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Politics and Law

Analyze government and law through the complementary fields of political science and legal studies.

At A Glance

What You'll Learn:

The structures and actions of both governmental and non-government actors in policy making
How to explore complex problems from the role of government in society to the nature of democracy and civil rights
The ways that culture, social change, and history shape politics and law
Critical thinking, analytical, and negotiation skills

What You'll Do:

Cultivate your curiosity for civic life and become a driven learner engaged in purposeful learning
Integrate values, knowledge, and skills to generate a personal viewpoint and influence conversations
Explore complex problems and learn how to reach persuasive conclusions based on the information available

Career Options Include:

Researcher, Think Tank
Director, National Non-Profit
Policy Fellow, U.S. House of Representatives
Special Agent, U.S. Secret Service
Program Analyst, U.S. Dept. of State
Community Relations
Policy Advisor, State Government
Attorney

Program Level: Undergraduate

Offered As: Major

College/School: College of Arts & Sciences

Apply Now Requirements Request More Information

Our Students

“Bryant has taught me to be an exceptional leader; we really emphasize experiential learning. I’ve learned how to lead a group of people and how to understand people, and I’ve taken that with me in everything that I’ve done.”

Danielle Latty '24

Politics and Law
Complementary Minor: Human Resource Management
Hometown: Glastonbury, CT

"Guided by supportive faculty, I advanced my research and communication skills and can confidently apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world events."

Kathleen Bannon '21

Politics and Law
Internship: Rhode Island State Senate
Currently: Pursuing a PhD in Political Science at Binghamton University
Hometown: Smithfield, RI

“A good education is about more than learning facts. It’s about learning the best ways to solve problems and being able to apply that to all sorts of different scenarios. You need to be flexible to be successful in life.”

Shane Vyskocil '19

Politics and Law, Economics
Career Outcome: Senior Consultant, FTI Consulting
Hometown: Parsippany, NJ

Where Our Students Go

Bryant's Politics and Law graduates go on to top graduate schools (such as Dartmouth, Brown, and American), law schools (including Wake Forest, Chicago, and Villanova), and work in the fields of business, government, and nonprofit organizations.

American Cancer Society
Amica Insurance
CBS Boston
Child and Family Services
Federal Reserve Bank
Fidelity
Rhode Island Governor’s Office
Rhode Island Supreme Court
Teach for America
United Nations Humanitarian Affairs
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Secret Service
AU Master’s in Public Policy
Brown Ph.D. in Political Science
Dartmouth Master’s in Liberal Studies
Northeastern School of Law
UConn Ph.D. in Political Science
Villanova Law School

Learn With Faculty Experts

Politics Nicole Freiner and students 1160

Students Nilsa Laine '23, Grace Greenaway '23, Aly Snell '23, and Dr. Nicole Freiner (l to r) presented their research on national food politics and policies at the New England Political Science Association Meeting in 2022.

Experiential Learning

At Bryant, we believe in learning by doing. Politics and Law students participate in experiential learning opportunities such as internships, competitions, student-run organizations, networking with professionals, and research collaboration with faculty.

Internships

Bryant University partners with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars to provide supervised internships in business, government agencies, for-profit or nonprofit sectors, and international organizations in Washington, D.C. Internships are available in all degree programs, concentrations, and minor area of studies in the summer, fall, and spring terms. Students are placed based on their academic studies, career goals, and interests.
The Amica Center for Career Education works directly with students to secure internships year-round, both locally and in their home states.

Competitions

Tupper Mock Trial Classic, hosted on campus by Bryant
Regional and national collegiate mock trial competitions

Clubs/Organizations

Mock Trial Association
Bryant Law Society
Model United Nations
Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Honor Society

Research

Honors Program
Politics and Law capstone research project
Research and Engagement Day

3+3 JD with Villanova Law School

The Bryant-Villanova partnership allows students to accelerate their education and break through traditional law school barriers. At the completion of the program, students will have a bachelor's degree from Bryant University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Villanova University School of Law.

About this Program

Politics and Law brings together the complementary disciplines of political science and legal studies.

Required Courses:

Introduction to Global Politics or Honors Politics of the Global System
Government and Society in America or Honors Contemporary American Politics
Comparative Politics
Introduction to Legal Studies
Law and Society
Global Legal Traditions or Civil Rights and Liberties
Seminar in Politics and Law
Three electives, with at least one at the 400 level

For a full list of requirements and courses, visit the undergraduate catalog.

A partnership with Villanova University provides direct-entry admission of qualified Bryant students to pursue a doctorate of law at Villanova's Charles Widger School of Law.
You will study for three (qualified juniors) or four years at Bryant, before enrolling at Villanova for three years with a guaranteed scholarship.
Learn more about the 3+3 and 4+3 pathways to pursue a Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Our faculty are award-winning scholars, inspiring educators, and dedicated mentors, including:

an expert in U.S. foreign policy
an American politics scholar
a comparative Japan scholar
a lawyer who worked with the United Nations on the Right to Science initiative
an internationally renowned expert on the impact of the Holocaust on the law and human rights
a lead author of the report "Gauging Equality for the European Union"

Political Science Concentration

The concentration in Political Science allows students to go beyond a minor in preparing themselves for a world shaped by political questions and decisions. Concentrators learn key facts, terms, and background information on critical political issues in at least two political science subfields from American government, comparative politics, and global politics.

Political Science Minor

The minor in Political Science prepares students for a world shaped by political questions and decisions. Minors learn key facts, terms, and background information on critical political issues related to American politics, comparative politics, and global politics.

Legal Studies Concentration

The concentration in American Legal Studies allows students to go beyond a minor in preparing themselves for a deeper understanding of how law shapes the American society. Concentrators learn key facts, terms, and background information on the U.S. legal system.

International Legal Studies Concentration

The concentration in International Legal Studies allows students to go beyond a minor in preparing themselves for a deeper understanding of how differences in laws around the globe as well as how international law shape domestic legal systems. By acquiring knowledge of international law and comparative law, concentrators are able to analyze the many facets of the law as a social phenomenon—its origins, evolution, function, and effects.

Legal Studies Minor

The minor in Legal Studies exposes students to the study of “law in context.” Minors acquire familiarity with the ways in which law operates in society and the many facets of the law as a social phenomenon, its origins, evolution, function, and effects. Furthermore, minors are exposed to practical skills needed to analyze legal phenomena and to investigate legal resources, broadly defined.

Global Studies Minor

Global Studies is an interdisciplinary minor in the College of Arts and Sciences that prepares students with the understanding of other countries, cultures and global interactions. Students examine the world from the perspective of citizens, movements and everyday realities, so that they can produce their own analyses of public policy issues and cultural interactions.