Main Content
The Law and Policy major provides students with the opportunity to study the legal and policy dimensions of social inequalities and social change. Law and Policy faculty are trained in diverse fields, including communication, economics, history, law, political science, and sociology. The interdisciplinary nature of the major invites students to engage with a variety of different perspectives on the social and legal problems facing societies on local, state, national, and global levels. Students develop a deep appreciation for the complex relationships between law, society, culture, and politics.
Foundations (20 credits)
- Take one of the following (LAW I) :
- Take one of the following (METHODS):
- Take both:
Policy and Politics (5 credits)
- TECON 316 Current Issues in U.S. Public Policy
- TECON 410 Economics of Public Policy
- TECON 418 Urban Problems and Policies
- TECON 421 Environmental Policy
- TECON 450 Labor Economics and Policy
- TECON 470 Economics of Health and Health Policy
- TESC 345 Pollution and Public Policy
- TLAW 465 Law and Public Policy in the United States
- TPOLS 202 Introduction to American Politics
- TPOLS 204 Introduction to Comparative Politics
- TPOLS 260 American Political Theory
- TPOLS 322 War and Politics
- TPOLS 323 The Practice of War
- TPOLS 324 War, Activism, and Ethics
- TPOLS 340 Middle East Politics
- TPOLS 317 The Politics of Race and Ethnicity in the United States
- TPOLS 343 Community and Labor Organizing
- TPOLS 355 Reproductive Politics, Law, and Justice
Law and Social Inequality (5 credits)
- TLAW 345 Violence and the Law
- TLAW 348 Gender and Law
- TLAW 452 Race, Ethnicity and Law
- TLIT 433 Native American Literature and Federal Indian Law
- TPOLS 317 The Politics of Race and Ethnicity in the United States
- TPOLS 343 Community and Labor Organizing
- TPOLS 355 Reproductive Politics, Law and Justice
- TSOC 465 Asian and Asian American Laborers in the United States: Citizenship, Immigrant Rights and the Welfare State
Law in a Global Context (5 credits)
- TLAW 215 Introduction to International Organizations
- TLAW 367 Comparative Law and Courts
- TLAW 422 International Humanitarian Law
- TLAW 423 International Law
- TLAW 424 The Politics and Law of International Human Rights
- TPOLS 203 Introduction to International Relations
- TPOLS 204 Comparative Politics
- TPOLS 230 International Human Rights
- TPOLS 323 The Practice of War
- TPOLS 324 War, Activism, and Ethics
- TPOLS 360 Genocide
- TPOLS 371 The Politics of Security
- TPOLS 451 Human Rights and the Use of Force
Electives (25 credits)
Each of the courses selected from the list below must be in addition to those chosen to fulfill core requirements.
- TCOM 454 Communications Law
- TCOM 465 Contemporary Free Speech Issues
- TCRIM 395 American Criminal Courts
- TCRIM 437 Abolitionism and Revolutionary Criminology
- TECON 316 Current Issues in U.S. Public Policy
- TECON 321 Economics of Education
- TECON 350 Law and Economics
- TECON 410 Economics of Public Policy
- TECON 418 Urban Problems and Policies
- TECON 450 Labor Economics and Policy
- TECON 470 Economics of Health and Health Policy
- TLAW 320 Constitutional Law: Institutional Powers and Constraints
- TLAW 339 Washington Environmental Law
- TLAW 345 Violence and the Law
- TLAW 348 Gender and Law
- TLAW 361 Constitutional Law: Rights and Liberties
- TLAW 367 Comparative Law and Courts
- TLAW 422 International Humanitarian Law
- TLAW 423 International Law
- TLAW 424 The Politics and Law of International Human Rights
- TLAW 438 Environmental Law
- TLAW 452 Race, Ethnicity and Law
- TLAW 465 Law and Public Policy in the United States
- TLAW 486: Field Work in Law and Policy
- TLAW 496 Law and Policy Internship (Maximum 5 credits, subject to individual approval)
- TLIT 433 Native American Literature and Federal Indian Law
- TPHIL 314 Philosophy of Crime and Punishment
- TPHIL 361 Ethics in Society
- TPHIL 414 Philosophy of Law
- TPOLS 322 War and Politics
- TPOLS 323 The Practice of War
- TPOLS 324 War, Activism and Ethics
- TPOLS 340 Middle East Politics
- TPOLS 341 Conflict and Cooperation in the Middle East
- TPOLS 343 Community and Labor Organizing
- TPOLS 350 Politics and Film in the Middle East
- TPOLS 353 U.S. Congress
- TPOLS 355 Reproductive Politics, Law and Justice
- TPOLS 360 Genocide
- TPOLS 371 The Politics of Security
- TPOLS 382 State Government
- TPOLS 400 The American Presidency
- TPOLS 451 Human Rights and the Use of Force
- TPOLS 497 Political Internship in State Government
- TSOC 465 Asian and Asian American Laborers in the United States: Citizenship, Immigrant Rights and the Welfare State
Capstone (5 credits)
- TPOLS 480 Politics: Philosophy and Public Affairs Seminar
- TPOLS 496 Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs Internship (Not offered in academic year 2026/2027)
- TPOLS 497 Political Internship in State Government
- TLAW 496 Law and Policy Internship (Not offered in academic year 2026/2027)
ADVISOR
Shelli Veal
MAJOR COORDINATOR
DEPARTMENT
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
- Community and Labor Organizing
- Education
- Government
- Human Rights Work
- Law
- Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)
- Policy Development
- Post-graduate Studies
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A minimum of 45 lower-division credits is required before declaring the major. To declare the Law and Policy major, students should reach out to the major advisor.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
For a BA in Law and Policy, students must complete 65 major credits, which must include 45 credits of upper-division (300–400 level courses) with a minimum 2.0 GPA in courses applied to the major, as well as the UWT general education and graduation requirements totaling a minimum of 180 credits.
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
- Internships are a great way to gain hands-on experience in law and policy-related work, build your resume, and strengthen ties to local organizations and communities. Law and Policy majors can pursue an internship through the Legal Pathways Internship Program and enroll in TLAW 496 to receive academic credit. TLAW 496 can satisfy up to 5 credits of major electives . Contact Legal Pathways Director Jacqueline Shepard to learn more about currently available opportunities: jfshep@uw.edu.
- The Washington State Legislative Intern Program provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the legislative process while gaining professional work experience during the annual legislative session. Law and Policy majors accepted to this program enroll in TPOLS 497 Political Internship in State Government, a graded course that meets the major’s capstone requirement and can also satisfy up to 5 credits of major electives. Contact the Law and Policy major coordinator for more information: thumae@uw.edu.
