POLS 362, Senior Research Seminar: Law

Description:  POLS 362, Senior Seminar: Law (4 credits); Provides a framework for student preparation of the senior thesis in the area of law and law-related fields. Students will learn how to research using legal materials and tools and how to organize and draft a legal writing project. Students will make an in-class presentation on their writing process and write a thesis.

Recommended For:  Legal track of studies in Political Science.

POLS 362-01A:Senior Research Seminar: Law and Politics

Instructor:  Dr. Philip Kronebusch

Office:  SJU, Simons 142

Description:  The focus of this research seminar will be the study of law, courts, and judicial politics. Common readings will provide introductions to the study of law and courts from a variety of social science perspectives. An early assignment will emphasize the development of advanced library research methods. Each student then selects, with the consultation of the instructor, a research topic. Past projects have included studies of the political consequences of major Supreme Court decisions, congressional impeachments of federal judges, the use of plea bargaining, and the complexities of environmental clean-up litigation. During the latter part of the semester, students report on the progress of their research and offer critiques of the projects of their colleagues.

Core Designations:  Writing flag, Discussion flag

Prerequisites:  A previous law-related course like Constitutional Law; Topics in Law; or Courts, Law and Policy is strongly recommended.

Required for POLS Major:  Yes, majors must take one research seminar

Open to Non-Majors:  Yes, but political science majors are given preference.

Class Format:  Class discussions of research, presentation of research methods, "working group" meetings with instructor, individual meetings with instructor.

Class Texts and Materials:

• Howard Abadinsky, Law and Justice: An Introduction to the American Legal System
• John Gates and Charles Johnson, The American Courts: A Critical Assessment
• Elliot Slotnick, Judicial Politics: Readings from Judicature
• Jean Johnson, The Bedford Guide to the Research Process, (St. Martin's, 1992).
• And other readings on reserve.

Method of Evaluation:

1. Class participation, (10%)
2. Research Notes, (10%)
3. 2 page prospectus, (10%)
4. 25-30 page final paper, (70%)

POLS 362-01A: Law and Society

Instructor:  Dr. Fr. Daniel Ward, OSB

Office:

Description:  Legal Reading, research and writing. The course will focus on various historical and legal readings. The students will research topics in the library and on the Internet. Legal writing style will be emphasized.

Core Designations: 

Writing and Discussion flags

Prerequisites:  Political Science Major

Required for POLS Major:  Yes

Open to Non-Majors:  No

Class Format:  Discussion groups and presentations.

Class Texts and Materials:  TBA

Method of Evaluation:

1. 1. Research papers=80%
2. 2. Class Discussions=20%