Law & Legal Studies

What You’ll Study

As a Law and Legal Studies major at West Point, you will move beyond learning legal rules to mastering legal reasoning. You will examine how law structures military operations, protects constitutional governance, and shapes national security decisions.

Your curriculum builds from foundational legal methodology to advanced study in constitutional, international, and military law, culminating in an integrative experience that sharpens analytical and leadership skills.

How the Curriculum Builds Your Expertise

1. Foundational Knowledge
   Introduction to Legal Method and Law of Armed Conflict establish disciplined reasoning and legal literacy.
2. Advanced Application
   Electives such as Cyber Law, National Security Law, Military Justice, and International Law connect legal theory to operational challenges.
3. Leadership and Ethical Integration
   Jurisprudence and Legal Theory integrates constitutional principles, ethics, and professional responsibility.

Course Highlights

Year-by-Year Snapshot

This progression builds analytical foundations first, expands into advanced legal application, and culminates in integrative research.

First Year – Core Foundations

Complete core curriculum in history, philosophy, and political science. 

Develop writing and analytical skills essential for legal study.

Second Year – Legal Foundations

Take Introduction to Legal Method and Law of Armed Conflict. 

Build structured reasoning and legal literacy.

Third Year – Specialized Legal Study

Select advanced electives in areas such as cyber law, constitutional law, military justice, and international law.

Senior Year – Integration and Capstone

Complete Jurisprudence and Legal Theory or pursue honors thesis. 

Synthesize legal, ethical, and operational analysis in professional formats.

Capstone and Honors Experience

All majors complete Jurisprudence and Legal Theory as an integrative experience. Honors cadets pursue a two-semester thesis sequence involving proposal development, research, writing, and formal defense.

These culminating experiences prepare cadets for commissioning, advanced military education, and competitive graduate study.

View the Full Curriculum

Meet the Faculty

Law and Legal Studies majors at West Point learn from scholar-practitioners who operate at the intersection of law, ethics, and military operations. Faculty in the Department of Law and Philosophy combine deep academic expertise with real-world engagement in national security law, the law of armed conflict, and constitutional interpretation. Every cadet benefits from close mentorship in small seminar settings designed to sharpen judgment and professional confidence.

Featured Faculty

• COL Winston Williams – Professor and Head, Department of Law and Philosophy
  Army officer and legal scholar focused on constitutional leadership and the ethical foundations of military service.

• LTC Casey Biggerstaff – Law and Legal Studies Program Lead
  Specialist in national security law and operational legal advising, mentoring cadets preparing for command and strategic roles.

• Dr. [Faculty Name] – Law of Armed Conflict
  Expert in the legal frameworks governing military operations and emerging domains of warfare.

• Dr. [Faculty Name] – Constitutional and National Security Law
  Scholar focused on executive authority, civil-military relations, and the structure of American governance.

• Dr. [Faculty Name] – Jurisprudence and Legal Theory
  Philosopher of law who challenges cadets to think critically about justice, authority, and the moral foundations of legal systems.

Department Culture

• The department culture is rigorous, principled, and mentorship-driven. Faculty know cadets by name and challenge them to argue clearly, think independently, and approach difficult legal and ethical questions with intellectual discipline.

• Seminar discussions are structured but candid, fostering an environment where cadets build the confidence to engage high-level debates and defend positions under scrutiny.

Faculty Achievements

• Recognized for excellence in teaching and cadet mentorship across the Academy

• Leaders of nationally respected institutions such as the Lieber Institute for Law and Warfare and the West Point Center for the Rule of Law

• Contributors to national and international debates on emerging technologies, cyber operations, and the law of armed conflict

• Mentors of honors theses and client-based capstone projects addressing real-world national security challenges

• Sponsors of competitive AIAD placements in federal courts, government agencies, and international tribunals

Student–Faculty Success Stories

Cadets working with DELPHI faculty have completed internships with federal judges in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, assisting with research on cases involving terrorism and cybercrime.

Under faculty mentorship, Tudor Scholars have interned at the White House, Congress, the Department of Defense, and the World Bank, applying legal reasoning and leadership skills in high-level policy environments.

Cadets participating in international war crimes staff rides have engaged directly with international judges and legal experts at The Hague, observing ongoing tribunal proceedings and deepening their understanding of accountability in armed conflict.

View the Full Faculty Directory →

Expand Your Expertise

Law and Legal Studies at West Point is intentionally flexible. In addition to selecting a specialty law track within the major, cadets can deepen their expertise through carefully aligned minors that strengthen regional awareness, strategic judgment, and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

Choose Your Law Track

All Law and Legal Studies majors complete one of two complementary specialty tracks:

• International Law and Legal Systems
  Focus on comparative legal systems, international law, national security law, diplomacy, and state building. Ideal for cadets interested in multinational operations, coalition environments, and strategic-level assignments.

• American Law and Society
  Examine constitutional development, civil-military relations, criminal law, public policy, and the American political system. Well suited for cadets preparing for command, governance, or public leadership roles.

Both tracks culminate in Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, where cadets integrate legal reasoning with ethical analysis and professional responsibility.

Pair With a Minor

Enhance your major with a West Point minor that complements your legal training and expands your operational perspective.

Specialized Centers and Research Support

Law and Legal Studies majors benefit from direct access to:

• The Lieber Institute for Law and Warfare, advancing scholarship on the law of armed conflict

• The West Point Center for the Rule of Law, promoting ethical leadership and legal understanding in military operations

• DELPHI-sponsored AIADs and legal internships in federal courts, Congress, international tribunals, and national security institutions

These resources allow cadets to tailor their academic experience toward operational law, national security policy, constitutional leadership, or strategic-level service.

Ready to Lead? Start Your Journey at West Point

Apply today to pursue a Physics major while gaining world-class leadership training, a fully funded education, and a career-launching experience. Admission is competitive, but this major is open to all cadets who meet USMA’s academic, physical, and leadership standards.

Key Deadlines:

• Feb. 15 – Application & Summer Leaders Experience (SLE) open

• April 15 – SLE application closes

• Fall (Senior Year) – Nomination applications due

• Jan. 31 (Senior Year) – Candidate Checklist deadline

View Full Admissions Requirements

Your future as a leader begins here. Take the first step today.

Starting the application does not commit you to a major. It opens the door to guidance, advising, and a clearer picture of your path forward.

Begin Your Journey in STEM at West Point

Get Answers to Your Questions

Discover West Point for Yourself

Experience Law & Leadership in Action at West Point

At West Point, Law & Legal Studies majors do more than study legal theory. They apply law in real-world military, governmental, and international environments where legal judgment shapes national security decisions.

Through Academic Individual Advanced Development programs, international staff rides, research institutes, and high-level legal internships, cadets experience how law governs military operations, public institutions, and emerging technologies. These opportunities transform legal study into leadership preparation.

Hands-On Opportunities & Unique Experiences

Internships / Field Work

• Law & Legal Studies majors compete for internships with federal courts, national security agencies, military commands, and international legal institutions.

• Cadets have worked with U.S. District Court judges in New York, supported the Joint Staff, interned at the White House and Congress through the Tudor Scholars Program, and contributed to Army and interagency legal analysis.

Research Opportunities

• Cadets conduct independent research, honors theses, and integrative projects under faculty mentorship.

• Through the Lieber Institute for Law and Warfare and the West Point Center for the Rule of Law, cadets analyze contemporary issues such as cyber operations, autonomous weapons systems, international humanitarian law, and national security authorities.

• Many present findings in professional forums or contribute to policy-focused scholarship.

Leadership Opportunities

• Applied learning is cadet-centered by design.

• Law majors brief legal analyses to peers and faculty, participate in structured debates on ethical decision-making, and engage in simulation-based exercises that mirror real-world legal dilemmas faced by commanders.

• Through programs like the Tudor Scholars initiative, cadets engage directly with senior leaders in government and industry.

Global Programs & Special Experiences

• DELPHI sponsors immersive international staff rides examining war crimes prosecutions and the evolution of the law of armed conflict.

• The European War Crimes Staff Ride brings cadets to Nuremberg, The Hague, and former Yugoslavia conflict sites to examine genocide and war crimes accountability.

• The Far East War Crimes Staff Ride explores how societies respond legally and ethically to wartime atrocities across Asia.

• These programs connect historical accountability with modern operational leadership.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

• Law & Legal Studies integrates with philosophy, political science, cyber science, regional studies, and military operations.

• Cadets examine legal questions through multiple lenses including ethics, policy, strategy, and emerging technology, preparing them to navigate ambiguity across domains.

Partnerships with Army, Government, and National Security Institutions

• The department maintains strong relationships with:

  • The U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps

  • The Lieber Institute for Law and Warfare

  • The West Point Center for the Rule of Law

  • Federal courts and government agencies

  • International tribunals and global legal institutions

• Cadets engage with practitioners shaping contemporary law of armed conflict, cyber law, and national security policy.

Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD)

• Bridging academics, readiness, and global engagement.

• AIADs allow cadets to translate classroom study into operational impact. Law & Legal Studies AIADs span domestic and international placements, providing exposure to high-level legal environments rarely accessible to undergraduates.

• Examples include:

  • U.S. District Court Internship

  • Tudor Scholars Program (White House, Congress, State Department)

  • European War Crimes Staff Ride

  • Far East War Crimes Staff Ride

  • Ethics and Emerging Technology AIAD

  • Joint Staff Internship

• Each AIAD strengthens analytical precision, ethical judgment, and professional confidence.

Leadership in Action

• AIADs and enrichment programs are leadership laboratories.

• Cadets operate in dynamic environments that demand disciplined reasoning, cultural awareness, and ethical clarity. They return to West Point with enhanced judgment and a broadened understanding of how law shapes military operations.

• Through DELPHI enrichment, cadets graduate not only legally literate, but operationally prepared and globally aware.

Explore Cadet Research

Student Life in This Major

Studying law at West Point is not just about reading cases or analyzing statutes. It is about joining a community committed to disciplined reasoning, ethical leadership, and service to the Nation.

Department Community & Academic Culture

• Law & Legal Studies majors are part of the Department of Law and Philosophy, a close-knit academic community where faculty know cadets by name and challenge them to grow intellectually and professionally.

• Seminar-style courses foster thoughtful debate, respectful disagreement, and rigorous discussion. Cadets learn to defend positions with evidence and engage complex issues with confidence and clarity.

Co-Curricular Experiences

• Legal simulations, structured debates, and ethics exercises extend learning beyond the classroom.

• Cadets analyze real-world operational dilemmas, participate in scenario-based exercises involving the law of armed conflict, and engage in applied discussions that mirror the kinds of decisions officers face in combat and policy environments.

Professional Associations & Honor Societies

• Law majors may participate in:

  • Golden Key International Honour Society

  • Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and largest collegiate honor society

• Through DELPHI-sponsored events and lecture series, cadets connect with leading jurists, policymakers, and military legal professionals.

Guest Lectures & Strategic Forums

• The Ron A. Salvatore Law & Legal Studies Lecture Series brings nationally recognized legal scholars, senior judges, and government officials to West Point.

• Cadets engage directly with leaders who shape constitutional interpretation, national security policy, and international law, strengthening both intellectual depth and professional perspective.

Research Centers & Intellectual Community

• Law majors engage with:

  • The Lieber Institute for Law and Warfare

  • The West Point Center for the Rule of Law

• These centers host panels, workshops, and symposia examining contemporary issues such as cyber warfare, emerging technologies, and the evolving law of armed conflict.

• Cadets participate in conversations that connect legal theory to operational realities.

Immersive Travel & Staff Rides

• International staff rides and domestic academic trips provide exposure to the legal and moral consequences of conflict.

• From observing proceedings at international tribunals to examining the evolution of war crimes prosecutions, cadets experience firsthand how law shapes history and contemporary operations.

Studying Law & Legal Studies at West Point means joining a community that values disciplined thought, principled leadership, and service grounded in the rule of law.

Explore More Cadet Experiences

Ready to Lead? Start Your Journey at West Point

Apply today to pursue a Physics major while gaining world-class leadership training, a fully funded education, and a career-launching experience. Admission is competitive, but this major is open to all cadets who meet USMA’s academic, physical, and leadership standards.

Key Deadlines:

• Feb. 15 – Application & Summer Leaders Experience (SLE) open

• April 15 – SLE application closes

• Fall (Senior Year) – Nomination applications due

• Jan. 31 (Senior Year) – Candidate Checklist deadline

View Full Admissions Requirements

Your future as a leader begins here. Take the first step today.

Starting the application does not commit you to a major. It opens the door to guidance, advising, and a clearer picture of your path forward.

Begin Your Journey in STEM at West Point

Get Answers to Your Questions

Discover West Point for Yourself