Graduate Student Handbook for M.A. in Law, Justice & Culture

• CLJC Contacts
• CLJC Community
• CLJC Space
• CLJC Computer Facilities
• CLJC Law and Society Subject and Resource Guide
• Graduate Student Web Pages
• Academic Requirements
  • Curriculum 
  • Required Courses
  • Elective Courses
  • Independent Study
  • Culminating Experience
  • Timeline for Completion
  • Full-Time and Part-Time Students
  • Semester Advising Consultations
• Sample Curriculum & Course Schedules
  • On-Campus Students: One-Year Program
  • Online Students: Two-Year Program
• Research Requirements
  • M.A. Research Essay Option
  • M.A. Thesis Option
• Guidelines on Writing an Academic Paper
• Guidelines on Preparing an Annotated Bibliography
• Guidelines on Writing an M.A. Thesis Proposal
• Forms
  • CLJC Preliminary M.A. Thesis Approval Form (PDF)
  • CLJC MA Research Approval Form (PDF)

The Master's Program

This handbook is a guide for graduate students in the Center for Law, Justice & Culture at Ohio University. It describes the regulations of the graduate program in Law, Justice & Culture, the procedures that students are expected to follow, and the standards required for continuation in the program. It should be noted that these are the center’s regulations, procedures, and standards, and that although this statement also describes many of the most important of the university and Graduate College's regulations, it does not include all of them. All students should also familiarize themselves with those regulations as set out in the Graduate Catalog and the Graduate College website.

Summary

The Center for Law, Justice & Culture is an interdisciplinary research and teaching center committed to the critical analysis of law as it operates in relation to society, culture, politics, and power in the United States and other global contexts. CLJC brings together faculty and students from various departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and other colleges who share a fundamental commitment to the study of law from a liberal arts perspective. The faculty affiliates come from various programs, departments, and colleges—African American Studies, Anthropology, Criminology History, Political Science, Social Work, Sociology, and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies -- who share a scholarly interest in law and society studies.

CLJC Contacts

The CLJC Director and Graduate Program Director/Academic Advisor, the Pre-Law Specialist/Advisor, the Program Administrator, and the Graduate Committees administer the CLJC graduate program. Students may contact the people listed on the CLJC Contact webpage with any questions or concerns and university/program administration, policy, process, or degree progress.

In addition to policy matters, various CLJC program committees are responsible for program decisions.

For issues related to academic development, courses, academic progress, etc., students should contact the Program Director/Academic Adviser.

CLJC Community

CLJC is a vibrant academic community that promotes critical analysis of law and its place in our everyday lives. We encourage students to participate fully and meaningfully in this community by participating in the intellectual life of the center. Graduate students are encouraged to interact with visiting guests and speakers through participation in campus events. Students are always welcome to request opportunities for one-on-one and small group conversation with speakers. Please contact either Nicole Kaufman or Larry Hayman to discuss these opportunities further.

CLJC Space

CLJC is housed on the ground floor of Bentley Hall. Students are encouraged to use this space for any academic activities relating to their program of study. The student lounge is typically open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It houses a seating area, a library of relevant books and videos, a coffee machine, and two all-in-one computer terminals.

CLJC Computer Facilities

Students have access to two all-in-one computer terminals in the CLJC student lounge. The computers have been loaded with various data management and analysis software programs as well as Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign. Specific programs are available upon request. Please note that students may request keys to provide access to the student lounge after standard work hours. Please contact Nicole Kaufman or Larry Hayman with this request.

CLJC Law and Society Subject and Resource Guide

Alden Library offers a Law and Society Subject and Course Guide on its webpage. The resources in the Law & Society Subject and Course Guide are designed to support students in coursework as well as independent research..

Graduate Student Web Pages

Students may submit professional photographs along with brief statements of research interest for posting on the CLJC website.