Law & Legal Studies

The Department of Law & Philosophy (DELPHI) welcomes cadets interested in undergraduate legal studies. Law and its effects on society have long been a valuable subject of undergraduate study. Writers from Aristotle to Oliver Wendell Holmes have addressed the nature of law and its impacts upon the peoples and cultures of the world. This is, of course, of particular importance in our country, which is based in significant part on the principle of adherence to the Rule of Law.

Law is the study of the means of maintaining social order, balancing individual interests against the interests of society, resolving disputes, and addressing social concerns. The study of law sharpens analytical and problem-solving abilities while developing an appreciation of law as a basic foundation of society. A Law and Legal Studies major will equip cadets with the means to understand conflicting issues, analyze problems, and then choose the most appropriate solution. The major is not intended to train lawyers. Rather, it will prepare cadets for success in command or in any other position in which effective analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills are essential. From this understanding, cadets can expand their breadth of experience and gain insight into current social problems or future challenges.

The Law and Legal Studies major provides cadets with a basis for understanding both discrete legal disciplines within the U.S. legal system and the relationships of these disciplines with each other in creating a just and effective rule of law society. It promotes the development of critical thinking through legal analysis applied across different areas of the law, and sharpens cadets' ability to integrate and evaluate higher levels of theoretical thinking.

Cadets who major in Law and Legal Studies will be required to take Introduction to the Legal Method (LW310), Law of War (LW407), and Jurisprudence and Legal Theory (LW495). Law majors will also have the option of choosing seven of the 11 elective courses the department offers. These courses include Comparative Legal Systems (LW410), The 14th Amendment (LW461), Cyber Law (LW462), Criminal Law (LW472), Environmental Law (LW473), Advanced Constitutional Law (LW475), Advanced Law of Armed Conflict (LW476), Military Justice (LW477), International Law (LW481), National Security Law (LW482), and Special Topics (LW490).

Again, the major does not seek to provide cadets with a body of legal knowledge or to prepare them for a career in the legal field - this is not a pre-law program. Rather, the department’s Law and Legal Studies program is designed to educate cadets to be leaders in a changing and often ambiguous world.

This major offers an honors track. 

To learn more about this area of study, visit the Department of Law & Philosophy.