Legal Studies at Northwestern University

Programme overview

The Legal Studies program offers a major situated in Weinberg College, but open to Northwestern undergraduates in all schools. All Legal Studies majors must complete the two-quarter Advanced Research Seminar (398-1,2), in which students design and execute an original socio-legal research project and produce a thesis.

Faculty: Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Location: Evanston, IL, United States

What you will study

All Legal Studies majors must complete the two-quarter Advanced Research Seminar (398-1,2), in which students design and execute an original socio-legal research project and produce a thesis. All Legal Studies majors complete a thesis during a two-quarter research seminar (Legal_St 398-1 and 398-2) during which they receive a lot of individualized attention from the instructor and teaching assistants.

Official programme page

Application information

USD 71,802 a year (2026-27). Undergraduate tuition for 2026-27 (full-time $23,934 per quarter, fall/winter/spring); a single rate for all full-time undergraduate degree programmes; excludes room and board, student health, activity and athletics fees and health insurance. Source

Undergraduate terms run fall, winter and spring (quarter system); first-year applicants apply through Early Decision, Regular Decision or QuestBridge.

First-year deadlines for 2026-27: QuestBridge October 1, 2026; Early Decision November 1, 2026 (decisions December 2026); Regular Decision January 4, 2027 (decisions March 2027). Transfer: Early Decision March 1, 2027; Regular Decision April 1, 2027 (priority deadline for Bienen transfer applicants January 4, 2027).

Apply through the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir (QuestBridge for QuestBridge applicants). The nonrefundable application fee is $75 or a fee waiver. Northwestern is test-optional and does not require SAT or ACT scores.

Graduate applications for 2026-27 open September 15, 2026; deadlines vary by programme. The Graduate School application fee is $95 and nonrefundable, paid by credit or debit card.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.northwestern.edu/apply/

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