The Legal Studies program provides students with a broad understanding of basic principles of the law and the role and function of the legal system. In addition to preparing students for law-related careers, the program provides a solid foundation for law school. While no specific major is required for admission to law school, a degree in Legal Studies presents students with an unparalleled opportunity for law school preparation. All Legal Studies faculty are graduates of ABA-approved law schools, and practice/have practiced law.
Legal Studies students are encouraged to work closely with their program advisor in planning degree completion and career goals. Satisfactory completion of program requirements leads to the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Legal Studies. The B.A. requires two semesters of college-level foreign language; the B.S. requires two years of high school foreign language.
Legal Studies (B.A. or B.S.) may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online. Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.
Admission Requirements
Degree Requirements
- Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog.
- Students should complete the General Education Program before transferring within the Florida College System or State University System.
- Students should regularly meet with their program advisor.
- The courses designated in section 1 below may be taken at a Florida College System institution, and should usually be completed in the first 60 hours.
- 33 hours of PLA coursework must be taken at UCF.
- 2.0 in all PLA coursework at UCF and overall.
General Education Program (GEP) (36 Credit Hours)
Communication Foundations (9 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1101 - Composition I Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
- ENC 1102 - Composition II Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
Cultural & Historical Foundations (9 Credit Hours)
Mathematical Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
Social Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
Science Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
Common Program Prerequisites (CPP)
Core Requirements: Basic Level
Core Requirements: Advanced Level (12 Credit Hours)
All core requirements must be completed with a minimum grade of “C” (2.0) to satisfy the major.
- PLA 3014 - Law and the Legal System Credit Hours: 3
- PLA 3108 - Legal Research Credit Hours: 3
- PLA 3155 - Legal Writing Credit Hours: 3
- PLA 4705 - Professionalism & Civility in the Law Credit Hours: 3
Restricted Electives (33 Credit Hours)
Upper Division Restricted Electives (24 Credit Hours)
- Students must select at least two (2) courses from at least four (4) of the following areas of concentration:
- Law and Policy
- PLA 3277 - The Law of Torts Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 3306 - Criminal Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 3309 - Criminal Procedure Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4020 - Law and Society Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4022 - Contemporary Issues in Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4485 - Administrative Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4554 - Environmental Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4510 - Law and Emotion Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4511 - Law and Human Behavior Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4886 - Sexuality, Gender, & the Law Credit Hours: 3
- or
- PLA 4887 - Law, Social Science, and the Criminal Courts Credit Hours: 3
- Advocacy
- PLA 3205 - Civil Practice and Procedure Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 3951H - Honors Moot Court Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4226 - Advanced Trial Advocacy Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4240 - Negotiation Alternatives in Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4263 - Evidence Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4703 - Professional Ethics and Liability Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4910 - Trial Advocacy Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4081 - Rhetoric & The Law Credit Hours: 3
- or
- PLA 4160 - Law on Trial: Empirical Legal Scholarship Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4956 - Undergraduate Law Journal Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4243 - Negotiation in Practice Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4244 - Community Mediation and Conflict Resolution Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4942 - Mediation Practicum Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4952 - Advanced Moot Court Credit Hours: 3
- Law and Business
- PLA 3615 - Property and Real Estate Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4424 - The Law of Contracts Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4436 - Florida Partnerships and Corporations Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4464 - Bankruptcy Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4472 - Employment Discrimination Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4607 - Estates and Trusts Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4823 - Sports Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4825 - Entertainment Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4864 - Admiralty and Maritime Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4617 - Urban Development Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4525 - Disability Rights and Protections (A Legal Perspective) Credit Hours: 3
- Law and Technology
- PLA 3871 - Law and Technology: Drones and Artificial Intelligence Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4410H - Hon: Intellectual Property Law and Practice Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4861 - Aviation Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4764 - Law Office Practices Credit Hours: 3
- Family Matters
- PLA 4806 - Domestic Relations Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4813 - Juvenile Law and Procedure Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4530 - Legal Issues of the Elderly Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4807 - Adoption Law Credit Hours: 3
- International
- PLA 4830 - World Legal Systems Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4834 - Study Abroad: US/UK Comparative Law Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4843 - Immigration Law and Policy Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4571 - Intercultural Legal Competence Credit Hours: 3 or
- PLA 4545 - Military Law - the Law of War Credit Hours: 3
Additional PLA Electives in Legal Studies (9 Credit Hours)
Select three additional Legal Studies courses from the following areas: Law and Policy; Advocacy; Law and Business; Law and Technology; Family Matters; or International.
Supporting Courses (3 Credit Hours)
- Students must complete 3 credit hours of Supporting coursework from an approved list provided by the department & can also be identified in the degree audit.
Capstone Requirements (3 Credit Hours)
- Students must complete Capstone or Internship. Capstone or Internship must be completed with a minimum grade of “C” (2.0) to satisfy the major.
- Prerequisites for Capstone and Internship include PLA 4705 Professionalism & Civility in the Law, and Legal Studies major.
- Students will be elected to Internship or Capstone by their PLA4705 faculty.
- If students elect to complete an Internship they must complete a minimum 3 credit hours of Internship. *A fee may be required as part of the placement application process.
Foreign Language Requirements
Admissions
- Two years of one foreign language in high school, or one year of one foreign language in college (or equivalent proficiency exam) prior to graduation.
Graduation
- Students pursuing the B.A. degree must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to one year at college level. Proficiency equivalent to two semesters of college instruction in a foreign language or in American Sign Language (ASL). Standardized examinations for foreign languages may be used. The foreign language credits may be used toward the 9 hour supporting course requirement. ASL proficiency is met by successful completion of ASL 2140 and ASL 2150 or an appropriate score on the ASL proficiency exam. Contact the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (https://healthprofessions.ucf.edu/csd/) regarding the ASL proficiency examination.
Departmental Exit Requirements
- Students must take a minimum of 33 hours of PLA courses at UCF. The total semester hours required is 120.
- Second Bachelor’s degree students must complete a minimum of 33 credit hours of Legal Studies (PLA) coursework after being admitted as a second degree-seeking student.
University Minimum Exit Requirements
- A 2.0 UCF GPA
- 48 semester hours of upper division credit completed
- 60 semester hours earned after CLEP awarded
- 30 of the last 39 hours of course work must be completed in residency at UCF.
- A maximum of 45 hours of extension, correspondence, CLEP, Credit by Exam, and Armed Forces credits permitted.
- Complete the General Education Program, the Gordon Rule, and nine hours of Summer credit.
Total Undergraduate Credit Hours Required: 120
Additional Information
Honors In Major
- Interested students should consult with their faculty advisor.
Related Programs
- Criminal Justice
- History
- Political Science
- Public Administration (B.A. or B.S.)
- Sociology (B.A./ B.S.)
- Business Administration
Certificate
- Individual Liberties
- Litigation and Advocacy
- Urban Real Estate and Development
Related Minors
- Business Minor
- Criminal Justice Minor
- Crime, Law, and Deviance Minor
- Political Science Minor
- Public Administration Minor
- Sociology Minor
- Writing and Rhetoric Minor
Advising Notes
Transfer Notes
- Lower division courses do not substitute for upper division courses.
Program Academic Learning Compacts
- Program Academic Learning Compacts (student learning outcomes) for undergraduate programs are located at: http://www.oeas.ucf.edu/alc/academic_learning_compacts.htm
Plan of Study
Freshman Year - Fall (14 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1101 - Composition I Credit Hours: 3
- Mathematical Foundations I Credit Hours:
- PAF 2102 - Public Affairs Careers Credit Hours: 2
- Social Foundations II Credit Hours: 3
- Science Foundations II Credit Hours: 3
Freshman Year - Spring (12 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1102 - Composition II Credit Hours: 3
- Mathematical Foundations II Credit Hours: 3
- Social Foundations I Credit Hours: 3
- Cultural and Historical Foundations I Credit Hours: 3
Freshman Year - Summer (4 Credit Hours)
- Foreign Language I or BS option Credit Hours: 4
Sophomore Year - Fall (12 Credit Hours)
- Communication Foundations III Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Science Foundation I Credit Hours: 3
- Cultural and Historical Foundations II Credit Hours: 3
Sophomore Year - Spring (14 Credit Hours)
- PLA 3014 - Law and the Legal System Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 2
- Elective / Minor Credit Hours: 3
- Cultural and Historical Foundations III Credit Hours: 3
Sophomore Year - Summer (4 Credit Hours)
- Foreign Language II or BS option Credit Hours: 4
Junior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- PLA 3108 - Legal Research Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Spring (12 Credit Hours)
- PLA 3155 - Legal Writing Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Summer (3 Credit Hours)
- Supporting Elective Credit Hours: 3
Senior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- PLA 4705 - Professionalism & Civility in the Law Credit Hours: 3
- Elective / Minor Credit Hours: 3
- Elective / Minor Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
Senior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- PLA Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective / Minor Credit Hours: 3
- Elective / Minor Credit Hours: 3
- PLA Restricted Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Experiential Learning: PLA4935 or PLA4941 - Capstone or Internship Credit Hours: 3
