Master's in Law, Justice & Culture Curriculum and Academic Requirements

Curriculum

The M.A. is conferred when students have fulfilled the requirements of 12 hours of core coursework, 16 hours of elective coursework, and a minimum of 4 hours of research leading to either the M.A. research essay or the M.A. thesis option.

Regarding grades, no grade below a "C" (2.0) can be used to satisfy any degree requirement, but the grade will be counted toward the GPA. Courses may be retaken to achieve a better grade, but all grades received are calculated into the graduate GPA. Conferral of the M.A. degree requires at least a "B" (3.0) GPA. The GPA in formal coursework is computed separately from the average in research and thesis credits to determine eligibility for graduation. A GPA of at least a "B" (3.0) is required in each category.

Upon acceptance into the program, students are assigned to the Graduate Program Director as their faculty adviser. The Graduate Program Director works with each student to determine the student’s preliminary program of study and research essay or thesis option. Students should maintain close contact with the Graduate Program Director in order to develop a viable program of study and avoid graduation delays.

Required Courses

(12 credit hours)

These courses provide an in-depth understanding of the epistemological foundations of the discipline. Students are introduced to the theory and practice of law & society studies at a level of synthesis that will prepare them for future doctoral study should they wish to pursue it. These courses also establish the foundations of understanding that will prepare students for nonacademic careers that employ sociolegal perspectives, knowledge, and skills.

• LJC 6000: LJC Proseminar —This proseminar exposes students to law and society studies from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students learn the theoretical traditions of law and society scholarship through readings from different disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. (4 credits)
• LJC 6500: LJC Methods —This course addresses the methodological techniques employed for law and society research and considers how these methodological approaches relate to various theoretical frameworks. It focuses on empirical research and includes practical training on methods such as interviewing, participant observation, sampling, and ethics. (4 credits)
• LJC 6965: Legal Practice Workshop —This course introduces the research, writing, and analytical skills that legal professionals need in their legal practice, including the basics of legal research and legal reference for a variety of print and electronic media. (4 credits)

Elective Courses

(16 credit hours)

A minimum of 16 additional credit hours must be selected in conjunction with the Graduate Program Director.

The elective courses employ interdisciplinary frameworks to examine law and legal institutions, their impact on society, and society’s impact on them. The elective courses are all designed and taught by faculty with the Ph.D. or JD degree.

Culminating Experience

(4 credit hours)

After completing both LJC 6000 and LJC 6500, students must complete graduate-level research under faculty supervision through one research course for 4 credit hours. The research course options require students to demonstrate the integration of theory and methods throughout all phases of law and society empirical research including project design, data collection, data analysis, and research presentation.

Note: Online students will in most cases take the LJC 6800: Capstone in Law, Justice & Culture.

The research options include:

• LJC 6800: Capstone in Law, Justice & Culture—This is a faculty-led course that systematically guides students through the process of independent empirical research. LJC 6800 culminates in a master's research essay to be evaluated by the faculty instructor in accordance with the program's established evaluation rubric for major papers. (4 credits)
• LJC 6940: Independent Research in Law, Justice & Culture—This course provides the opportunity for students to pursue independent research under close supervision of a faculty member. This may involve research on one aspect of the faculty supervisor's broader research project. LJC 6940 culminates in a master's research essay to be evaluated by the faculty supervisor in accordance with the program's established evaluation rubric for major papers. (4 credits)
• LJC 6950: Thesis in Law, Justice & Culture—This course provides the opportunity for students to pursue independent thesis research under close supervision of a faculty committee, including one primary faculty adviser. LJC 6950 culminates in a master's thesis to be evaluated by the faculty committee in accordance with the program's established thesis criteria. (4 credits)

All of the graduate research options culminate in a final written scholarly analysis: either a master's research essay or a master's thesis. The master's research essay is a work of publishable quality and length, written as an extension of work done across the coursework, but researched and reshaped to meet professional standards of scholarly publication. The thesis is a carefully argued work of scholarship that represents a novel contribution to law and society studies in the arts and sciences.

Research Options

Students may choose to write an M.A. research essay or an M.A. thesis as part of their degree.

The M.A. research essay presents a substantial paper with strong analysis and discussion of secondary sources and some analysis of primary sources and original research, carried out over one semester, while the M.A. thesis presents original and innovative contribution to scholarly knowledge based on original research, carried out over a minimum of two semesters. The M.A. thesis is usually longer (75 to 100 pages) than the research essay (25 to 40 pages), although this may vary depending on approach and methodology. In addition, the thesis is usually more ambitious in constructing or testing theory. Additional details on the distinctions between a thesis and a major research paper are available in this graduate handbook.

Law, Justice & Culture Handbook

Master's Research Essay Option

The M.A. research essay option requires a substantial research paper produced under faculty supervision in accordance with program guidelines. Students are strongly encouraged to present their research findings to a wider audience at a CLJC or departmental research workshop or symposium or academic conference.

Students electing to write the M.A. research essay must enroll in one 4-credit course, either Research Capstone or Independent Research, in the final semester of graduate study. Research Capstone provides the opportunity for students to pursue independent research on a topic of their own choosing under the supervision of the capstone instructor. Independent Research provides the opportunity for students to pursue research on topics identified by an individual faculty member under the supervision of that faculty member. Independent Research opportunities will be circulated in fall semester, and matches will be made by spring registration period in Week 10 in fall semester. Students will determine whether to pursue Research Capstone or Independent Research in consultation with the Program Director/Academic Adviser.

The M.A. research essay will be reviewed and either approved or returned for revision and resubmission by the CLJC Graduate Committee, in accordance with the process outlined in this graduate handbook.

Thesis Option

The M.A. thesis option requires a thesis and an oral defense. Students are strongly encouraged to present their research findings to a wider audience at a CLJC or departmental research workshop or symposium or academic conference.

Students electing to write a thesis must select a thesis committee consisting of a thesis adviser and two additional committee members. The thesis adviser and at least one committee member must be CLJC faculty affiliates. Qualified individuals from outside CLJC and/or Ohio University may be eligible to serve as the third member of the thesis committee, through consultation with the thesis adviser and graduate program director.

Students considering the M.A. thesis option must consult with the Graduate Program Director very early in their graduate study. Students pursuing the thesis option must enroll in two 4-credit courses of CLJC Thesis, including 4 credits in the final semester of graduate study. In consultation with the Graduate Program Director, the thesis adviser must be established early in fall semester, prior to enrolling in thesis hours in that semester. As soon as the thesis adviser has been identified, the student must inform the Graduate Administrator so that the faculty member's name can be entered into the CLJC records.

When a topic has been selected, the student, in conjunction with the thesis adviser, establishes the committee and develops the thesis proposal in accordance with program guidelines, outlined in this graduate handbook. Copies of the proposal will be routed to members of the thesis committee and a proposal hearing will be scheduled prior to the end of the semester prior to the final semester of graduate study. All students must pass a proposal hearing as well as a final oral defense of the thesis.

The completion of the thesis must be followed by an oral defense before the Thesis Committee. A successful format review, oral defense, and electronic submission of the thesis to the College of Graduate Studies for review completes the program requirements. Students are required to follow all procedures and timetables specified by the College of Graduate Studies.

Students who elect to write a thesis should become familiar with the university's requirements and deadlines for organizing and submitting the thesis: all forms and guidelines from Thesis and Dissertation (TAD) Services.

The thesis option is highly recommended for students interested in graduate work beyond the Master of Arts degree.