Centre for Career and Personal Development Degree Profiles
Law & Society
Law and Society is the study of how legal and social systems are interconnected, how people live and how law is woven into communities.
Key Skills & Knowledge
Written Communication: Present ideas clearly and persuasively
Verbal Communication: Articulate or argue a position; clarify and communicate technical concepts and exchange information and ideas with others; present work orally
Analytical and logical thinking: Analyze material logically and critically; apply theoretical approaches to law
Editing: Edit and proofread for accuracy, content and clarity
Leadership: Persuade and influence others, assist others with less education and knowledge
Synthesis and organization: Identify issues and ideas from extensive reading material, digest and read large quantities of material, organize and interpret social, economic and political data
Problem solving: Learn to generate creative, practical solutions to problems; respond to challenges and work under pressure
Organization: Meet deadlines, prioritize and organize time and materials
Team work: Work in teams of students with different types of disciplinary backgrounds
Degree-specific: Become familiar with legal institutions and fundamental legal concepts; learn how to approach legal research and reasoning understand key values underpinning law
Social justice issues: Understanding major issues in social justice in Canada
Analyze social trends or social changes: Study emerging challenges for law in education, health, criminal justice, employment and science and technology
Research and technical: Become familiar with CanLII and library databases to access articles and sources
Sample Job Titles
Please note some of these positions may require further training, certification or education. Check out the occupational profiles to review the full details for the occupations that interest you at alis.alberta.ca/occinfo
- Ambassador
- Community Relations Coordinator
- Correctional Officer
- Credit Investigator
- Cryptographer
- Customs Broker/Inspector
- Deportation Officer
- Emergency Response Coordinator
- Foreign Service Officer
- Government Official
- Immigration & Customs Officer
- Import Specialist
- Insurance Investigator
- Juvenile Detention Officer
- Law Enforcement Administrator
- Loss Prevention Consultant / Specialist
- Loss Prevention Specialist
- Ombudsman
- Police Officer
- Policy Advisor
- Pre-trial Services Officer
- Private Investigator
- Probation / Parole Officer
- Public Safety Officer
- Regulatory Affairs Agent
- Safety Supervisor
- Search and Rescue Coordinator
- Title Searcher
- Victim Services Specialist
- Volunteer Manager
- Witness Protection Program Worker
- Youth Care Worker
Potential Industries
- Communications
- Community development
- Corporate legal or risk management departments
- Correctional service institutions
- Court systems
- Customs services
- Education
- Emergency family support services
- Financial institutions
- Government – various levels and branches
- Group homes
- Hospitals
- Human resources
- Insurance companies
- Law enforcement agencies
- Law firms
- Policy organizations
- Loss prevention firms
- Lottery companies
- Non-profit organizations
- Police services
- Regulatory bodies
- Regulatory compliance departments
(privacy, environment, employment standards) - Rehabilitation centres
- Residential treatment centres
- Security and investigation services
- Social service agencies
- Victim / witness assistance organizations
- Youth service agencies
Aligned Majors
Additional Resources
Did you know?
Formal Career Assessments like the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator can be helpful tools for your career development. These assessments have been used for decades to help individuals choose a major, explore career options during and upon completion of a degree and to further understand yourself in relationship to the world of work. Inquire with Career Services if you are interested in these formal assessments.
Key Contacts
Faculty Contact
Arts Students' Centre
Social Sciences Building, SS102
T: 403.220.3580
E: ascarts@ucalgary.ca
W: arts.ucalgary.ca/advising
Student Clubs
Sociology and Law & Society Association (SLSA)
UCalgary Pre-Law Women's Society
Centre for Career and Personal Development
MacEwan Student Centre, Room 188
T: 403.220.8020
E: csstdnt@ucalgary.ca
W: ucalgary.ca/career-personal-development
