The Bachelor of Arts in Society, Ethics, and Law (SEAL) is designed for students preparing for careers in law, community service, or related fields. Extensive coursework in moral, social, political, and legal philosophy is combined with courses utilizing historical and social science methodologies to explore relevant topics.

The SEAL major closely attends to the American Bar Association’s (ABA) recommendations that undergraduates “pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills.” More specifically, the ABA advises students to cultivate the following “Core Skills, Values, Knowledge, and Experience”: problem solving; critical reading; writing and editing; oral communication and listening; research; relationship-building and collaboration; background knowledge about the historical and social development of the United States and the diversity of cultures within and beyond the U.S.; public service and promotion of justice; and exposure to the law. 

SEAL students are directed to use their core courses to take logic (Math core) and oral communication. SEAL majors take two courses in ethics, two courses in social and political thought, two courses in philosophy of law, a two-course sequence in the history of law, two social science courses, either epistemology or philosophy of language, and technical writing. SEAL majors must also complete an internship. A minor is not required; however SEAL majors are encouraged to consider how a minor might contribute to the development of another distinctive skill set.

¹

Complete 14 hours of a foreign language through the intermediate level. If you choose to enroll in a language you have studied previously without receiving college credit, you must first take a placement test. See academic advisor.

²

Select from any 100-499 course not used elsewhere. No more than 3 hours of PHIL 484 may be used. Only 14 hours of KINE 199; AERS 100-499; MLSC 100-499; NVSC 100-499; SOMS 100-499 may be used towards general electives.

³

Select from PHIL 205, PHIL 282, PHIL 314, PHIL 315, PHIL 376/FILM 376, PHIL 381, PHIL 465/RELS 465, PHIL 470, PHIL 480, or PHIL 482.

⁴

Select from COMM 302, COMM 307/JOUR 301, COMM 317/JOUR 317, CSCE 402, MGMT 209, POLS 306, POLS 320, POLS 340/PSAA 340, POLS 353, POLS 355, POLS 462/WGST 462, SOCI 304, SOCI 317/AFST 317, SOCI 328, SOCI 338, SOCI 412, SOCI 413, SOCI 421/WGST 421, SOCI 422, SOCI 445, or an approved version of PHIL 491.

⁵

Students must complete an approved internship involving 150 hours of work in a professional setting. See academic advisor.

⁶

Students may substitute PHIL 491 Research with departmental approval.

Graduation requirements include 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses. The required 6 hours may be met by courses satisfying other areas of a degree program.  See your academic advisor for further information.