About Our Program

The Law and Society program examines the complex relationship between law and the social world.  It explores how law shapes society and how societal factors, in turn, influence the development and application of law. This interdisciplinary field draws from various disciplines, such as Political Science, Philosophy, Sociology, Economics, Justice Studies, Psychology, and others, to analyze the interaction between legal systems and social institutions.

While the program is of special interest to students who plan careers in government service or law, many of the majors simply share a desire to understand the role of law in society.  Some of the questions students will encounter in courses in this program include: Do all societies have law? Why do legal systems develop? What purposes are served by the law? Why do different societies develop different types of law? How are legal resources distributed within societies? How does one determine if a law is constitutional? How does one know if a law is just? While these are only examples of the issues addressed by the program, they do suggest the breadth of the concerns involved.

Career choices include legal practice, federal, state and local government service, urban planning, court management, probation, counseling. This major with a BA Degree can lead to advanced degree programs in judicial administration and the social sciences, paraprofessional legal training, and law school.

The Law and Society Program has its academic "home" in the Department of Political Science and Economics.

Program Student Learning Outcomes: 
1. Analyze law and legal systems as they relate to the larger society of which they are a part
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the interrelationship among various legal institutions and actors
3. Understand the various sources of laws and how the different components of the legal system operate to settle both criminal and civil conflicts

Degrees We Offer
We offer an Associate (AA) Degree in Law and Society. An AA Degree in Law and Society can be obtained by satisfying the degree requirements above and the General Education and institutional requirements for the Associate in Arts Degree. For complete information, see “Graduation Requirements” in the Catalog Index.  Course requirements for transfer vary depending upon the college or university a student wishes to attend. Therefore, it is most important for a student to consult with a counselor and departmental adviser before planning an academic program for transfer. 

Contact Information/ Program Director
Dr. Andrea B. Haupt 
Email: abhaupt@sbcc.edu
Office and Phone: IDC 351, ext. 3735 

For additional contact information and department faculty, please click on "Menu +" at the top of the page, and select the "Faculty and Staff" link.