COURSE CURRICULUM

The Law, Politics, and Society major at St. Thomas University offers an interdisciplinary framework for students interested in understanding how legal systems interact with political institutions and societal forces. This major requires the completion of 36 credit hours and is designed to develop a comprehensive perspective on legal and political processes through coursework in multiple disciplines. Students are encouraged to consult with the Director of the Law, Politics, and Society program—ideally by the end of their first year—to ensure they construct a balanced and purposeful academic plan.The program begins with LAPS 1003, a foundational course that introduces key concepts and themes central to the study of law, politics, and society. In addition to this, students must take one other 1000-level course from a set of options that includes introductory offerings in Criminology, Human Rights, and Political Science. These early courses help ground students in the basic principles and debates relevant to their future studies.Students must then complete at least 12 credit hours each from two core categories. Category I courses focus on legal systems and Indigenous, human rights, or political institutions, and may include courses such as CRIM 2123 (Criminal Law), HMRT 3063 (International Human Rights Law), NATI 3903 (Indigenous Peoples and the Law), or POLS 2103 (Canadian Constitutional Law). Category II includes courses that examine law through sociopolitical and historical lenses, such as CRIM 2253 (Crime and Society in Historical Perspective), HMRT 3033 (Human Rights in Canada), SOCI 2416 (Inequality in Society), and POLS 3503 (Politics of Law).Additionally, students are required to complete at least 6 credit hours in courses at the 3000 or 4000 level to ensure advanced learning and critical engagement with complex legal and political issues. By combining perspectives from Criminology, Sociology, Political Science, Human Rights, and Indigenous Studies, the major offers students a rich and layered understanding of how laws are created, contested, and experienced in society. It prepares graduates for careers in law, public policy, social advocacy, government, and other fields that require a deep understanding of justice and power in the modern world.