Law and Philosophy Minor

Minor Requirements

The undergraduate minor in Law and Philosophy requires five philosophy courses (15 credit hours). At least 6 hours must be at the 3000 level or above. A GPA of 2.0 or better is required in courses presented for the minor. Prospective minors are encouraged to consult with members of the department for advice in planning an appropriate sequence of courses.

Course Number	Title	Hours
PHIL 2252	Crime and Punishment	3
PHIL 4487	Philosophy of Law	3
PHIL 1160	Critical Thinking (MOTR PHIL 101)	3
or PHIL 3360	Formal Logic
Two courses in Philosophy ¹		6
Total Hours		15

¹: PHIL 3000-level or higher courses must be taken in residence in the UMSL Department of Philosophy. In special cases, one of the 3000-level or higher courses may be taken outside of the UMSL Department of Philosophy; the course must (1) have a strong law and philosophy component and (2) have been pre-approved by the Pre-Law advisor.

Learning Outcomes

An ideal graduate with a Minor in Law and Philosophy will:

Demonstrate an ability to apply the distinctive methods of philosophy by reconstructing philosophical arguments and deliberating rationally over their merits
Understand central theories about the nature of law and its role in society
Be able to critically evaluate on moral and empirical grounds a range of common justifications for the use of punishment by the state
Demonstrate competence with formal reasoning tools such as syllogistic logic, propositional logic and/or quantificational logic and show an ability to apply those to tools in philosophical and everyday contexts
Will have detailed knowledge of, and an ability to critically evaluate, the dominant positions in the history of legal philosophy on the nature and role of law
Will be able to apply legal theory to contemporary ethical and social issues
Will be able to think critically and ethically about issues in legal theory and express their thoughts in a clear and persuasive writing style