Law, Society, and Policy ILM (Integrated Learning Major)

Law, Society, and Policy ILM (Integrated Learning Major)

 

This Integrated Learning Major (ILM) in Law, Society, and Policy introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of law and society. Drawing on a range of courses across the humanities and social sciences, this ILM grounds students in the study of law, legal institutions, the legal dimensions of social life, and the policy process. Students gain an understanding of how the law shapes, and is shaped by, society and how policies are devised and implemented to address social problems.

Visit Course Catalog to learn more about this program.

 

Go to Maxwell School homepage.

Curriculum Requirements

  • Students must declare both a base major and the ILM

    • For a list of approved base majors, see Base Major List

    • Other base majors can be considered and approved by petition

  • 27 Credits count towards the BA - 18 of these must be upper-division (300-level or higher)

    • Core Courses (6 Credits) - choose 2 of the following courses:

      • LLA 201 - Elements of Law (Fall Semester Only)

      • PST 101 - An Introduction to the Analysis of Public Policy

      • SOC 265 - Sociology of Law

    • Methods (3 Credits) - choose 1 of the following courses:

      • ANT 481 - Ethnographic Techniques

      • GEO 383 - Geographic Information Systems

      • HST 301 - Practicum in the Study of History

      • MAX 201 - Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences

      • PSC 202 - Introduction to Political Analysis

      • PST 315 - Methods of Public Policy Analysis and Presentation

      • SOC 318 - Introduction to Research

      • SOC 319 - Qualitative Methods in Sociology

    • Internship (3 Credits) - complete a 3-credit internship to gain practical experience:

      • LSP 470 or equivalent

    • Concentration (15 Credits) - choose 1 area of concentration. Students choose 5 courses within the concentration, with the advice of the program director.

      • Law, Crime, and Society in the US

      • Comparative and International Law

Internships

Internship Requirements:

To complete the requirements for a B.A. in Law, Society, and Policy, all students must complete a relevant 3-credit internship to gain practical experience that relates to the coursework in the major. The internship can be completed by completing an internship proposal form and registering for LPS 470 or by taking an internship course, such as LPS 370 or an internship course offered by your base major. Once completed, submit a final reflection via Qualtrics survey, which will prompt our administrator to update your Degree Works audit to reflect the completion of the internship requirement.

Recent internship placements include:

  • NYPIRG

  • Public Citizen

  • Unchained

  • Worker’s Center of CNY

  • LA District Office

  • Volunteer Lawyer’s Project

  • Hiscock Legal Aid

  • Nave Law Firm

  • Dorn Law Firm

  • Council of Europe

  • Global Governance Institute

  • AIRE Centre

  • U.S. Congress

  • SU Law Clinic

  • Syracuse Public Safety (LPS 370)

  • And more …

 

Please read to learn more.

Study Abroad/ Study Away Opportunities

Pre-Law Program in Europe

The Pre-law Program in Europe is a five-week, intensive summer program, which consists of two courses:

  • LPS 400 - Global Leaders in Law: Legal Foundations and Skills

  • PSC 400/600 - First Amendment & Freedom of Religion - A Global Perspective

In France, students are based at Syracuse University in Strasbourg.

Please visit Pre-Law Program in Europe to learn more.

Maxwell in Washington Program

A DC semester helps you complete your requirements for a LSP Major.

  • Fulfill your internship requirement (LPS 370 - Experience/Internship)

  • Master the policy process (PST 400 - Federal Policymaking)

  • Learn about national security from practitioners (PSC 400 - Law, Policy, and National Security)

Please visit Maxwell in Washington Program to learn more.

Faculty

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Advising

Advisor

Gretchen Purser: gwpurser@syr.edu

Amy Schmidt: aeschm01@syr.edu

 

 

Schedule an Appointment

Please access Orange Success through My Slice to schedule an appointment.

  • Select the advisor's name in your Success Network, or by using the search tool.

  • Under the advisor’s name, click “Schedule Appointment.”

  • Find an open slot that works for you and click on the “+ Sign up” button to reserve that time.

Group Advising Meeting

Group advising meetings are held each semester to address commonly asked questions and provide important updates for students.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

12:00-1:00 pm

204 Maxwell Hall

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