LST Minor/Pre-Law Certificate

Law, Science & Technology honeycomb logo next to an image of a classroom.

The first goal of the Law, Science, and Technology Minor and Pre-Law Certificate is to help undergraduate students decide if a career in law is right for them. Most of our courses are taught by practicing attorneys from the Atlanta community, which exposes students to what the practice of law is like. By the time a student completes the Law Science & Technology minor or the Pre-Law certificate, that student will be well positioned to decide on whether to become a lawyer. The program is designed to inform both students who are interested in applying to law school and those who want to understand elements of legal practice that are useful in other careers.

The second goal of our minor and certificate is to develop the skill set necessary for Georgia Tech students to excel in law school. The skill set emphasized in Georgia Tech degrees provides a wonderful basis for the analytical skills that law students and lawyers use daily. As law students, communication skills are essential. Law students must read and analyze large volumes of complex material, synthesize it with other material, and communicate their analysis in both oral and written form. To help develop these skills, many of our classes contain class discussion and writing exercises.

For more information, contact Co-Director McNeil.

Certificate and Minor Courses

A chart describing the process of earning a pre-law certificate or LST minor. This process is described in the accompanying text.

Both students who minor in Law, Science, and Technology and those who earn a Pre-Law certificate will take one core course and a range of elective courses related to Law, Science, and Technology. Students who minor in LST will take four elective courses while those who earn a Pre-Law certificate take three elective courses, some of which may be special topics courses.

 

*Note: INTA majors MAY NOT count this course as an elective toward the Certificate or Minor because it is required by name and number for the INTA major. This is an Institute rule for Certificates and Minors.

**Note: Management majors MAY NOT count this course as an elective toward the Certificate or Minor because it is required by name and number for the Management major. This is an Institute rule for Certificates and Minors

Course List

Core Course Options: Certificate and Minor choose one (1)

Additional core courses can be taken in place of electives listed below.

  • PUBP 3000 Constitutional Issues
  • PUBP 3016 Judicial Process
  • PUBP 3610 Pre-Law Seminar
  • PUBP 4609 Legal Practice 

Electives: Certificate choose three (3), Minor choose four (4)

  • CS 4010 Introduction to Computer Law
  • CS 4280 Survey of Telecommunications and the Law
  • CS 4725 Information Security Policy
  • CS 4726 Privacy, Technology, Policy, and Law
  • ECON 4300/01 Economics of Information, Transaction Costs and Contracts
  • ECON 4320/21 Economics of Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
  • ECON 4370 Law and Economics
  • HTS 3002 History of American Business
  • HTS 3006 United States Labor History
  • HTS 3085 Law, Technology, and Politics
  • INTA 3031 Human Rights in a Technological World
  • INTA 3301* International Political Economy
  • INTA 4060 International Law
  • MGT 2106** Legal, Social, Ethical Aspects of Business
  • MGT 3102** Managing Human Resources within a Regulatory Environment
  • MGT 3605 Principles of Commercial Law
  • MGT 3606 International Business Law
  • MGT 3608 Technology Law and Ethics
  • MGT 3609 Legal Aspects of Real Estate
  • MGT 3614 Law for Entrepreneurs
  • MGT 4010 Business Taxation
  • MGT 4725 Information Security Policy
  • MGT 4726 Privacy, Technology, Policy, and Law
  • PHIL 3113 Logic and Critical Thinking
  • PUBP 3000 Constitutional Issues (if not counted as a core course)
  • PUBP 3016 Judicial Process (if not counted as a core course)
  • PUBP 3610 Pre-Law Seminar (if not counted as a core course)
  • PUBP 4111 Internet and Public Policy
  • PUBP 4226 Business and Government
  • PUBP 4314 Environmental Policy and Regulation
  • PUBP 4440 Science, Technology, and Regulatory Policy
  • PUBP 4512 Politics of Telecommunications Policy
  • PUBP 4609 Legal Practice (if not counted as a core course)
  • PUBP 4620 Environmental Law
  • PUBP 4630 Law, Medicine, and Ethics
  • PUBP 4640 Technology Law, Policy, and Management
  • PUBP 4650 Internet Law
  • PUBP 4652 OLA Internship
  • PUBP 4725 Information Security Policy
  • PUBP 4726 Privacy, Technology, Policy, and Law
  • PUBP 6330 Environmental Law

Special Topics Courses (number designations may change)

  • CS 48xx Special Topics: Internet Law
  • INTA 48xx Special Topics: International Law
  • INTA 48xx Special Topics: International Human Rights
  • INTA 48xx Special Topics: National Security Law
  • INTA 48xx Special Topics: The Laws of War
  • ME 48xx Special Topics: Engineering Law and Ethics
  • ME 28xx Special Topics: Patent Preparation and Process.
  • MGT 48xx Special Topics: Business and Government Regulation
  • MGT 48xx Special Topics: Corporate Governance
  • MGT 48xx Special Topics: Legal Issues in Sports Management
  • PHIL 48xx Special Topics: Health Care Law, Policy, and Management/Ethics
  • PHIL 48xx Special Topics: Philosophical Analysis with Argument Mapping
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Game Theory
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Biomedical Law, Policy, & Ethics
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Special Topics: Biotechnology Law, Policy, & Ethics
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Biotechnology Law & Policy
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Current Controversies
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Race, Gender, and the Fourteenth Amendment
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Health Care Law, Policy, and Management/Ethics
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: History of American Law
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Intellectual Property Transactions
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Law and Science
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Legal Internship
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Mock Trial
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Science, Philosophy, and the Law
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Transactional Law
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Survey of Telecommunications and the Law
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Sports Law and Public Policy
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Advanced Intellectual Property Law (one credit)
  • PUBP 48xx Special Topics: Legal Research and Writing (one credit)

Also, special problems courses, as designated by the Director of the Law, Science & Technology Program on a case-by-case basis, may be counted towards the electives requirements for the Certificate and Minor.

Requirements

LST Minor

Core Course (3 hours)

You must complete one core course, consisting of PUBP 3000 Constitutional Issues, PUBP 3016 Judicial Process, PUBP 3610 Pre-Law Seminar, or PUBP 4609 Legal Practice.

Electives (12 hours)

You must complete 12 hours of electives, chosen from the list of approved electives. If you are a MGT or INTA major, note the restrictions that apply to you.

3-Hour 2000 Level Class Restriction

Not more than 3 hours earned at the 2000 level may be counted toward the LS&T Minor; all other hours must be earned at the 3000 level or higher.

12-Hour 3000 Level or Higher Class Requirement

At least 12 hours counted toward the LS&T Minor must be earned in courses at the 3000 level or higher.

Treatment of LS&T Minor Core Courses and Electives as Outside Major

Because the LS&T Minor is not offered in a field in which Georgia Tech offers a major degree program, LS&T courses will be treated as outside a student’s major field for purposes of satisfying the Institute requirement that a minor must be in a field outside the student’s major field.

Exclusion of Courses Required by Name and Number for Major

Courses specifically required by name and number in a student's major degree program may not be counted toward the LS&T Minor.

Exclusion of Courses Applied to Core Areas A through E for Major

Courses applied to fulfill electives requirements for Core Areas A through E for the student’s major degree program may not be counted toward the LS&T Minor.

Permitted Courses Applied to Free Electives or Technical Electives for Major

Courses applied to fulfill free elective or technical elective requirements for the student’s major degree program may be counted toward the LS&T Minor.

Letter Grade Requirement

All courses counted toward the LS&T Minor must be taken on a letter grade basis and only courses in which a grade of "C" or higher is awarded may be counted toward the LS&T Minor.

Certificate Restriction

Students may not be awarded both the Pre-Law Certificate and the LS&T Minor.

“Double-counting” Prohibited

No course applied to satisfy any requirement for the LS&T Minor may be applied to satisfy any requirement for any other Minor or Certificate.

BSPP Core Course Restriction

Courses counted toward the LS&T Minor may not be counted toward the Bachelor of Science in Public Policy (BSPP) Core Courses. Up to 6 semester hours may be counted toward both the LS&T Minor and the technical electives for the BSPP.

Special Topics Classes

The Director of the Law, Science & Technology Program may designate special topics courses or graduate level courses offered from time to time by various units of the Institute as LS&T Minor electives if the Director reviews the course content and determines that these courses contain significant legal subject matter.

Up to 9 Hours Special Topics Courses Permitted

Special topics courses set forth above may be counted toward the LS&T Minor electives requirement. These courses may be 1-hour, 2-hour, 3-hour, or 4-hour courses. You may apply any combination of these courses toward satisfying the Minor electives requirement, but you may not count more than 9 hours of special topics courses toward this requirement.

Up to 4 Hours Special Problems Courses Permitted

Special problems courses, as designated by the Director of the Law, Science & Technology Program on a case-by-case basis, may be counted toward the LS&T Minor electives requirement. These courses may be 1-hour, 2-hour, 3-hour, or 4-hour courses. You may apply any combination of these courses toward satisfying the Minor electives requirement, but you may not count more than 4 hours of special problems courses toward this requirement.

Transfer Credits

No more than three hours of transfer credits may be counted toward the LS&T Minor, and the credits must map directly to an approved course for the LS&T Minor.

Right to Minor

Students who have satisfied all of the requirements of the LS&T Minor set forth herein by the time of their graduation will be entitled to the award of the LS&T Minor upon petition and approval of the Director of the Law, Science & Technology Program and the Registrar.

Pre-Law Certificate

Core Course (3 hours)

You must complete one core course, consisting of PUBP 3000 Constitutional Issues, PUBP 3016 Judicial Process, PUBP 3610 Pre-Law Seminar, or PUBP 4609 Legal Practice.

Electives (9 hours)

You must complete 9 hours of electives, chosen from the list of of approved electives. If you are a MGT or INTA major, note the restrictions that apply to you.

Letter Grade Requirement

All courses counted toward the Pre-Law Certificate must be taken on a letter grade basis and only courses in which a grade of "C" or higher is awarded may be counted toward the Pre-Law Certificate.

9-hour Upper-Level Course Requirement

At least 9 hours must consist of upper-level coursework (courses numbered 3000 or above).

Up to 9 Hours Special Topics Courses Permitted

Special topics courses set forth above may be counted toward the Pre-Law Certificate electives requirement. These courses may be 1-hour, 2-hour, 3-hour, or 4-hour courses. You may apply any combination of these courses toward satisfying the 9-hour Certificate electives requirement.

Up to 4 Hours Special Problems Courses Permitted

Special problems courses, as designated by the Director of the Law, Science & Technology Program on a case-by-case basis, may be counted toward the Pre-Law Certificate electives requirement. These courses may be 1-hour, 2-hour, 3-hour, or 4- hour courses. You may apply any combination of these courses toward satisfying the Certificate electives requirement, but you may not count more than 4 hours of special problems courses toward this requirement.

Exclusion of Courses Required by Name and Number for Major

Courses specifically required by name and number in a student’s major degree program may not be counted toward the Pre-Law Certificate.

Permitted Use of Electives Applied to Other Major Elective Requirements

Courses applied to fulfill electives requirements for the student’s major (free electives, technical electives, humanities electives, social science electives, etc.) may be counted toward the Certificate.

“Double-counting” Prohibited

No course applied to satisfy any requirement for the Pre-Law Certificate may be applied to satisfy any requirement for any other Certificate or Minor.

Exclusion of Non-resident Courses

All courses applied to satisfy any requirement for the Pre-Law Certificate must be taken in residence at Georgia Tech.