The Legal Studies Academy
at First Colonial High School

View a brief overview of the Legal Studies Academy Program.

The Legal Studies Academy provides students who have an interest in and curiosity about the law, law-related fields, and legal and ethical issues the opportunity to extend their knowledge beyond the typical high school program. The academy offers students the opportunity to embrace not only an academic curriculum that will prepare them for post-secondary education but also will allow them career exploration within the area of legal studies.

The academy has two major components: Law and the Administration of Justice, which are further divided into special areas of study. At the end of the second year in the Academy program (sophomore year), all students must declare their major strand.

The Law component is divided into the two academic strands of Pre-Law and Administration of Law. Pre-Law offers students the opportunity to explore a law career with courses centered on occupational options open to lawyers.

The Administration of Law strand provides students with the coursework needed to pursue varied options within the field of law, such as legal secretary, paralegal, and court reporter.

The Administration of Justice component offers strands in Law Enforcement and Corrections. Law Enforcement introduces students to career possibilities such as police officer, criminal investigator, forensic scientist or private investigator. The Corrections strand focuses on such careers as criminal psychologist, criminal social worker, sheriff’s deputy and corrections officer. All students take the Core Academy curriculum that includes English, mathematics, science, social studies and foreign language (optional for Standard Diploma) . At the end of the second year in the Academy program, all students declare their major strand. The Academy curriculum goes beyond the basic four-year high school requirements by infusing law-related units in the core subject areas of English, science and social studies and by providing students with specialized course work, through job shadowing, training, mentoring, internships and volunteer opportunities. The course of studies is extended through seminars and field trips on law-related subjects such as character education issues, law and medicine, law and literature, cyber law, forensic science and criminal justice. In addition, the Academy gives students the opportunity to experience the reality of law careers by emphasizing active learning in criminal investigations, job shadowing, and mock trials in our courtroom/classroom.

In order to promote active learning and the importance of community involvement, all Legal Studies Academy students are required to participate in job shadowing, internships, and community service.

During the senior year, students complete a major senior project that is a hands-on experience focused on their chosen strand of study. The senior project requires consultation with the Academy coordinator, the initiation and completion of the project, a research paper describing the project, and an oral presentation of the project to a panel of adults prior to graduation.

The Legal Studies Academy
Typical Course of Study
Sample Student Schedule
For detailed course descriptions, please refer to the
2011-2012 Secondary School Curriculum Guide.

Course Of Study Students may earn either a Standard Diploma or an Advanced Studies Diploma based on the options available in the various curricula. In addition, all students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement courses in Art, Foreign Language, Math, Music, Science and Social Studies. Forensic Science, Criminology, Criminal Psychology, Legal Research and Legal Writing, Ethics and the Law, Law Enforcement, Trial Advocacy and Tactics, Mock Trials/Moot Court, and Business Law will be added to the curriculum as the Academy expands. However, for all strands, students receive instruction in the following: Communication skills – emphasis on listening, reading, speaking, writing and thinking as they relate to law-related fields; Basic concepts of the rule of law, principles of criminal law and law enforcement, constitutional law and the criminal justice system; Science and technology as they relate to solving crime; Computer science as it relates to law-related fields; Character education; and Community service.

9th Grade LSA English LSA World History I LSA Science Math Introduction to Law (required) Health/P.E. Foreign Language Electives Job Shadowing (9 or 10) 10th Grade LSA English LSA Virginia/U.S. Government LSA Science Math Health/P.E. Foreign Language Introduction to Criminal Justice (required) Job Shadowing (9 or 10) 11th Grade LSA English LSA Virginia/U.S. History LSA Science LSA Ethics & Law (s) (required) Legal Oratory and Debate (required) (s) Math Foreign Language Legal Internship (11 or 12) Electives

12th Grade LSA English LSA Social Studies LSA Science Legal Research & Writing (s) (required) Math Foreign Language Legal Internship (11 or 12) Senior Project Legal Seminar Topics Ethical Issues Criminal Investigation Character Education Patent Law Military Law Elder Law Law and Medicine Pleadings and Practices DUI Enforcement/Drugs/City Ordinances Juvenile Law Cyber Law Family and Domestic Law Sports & Entertainment Law Domestic Violence Bankruptcy Law Community Welfare Business/Corporate Law Probation and Parole Court Mediation Forensic Entomology Computer Fraud Maritime Law Contracts Real Estate Law

All LSA students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement courses which meet LSA requirements in art, English, foreign language, mathematics, music, science, and social studies.

For additional information please call the Academy Coordinator at 757.648-5300 ext. 85326, or email Paige Scherr pdscherr@vbschools.com at First Colonial High School.