Undergraduate Experiential Learning
Students in the Legal Studies Program often pursue hands-on learning opportunities, through which they can gain real-world experience, explore potential careers, build professional skills and connections, and live and study in centers of political power at the state and national level.
For-credit internship and field study opportunities
The Legal Studies Program strongly encourages all of our students to take advantage of one of the following opportunities, which provide course credit toward a legal studies degree.
LGST 185: Internship/Field Seminar: Experiences in Law, Politics, and Policy
This course is offered as a summer session and must be combined with an internship, which students should obtain before enrolling. It provides structured class meetings and work to complement the internship experience. Internships usually require a minimum of 10 hours/week for 10 weeks. Student intern participants are evaluated based on a supervisor evaluation (from their internship placement organization), field notes/weekly reflections, and a final research paper. LGST 185 meets the PR-S service-learning GE.
LGST/OAKS 188A: Introduction to the Legal Profession and Legal Aid Work / LGST/OAKS 188B: Legal Field Practice: Professional Skills and Ethics
This course series prepares students for legal aid work through one quarter dedicated to class work and one quarter in the field. Previous or concurrent enrollment in LGST 188A: Introduction to the Legal Profession and Legal Aid Work is required to enroll in 188B, along with permission of the instructor. In collaboration with Oakes College/CARA/Puentes, the 188B course offers placement, standards, and support during on-site or online experiential training in professional skills and ethics for students working in the legal field. For more information, see the Course Catalog or contact Yanin Monter, legal studies academic advisor.
LGST 198: Independent Field Study
LGST 198 allows students to study independently on topics of special interest to them under the guidance of a faculty sponsor. Students may engage in directed readings, research projects, or research related to an internship. Students can apply in advance in order to obtain course credit for an internship through the LGST 198; students cannot petition to obtain credit for a previously completed internship.
LGST 198 may be approved through the course substitution process to fulfill up to one five-unit upper-division core course requirement in the legal studies major. Students are responsible for arranging their own internships before the start of the quarter and for completing all assigned work independently. Please note that obtaining independent field study credit is based on faculty capacity, which may not be available in all quarters or circumstances.
How to enroll in Independent Field Study
Step 3
Submit the form to the undergraduate advisor via email at legalstudies@ucsc.edu.
The advisor will issue a call number to enroll.
Step 4
Enroll via MyUCSC, using the call number using class number search. Individual Study numbers are not found in the Schedule of Classes list.
Merrill College Field Study Program / MERR 90F
Merrill College offers a field study program with both field and classroom components. The program is 10 weeks long, and participants meet every other week. The Merrill Field Study Office assists students in setting up their fieldwork placements once they enroll in the course; however, the student is responsible for contacting their host site and filling out the necessary paperwork to begin their fieldwork.
UCDC
The UCDC program supervises and supports students who pursue a quarter of academic study and internship work in the nation’s capital. Internship placements are geared toward student interests, including but not limited to government and public policy, science and the environment, education and the arts, advocacy and nonprofit organizations, law, and business and finance. Students live in the UC Washington Center with students from other UC campuses, which provides an intellectual and social community throughout the quarter.
The program is open, through a competitive application process, to students in all majors who are in good standing and will be juniors or seniors by the quarter in which they participate. Financial aid eligibility is maintained throughout the program. The UCSC Global Learning website has more information on how to apply, associated costs, internship options, and alumni experiences.
UC Center Sacramento
Just steps away from the state Capitol, the University of California’s UC Student and Policy Center building is the educational home to the UC Center Sacramento: A public policy program for students from across UC to come to the capitol for internships and real-world experience with state government. UCSC juniors and seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA can apply to spend a quarter taking classes and participating in internships or research at UC Center Sacramento.