The Undergraduate in Law Experience
If you enjoy critical thinking, problem solving and analyzing the rules of our society, the BA in Law program at UB may be the right fit for you. As a law major, you’ll gain the lifelong benefits of studying law (including some fascinating career opportunities) without the commitment of law school. It’s the perfect major for students who are interested in how law affects our lives whether they plan to pursue a legal career or not.
What will you learn
As a BA in Law student, you'll gain practical knowledge of the law and how it's applied in a variety of contexts. The major includes only a few required courses, so most of your coursework will be in elective classes that allow you to tailor the major to your interests. UB undergrads study the law as it relates to sports, social media, finance, climate change, and countless other areas.
“My favorite course in the law program was American Legal History with Professor Patrick Long. The course provided a very interesting history lesson about how the American legal system came to be. The class tracked legal systems from ancient civilizations, and students got to learn how everything came together to form our legal system.”
Blake Breidenstein— Law Combined BA/JD (3+3 Program)—Graduated Spring 2024, Current UB Law JD student
Who will guide you
As the only law school in the SUNY system, UB attracts nationally recognized faculty who are smart, engaging, approachable—and committed to taking law students to the next level. In addition to their legal expertise, many of our faculty have degrees in subjects like sociology, history and anthropology, so they can look at the law in surprising and insightful ways.
"The connections I made with professors have been invaluable. Many of them are practicing and active members of the Buffalo legal community. They facilitated connections for me while I was an undergraduate, which allowed me to do internships before law school. Being integrated into the legal community before even applying to law school set me up for an easier transition and gave me guidance I would not have had otherwise when it came to navigating 1L and my first job searches."
“The University at Buffalo's BA in Law program gives students an opportunity to learn about how the law works from both a theoretical and practice-oriented perspective. Students develop legal skills that help prepare them for careers in business, the non-profit sector, and legal compliance roles as well as further education in law school or graduate school.” - Dr. Joshua Coene, undergraduate lecturer in law
Corrin Raynor— Law BA and Criminology BA with Political Science Minor—Graduated Spring 2023, Current UB Law JD student
Where will you go
The University at Buffalo’s BA in Law program teaches you how the law comes into play in all sorts of professional fields—from banking to the arts and entertainment—so you can apply it in your career. As a law graduate, you can work for an attorney, perhaps consulting on trials, managing all the electronic documents associated with a case or helping craft presentations for juries. Or you might decide to work for a business, nonprofit or government agency—every organization deals with legal issues, and your grounding in the law will prove invaluable.
"My Law BA has helped me with regulations and Office of Children and Family Services (OFCS) and New York State clearances for staff and compliance including action plans for compliance and ensuring all staff is properly trained in the legal regulations from both NYS and the OFCS."
Amanda Amabile— Law BA—Graduated Spring 2024, currently Pre-School Age Childcare Director in Buffalo
Where have our graduates landed?
- Law school
- Graduate programs, including social work, public health, management and global affairs
- Careers:
- Legal Assistant
- Paralegal
- Business/Management/Marketing
- Compliance
- Law Clerk