Major Advising Page: Legal Studies Major and Criminal Justice Certificate
Whether your area of emphasis is on legal studies or criminal justice, studying abroad can enrich your educational experiences. Studying abroad will help you understand the discipline of legal studies and/or criminal justice more thoroughly, because, like many other disciplines, it is continually influenced by ideas and practices from all over the world. Study abroad courses offer a direct opportunity to explore the social, political, economic, and cultural determinants of the law.
As a legal studies or criminal justice student, you can study abroad during almost any semester in your college career, but there are some important factors to consider. The information below will help in your planning and conversations with the advisors in legal studies and criminal justice.
Course considerations
The legal studies major accepts study abroad courses that have at least 25% legal studies content, so you can fulfill theme group and non-U.S. content requirements while abroad. This allows you to take classes abroad that you might not normally find at UW. Classes without a direct UW–Madison equivalent may transfer back as a legal studies topics course (Legal Studies 400 or 450) and then be applied to a specific relevant theme group. Students are welcome to take multiple topic courses. Legal studies advisors will review course content, eligibility, and theme group assignment as requested by students.
Students pursuing the criminal justice certificate may be able to receive credit if a course is relevant to one of the required areas of study. Historically, students have been able to find courses meeting the requirements for the criminal justice electives requirement. Study abroad programs are beginning to expand their course selections to include internship components. Criminal justice advisors will review course content, eligibility, and group assignment as requested by students.
Map your experience as a legal studies major or criminal justice certificate student
There is no best time to study abroad as a legal studies major. If you are a double major, you will ultimately want to find the fit that works well for both majors by consulting with your academic advisors. Otherwise, you will just need to follow the guidelines listed above and plan your time abroad into your degree plan.
For students pursuing the criminal justice certificate, a key consideration for deciding when to study abroad is the student’s plan for completion of their intensive criminal justice internship. Internships are typically completed in junior or senior year and require preparatory courses as well as interviews with agencies. Please consult with a criminal justice advisor to discuss how to incorporate your study abroad plan with your internship plan.
Prospective students
Attend the Study Abroad Fair to have an idea of what programs may be available to you, and meet with a study abroad advisor to learn more about your program options.
The more complex and/or ambitious your legal studies and criminal justice undergraduate program, such as the number of additional majors or certificates, athletic or other heavy extracurricular involvement or leadership opportunities, doing honors, doing research, and applying for limited enrollment colleges, the more important advance planning to allow a study abroad experience.
Ask questions
- What classes must I complete for my degree (breadth/depth, major requirements, etc.)?
- Do I need to be on UW–Madison’s campus for any courses in my major?
- How many electives do I have outside of my major?
- What classes can I take abroad?
- How and when do I select courses for my program?
- When will I know course equivalents for my program?
- What is the class structure like abroad?
- What skills do careers related to my major require, and how might participating in a particular program help me gain those skills?
- When would be the best time to participate in a program based on my career goals?
- How will participating in a study abroad, study away, or international internship make me stand out?
- Why do I want to study abroad?
- How long do I want to study abroad for — a few weeks, a semester, a year?
- How does studying abroad fit into my academic, personal, and/or professional goals?
- What career skills or proficiencies will I strive to acquire or enhance on my program?
Discover programs that are right for you
The following are programs that may be of interest to you. Durations and courses vary and may count toward electives or degree requirements. If you do not have specific requirements, there’s more flexibility in program type and location.
These opportunities are not an exhaustive list of all programs.
In this section
Semester and academic year programs
Denmark
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia (semester or summer)
England
- Lancaster University
- London School of Economics (academic year or summer)
- University of Westminster (semester or summer)
- UW in London (spring semester)
Hong Kong
Ireland
IFSA University Galway (semester or summer)
Italy
CIEE Rome Open Campus (semester or summer)
Netherlands
IES Amsterdam (semester or summer)
Singapore
USA
UW Wisconsin in Washington, DC Internship Program (semester or summer)
Short-term programs
Denmark
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia (semester or summer)
England
- London School of Economics (academic year or summer)
- University of Westminster (semester or summer)
Ireland
IFSA University Galway (semester or summer)
Italy
CIEE Rome Open Campus (semester or summer)
Netherlands
IES Amsterdam (semester or summer)
USA
UW Wisconsin in Washington, DC Internship Program (semester or summer)
International Internships
International internships allow you to apply your academic skills to the real world and gain valuable professional experience abroad while earning UW–Madison course credit.
As you consider your academic and professional goals for studying abroad, explore the different internship options, including UW Signature internships, internship-focused programs, part-time internships, or applying for credit for an external internship.
Check with your academic advisor to see if earning credit for your internship abroad can fulfill a major or certificate requirement.
Hear from students in your major
Explore student blogs and reflections to see how your peers have connected international experiences to their studies. Discover real stories about the skills, challenges, and professional insights gained through our programs.
Photo credit: Hannah Kendzor (Ireland)
Want more information?
Dive deeper into how courses and credits work on our programs, or connect with an advisor to find the best fit for your goals.
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