Research Topics 

In addition to constitutional law, civil liberties, public law and judicial politics, our department offers specialized courses on judicial process, the role of courts and the rule of law, moot court and legal research. Courses prepare students at all levels for careers in the courts and in law, governance and civic engagement. Ph.D. students benefit from the expertise and reputations of our established faculty members, who have raised substantial research funding. 

Faculty Exposure 

Our faculty members are internationally recognized for scholarship in U.S. Federal Courts and the comparative study of courts and judicial behavior. They have published in top journals, such as American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science and Journal of Politics, and with leading university presses. Our public law and judicial politics faculty are also among the national leaders in securing research funding from the NSF. 

Graduate Students 

The faculty maintains a strong tradition of extensive collaboration with their Ph.D. students that has resulted in numerous papers presented by graduate students at major national conferences in recent years. Backed by rigorous training in research methods, our Ph.D. graduates regularly compete for placement in top research universities.