@Penn.
LSHS Advisor for College students: Dr. Yvonne Fabella
LSHS Advisor for Wharton students: Professor Amanda Shanor
The Legal Studies and History Minor requires 8 courses
Required Core courses (3):
- HIST 1119 (formerly HIST 168) History of American Law to 1877
- HIST 1169 (formerly HIST 169) History of American Law Since 1877
- LGST 1010 (formerly LGST 101) Law and Social Values
Philosophical Foundations of Law (choose 1):
Law is an expression of our society’s deepest moral and cultural values. Anyone seeking to understand law should have a grasp of the philosophical foundations underlying the legal system.
- HIST 1201 Foundations of Law
- HIST 2202 Taking Things: A History of Property and Law
- HIST 3202 Medieval Justice
- PHIL 1433 (Formerly PHIL/PPE 008) The Social Contract
- PHIL 1450 (Formerly PHIL 077) Philosophy of Law
- PHIL 2450 (Formerly PHIL 277) Justice, Law and Morality
- ECON 0440 (formerly 036) Law and Economics
Political & Institutional Context of Law (choose 1):
Law is intimately related to the political values and institutions that give shape to particular legal rules. An understanding of these relationships and their social context deepens any appreciation of how law evolves.
- AFRC 3500 American Slavery and the Law
- HIST 1110 (formerly HIST109) Hamilton's America: US History 1775-1800
- HIST 1166 A Nation of Immigrants Reconsidered
- HIST 1172 Bodies, Race and Rights: Sex and Citizenship in Modern America
- HIST 1733 Free Speech and Censorship
- HIST 1740 Capitalism, Socialism and Crisis in the 20th Century Americas
- HIST 2159 History of Family Separation
- HIST 3910 Immigration and the Making of US Law
- PSCI 0602 (formerly PSCI 183) American Political Thought
- SOCI 1120 (formerly SOCI 135) Law and Society
International Perspective (choose 1):*
In a global economy, no study of how law works in society is complete without an introduction to the international dimension of law.
- LGST 2160 (LGST 216) Emerging Economies
- LGST 2190 (LGST 219) Law and Policy in International Business
- LGST 2240 (LGST 224) Human Rights and Globalization
Public Policy & Regulation (choose 1):*
The ways in which political and regulatory systems interact with law and social norms closely tied to law is crucial to understanding how law operates.
- BEPP 2010 (BEPP 201) Public Finance and Policy.
- BEPP 2030 (BEPP 203) Business in the Global Political Environment.
- LGST 1000 (LGST 100) Ethics and Social Responsibility
Legal Depth (choose 1):*
An in-depth examination of a single area of legal regulation affords students a context in which to apply the historical, philosophical, political and economic perspectives they have gained through their course of study.
- LGST 2020 (LGST 202) Law of Corporate Management and Finance
- LGST 2040 (LGST 204) Real Estate Law
- LGST 2050 (LGST 205) Innovation, Marketing Strategy, and Antitrust
- LGST 2080 (LGST 208) The Law at Work: Employment Law for Managers
- LGST 2120 (LGST 212) Economic Analysis of Law
- LGST 2130 (LGST 213) Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship
- LGST 2150 (LGST 215) Environmental Management Law & Policy
- LGST 2180 (LGST 218) Diversity and the Law
- LGST 2210 (LGST 221) Constitutional Law and Free Enterprise
- LGST 2220 (LGST 222) Internet Law, Privacy and Cybersecurity
- LGST 2230 (LGST 223) Securities Regulation
- LGST 2280 (LGST 228) Sports Law
- LGST 2430 (LGST 243) Other People’s Money
- LGST 2440 (LGST 244) Blockchain Cryptocurrency
- LGST 2450 (LGST 245) Business, Law, and Democracy
- LGST 2460 (LGST 246) Corporate Distress and Reorganization Law
- Another 2000-level Legal Studies and Business Ethics course may be substituted with the approval of the Legal Studies and Business Ethics’ Undergraduate Advisor: Amanda Shanor. The Negotiations courses (LGST 2910/2920) do not qualify for this bracket.
*Requirement change for students declaring the LSHS Minor in PATH in the fall 2024 semester and beyond:
The International Perspective, Public Policy & Regulation, and Legal Depth Requirements will be combined into one new Legal Depth requirement from which students will choose 3 courses. Students graduating in the class of 2025 and later years should plan their schedules accordingly. The new Legal Depth Requirement will look like this:
Legal Depth (choose 3):
An in-depth examination of areas of legal regulation affords students a context in which to apply the historical, philosophical, political and economic perspectives they have gained through their course of study.
- BEPP2010 Public Finance and Policy
- BEPP2030 Business in the Global Political Environment
- LGST1000 Ethics and Social Responsibility
- LGST2020 Law of Corporate Management & Finance
- LGST2040 Real Estate Law
- LGST2050 Innovation, Marketing Strategy, and Antitrust
- LGST2080 The Law at Work: Employment Law for Managers
- LGST2120 Economic Analysis of Law
- LGST2130 Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship
- LGST2150 Environmental Management Law & Policy
- LGST2160 Legal Problems of Emerging Economies
- LGST2180 Diversity and the Law
- LGST2190 Law and Policy in International Business
- LGST2210 Constitutional Law and Free Enterprise
- LGST2220 Internet Law, Privacy and Cybersecurity
- LGST2230 Securities Regulation
- LGST2240 Human Rights & Globalization
- LGST2280 Sports Law
- LGST2430 Other People’s Money
- LGST2440 Blockchain Cryptocurrency
- LGST2450 Business, Law, and Democracy
- LGST2460 Corporate Distress and Reorganization Law
Another 2000 level Legal Studies and Business Ethics course may be substituted with the Legal Studies and Business Ethics’ Undergraduate Advisor’s approval. The negotiations courses (LGST 2910/2920) do not qualify for this bracket.