Bethany offers a major and minor in legal studies, as well as a paralegal certificate and pre-law program.
Major Requirements
Note Bethany’s Program Requirements Disclaimer when planning your coursework.
Mission Statement
The legal studies program prepares students for various law-related careers while adhering to biblical moral principles and values. This major equips students for a variety of vocations, including paralegal, business leadership, nonprofit board service, community development, consulting, corrections, and probation. This major also provides a foundation for the pursuit of advanced degrees in law or other graduate programs. Students cultivate a broad understanding of basic principles of law and the role and function of the legal system.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students majoring in legal studies will demonstrate an ability to:
- Identify the appropriate legal procedures applicable to a variety of civil and criminal controversies;
- Research and analyze the relationships among case facts, statutory law, case law, and constitutional principles involved in specific legal controversies;
- Advocate, in both written and oral communication, for a particular party in a legal controversy;
- Evaluate, in reference to both the historically contingent legal culture and the more transcendent principles of natural law, the arguments offered by competing sides in legal controversies.
Requirements
Lower Division Electives (18 credits)
Required courses:
One of the following:
One of the following:
- PHIL202 Introduction to Philosophy 3 cr.
- PHIL204 Ethics 3 cr.
One of the following:
One of the following:
- HIST207 History of USA I 3 cr.
- HIST208 History of USA II 3 cr.
- PLSC105 American Government 3 cr.
- PLSC106 World Politics 3 cr.
Upper Division Requirements:
- HIST385 Western Legal Traditions
- or HIST470 The Supreme Court and the American People 3 cr.
- LEGL320 Legal Research and Writing 3 cr.
- LEGL460 Legal Procedures 3 cr.
- LEGL470 Family Law 3 cr.
One of the following:
- BUSN360 Business Ethics 3 cr.
- HIST350 French Revolution through Napoleon 3 cr.
- HIST385 Western Legal Traditions (if not counted above) 3 cr.
- HIST410 The Era of the American Revolution 3 cr.
- HIST420 Constitution and Early Republic 3 cr.
- HIST450 Civil Rights Movement 3 cr.
- HIST470 The Supreme Court and the American People (if not counted above) 3 cr.
Two of the following:
- BUSN310 Principles of Management 3 cr.
- BUSN330 Principles of Marketing 3 cr.
- BUSN360 Business Ethics (if not counted above) 3 cr.
- BUSN370 3 cr.
- BUSN420 Managing Human Resources 3 cr.
- COMM385 Law and Ethics in Media 3 cr.
- COMM389 Intercultural Communication 3 cr.
- ECON330 International Economics 3 cr.
- LEGL308 Business Law 3 cr.
- PHIL450 Philosophical Readings 3 cr.
- PSYC340 Social Psychology 3 cr.
- PSYC350 Abnormal Psychology 3 cr.
One of the following:
A minor in legal studies requires:
Two of the following:
- COMM230 Argument and Advocacy 3 cr.
- HIST207 History of USA I 3 cr.
- HIST208 History of USA II 3 cr.
- PHIL201 Logic and Critical Thinking 3 cr.
- PHIL202 Introduction to Philosophy 3 cr.
- PHIL204 Ethics 3 cr.
- PLSC105 American Government 3 cr.
- PLSC106 World Politics 3 cr.
One of the following:
- ECON203 Principles of Macroeconomics 3 cr.
- ECON204 Principles of Microeconomics 3 cr.
- SOCL240 Criminal Deviance and Justice 3 cr.
Upper Division Requirements
All of the following:
- HIST385 Western Legal Traditions
- or HIST470 The Supreme Court and the American People 3 cr.
- LEGL210 Introduction to Legal Studies 3 cr.
- LEGL320 Legal Research and Writing 3 cr.
One of the following:
- BUSN360 Business Ethics 3 cr.
- LEGL460 Legal Procedures 3 cr.
- LEGL470 Family Law 3 cr.
One of the following:
- BUSN310 Principles of Management 3 cr.
- BUSN330 Principles of Marketing 3 cr.
- COMM385 Law and Ethics in Media 3 cr.
- COMM389 Intercultural Communication 3 cr.
- ECON330 International Economics 3 cr.
- HIST350 French Revolution through Napoleon 3 cr.
- HIST385 Western Legal Traditions (if not counted above) 3 cr.
- HIST410 The Era of the American Revolution 3 cr.
- HIST420 Constitution and Early Republic 3 cr.
- HIST450 Civil Rights Movement 3 cr.
- HIST470 The Supreme Court and the American People (if not counted above) 3 cr.
- PSYC340 Social Psychology 3 cr.
- PSYC350 Abnormal Psychology 3 cr.
To view the most recent course list and requirements for the Legal Studies major, please consult the Academic Catalog.
Contact for more information
Associate Professor- Legal Studies – Legal Studies
Legal Counsel to the Cabinet – Legal Studies
507-344-7523
HH 233
Send Message
Legal Studies Faculty
Additional information is available on the Legal Studies Department page.
| Name | Title | Office / Phone | Courses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dan Birkholz | Adjunct Faculty | | |
| Sara Edwards HH 233 507-344-7523 | Associate Professor- Legal StudiesLegal Counsel to the Cabinet | HH 233 507-344-7523 |
|
 | Ryan MacPherson HH 308 507-344-7787 | ProfessorDirector of Apologetics and Worldview Studies | HH 308 507-344-7787 | |
Sara EdwardsAssociate Professor- Legal Studies
Legal Counsel to the Cabinet
HH 233
507-344-7523
- Business Ethics
- Fundamentals of Speech
- Law and Ethics in Media
- Western Legal Traditions
- Mock Trial
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Community Policing
- Introduction to Legal Studies
- Business Law
- Legal Research and Writing
- Criminal Law
- Legal Procedures
- Family Law
- Topic: Personal Injury Law
- Senior Seminar
- Legal Studies Internship
- Legal Studies Independent Study
- Criminal Deviance and Justice
- American Minorities
Next Steps
Interested in studying at Bethany? Scheduling a campus visit is a great way to see what we have to offer. You can meet professors or sit in on a class too! Contact our admissions office to learn more.