Legal Studies, Certificate
Enhance Your Legal Knowledge or Prepare for Law School
Indiana Tech’s Legal Studies Undergraduate Certificate is designed to introduce students to aspects of legal studies which would be helpful in law school or other legal-related careers. Offered in person and online, this certificate program is an asset to students in any major, and is particularly beneficial to students pursuing careers in the criminal justice field, psychology, business or communication. Students in this program have access to Indiana Tech’s Pre-Law Advisor to receive help with the process of entering law school and preparing for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). In addition to those preparing for law school, the Legal Studies certificate provides a solid foundation of knowledge for anyone working in legal offices, including paralegals.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Legal Studies Undergraduate Certificate, you will be prepared to:
- Explain the legal system in the United States.
- Summarize the major components of the United States’ criminal justice system.
- Explain how the major components of the U.S. criminal justice systems function within the constraints of the law.
- Present effective oral and written communication skills appropriate to the legal context.
- Express, orally and in writing, a position, theory or argument.
- Apply legal and ethical principles to decision-making in the professional legal environment.
- Identify sensitive issues relating to diversity, equity and inclusion in the professional legal environment.
- Assess sensitive issues relating to diversity, equity and inclusion in the professional legal environment.
Career Benefits
Earning a certificate is an affordable, time-efficient way to boost your skills and your career prospects:
- Increase your hiring and earning potential
- Enhance critical thinking, reasoning, analysis and writing skills
- Close the gap on increased job security
- Expand your professional network
- Make significant progress towards a degree
Career Outlook
A Certificate in Legal Studies from Indiana Tech prepares you for a wide variety of in-demand careers. Below, you can explore career fields, salary information and employer demand from our partners at Lightcast, the leading labor market and career data provider in the U.S.
Dominic Lombardo
Faculty Lead
Professor Lombardo had a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Police Department. While with LAPD, he became an expert on gang culture within the city. His responsibilities included gathering intelligence on gang activities, investigation and clearing of gang-related homicides and overall suppression of gang-related criminal activity within the Los Angeles area. While developing into a specialist in this area of law enforcement, Dominic was called upon to provide training to several other agencies within Los Angeles County and other agencies that were less experienced in dealing with the growing gang-related activity that was infiltrating their jurisdictions. He was also an officer with the robbery/homicide and the vice and narcotic divisions, and he was a training officer for new LAPD recruits.
Professor Lombardo approaches teaching criminal justice with pride and passion. He has been with Indiana Tech’s Center for Criminal Justice since June 2013, sharing his experiences from the force while stressing the societal necessity for an effective, fair and trustworthy criminal justice system. He is currently pursing a Ph.D. in Global Leadership from Indiana Tech.
- MBA, Indiana Wesleyan
- B.S., Ball State University
