91探花

91探花 students can apply now for the M.A. in Law, Justice and Culture program and start their graduate studies in the spring, taking graduate courses and getting a jump start on a one-year master鈥檚 degree.

Senior undergraduates who are accepted into the master鈥檚 program are, under certain circumstances, invited to begin the degree early by taking graduate courses for graduate credit in the spring semester.

This option applies to any qualifying 91探花 student with senior status (at least 90 earned undergraduate hours), for up to three courses (12 credit hours).

Students must have been accepted into the master鈥檚 program by the end of fall semester to take graduate courses in the spring.

Click here to learn how to apply to the M.A. in Law, Justice and Culture.

To qualify to take graduate courses as an undergraduate student, students must have an accumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2. Students also must complete a special form available from the program director, Dr. Haley Duschinski, and the Graduate College.

After completing the undergraduate degree, students transition into the M.A. program, completing the master鈥檚 degree in just one year of full-time graduate study.

About the M.A. in Law, Justice and Culture

The M.A. in Law, Justice and Culture focuses on critical analysis of law in relation to society, culture, politics and power. This master鈥檚 degree is designed for anyone who deals with law academically or professionally 鈥� including individuals in careers that deal with law, as well as those considering law school or Ph.D. programs.

The M.A. in Law, Justice and Culture:

• Can be completed in person on campus or entirely online.
• Offers research-driven teaching by faculty with national and global expertise in their fields.
• Strengthens skills in analytical and conceptual thinking, legal and scholarly research and writing, ethical and public interest concerns, public advocacy, and active engagement with the challenges of law and justice in the 21st century.

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Why study law and society?

鈥淟aw and society is a vibrant interdisciplinary field,鈥� said Duschinski, associate professor of anthropology. 鈥淎s a law and society degree, the new M.A. program draws on the analytic, interpretive and imaginative tools of the liberal arts to shed light on the moral and political elements on law, and its meaning and significance in our everyday lives.鈥�

The program emphasizes research-driven teaching and learning. All students must carry out graduate-level independent research by completing either a master鈥檚 thesis or a master鈥檚 research essay, with the option of a capstone research course. The program also provides professional training in academic presentation and communication through its curricular and extra-curricular components.

Core courses focus on the theoretical traditions of law and society scholarship and the deep integration of theory and methods in this interdisciplinary field, while elective courses examine law from different disciplinary perspectives.

The program also offers an annual nine-day study abroad program focusing on human rights, law and justice in post-conflict Northern Ireland. This study abroad experience includes interactions with former combatants, human rights lawyers, ex-political prisoners, victims鈥� associations, and restorative justice practitioners, as well as visits to museums, former prisons and non-governmental organizations.

Click here to learn more about the . The Northern Ireland program is expected to resume in spring 2023.

Vibrant Center for Law, Justice and Culture

The degree is housed within 91探花鈥檚 Center for Law, Justice and Culture, an interdisciplinary teaching and research center focusing on law in relation to the social and political challenges of the 21st century.

鈥淭he center is an energetic community of students and faculty who are deeply committed to the study of law鈥檚 role in our contemporary world. We coordinate socio-legal studies at 91探花,鈥� Duschinski said.

The center supports academic training in law and society through interdisciplinary coursework and research as well as extra-curricular academic and professional development opportunities, including pre-law advising and programming. It brings together perspectives from African American studies, anthropology, criminology, history, political science, sociology, and other related fields.

The center鈥檚 faculty are leading researchers with national and global expertise on diverse forms of law in contemporary, historical and comparative contexts.

鈥淲e carry out empirical research on legal actors and institutions, rights claims and struggles for justice, the relationship between social movements and legal mobilizations, alternative jurisdictional and legal orders, and law鈥檚 coercive power and emancipatory potential,鈥� Duschinski added.

Duschinski serves as the academic adviser for students in the program, and CLJC Pre-Law Advisor Larry Hayman provides dedicated advising on preparing for law school, applying to law school, and pursing law-related careers.

Benefits of the M.A. in Law, Justice and Culture

Individuals who have recently completed their undergraduate training with little professional experience may develop their academic and professional training by earning the M.A. in Law, Justice and Culture. The degree is ideal for individuals considering a law school or a Ph.D. program.

For recent college graduates, the on-campus master鈥檚 degree option provides one year of graduate-level training in socio-legal theory, methods, research, and writing prior to applying to law school, doctoral programs, or starting their career in research and policy, public agencies, advocacy organizations, private companies and nonprofits. 

Read more about former students and their experiences, including: 

• Former M.A. student .
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For more information, contact Duschinski at duschins@ohio.edu or Hayman at hayman@ohio.edu.