Civil and Constitutional rights include a variety of constitutional and statutory rights at both the state and federal level. At the federal level, constitutional rights are primarily those contained in the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the US constitution), but they also include rights like equal protection and voting, which are in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. State constitutions also include their own bills of rights, which can be more expansive than those in the federal constitution. These constitutional rights are distinct from the statutory civil rights that individuals possess under statutes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, and many more federal statutes dealing with equal access and discrimination for marginalized groups in areas of public life.
We offer a wide range of relevant courses. Not every course is offered regularly, and to be a well-rounded lawyer you should take many other courses as well.
Courses foundational to the topic
- Civil Procedure
- Civil Rights Law
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Procedure
Courses focused on the topic
- Comparative Constititonal Law
- Comparative Employment Law Discrimination Seminar
- Data Privacy
- Disability Law in the Workplace
- Education Law and Policy
- Eighth Amendment Law and Litigation
- Employment Discrimination
- Free Speech & Democracy Theory Seminar
- Liberty Seminar
- Race and the Law
- Regulating Gender and Sexuality
- Reproductive Justice Seminar
- State Constitutional Law
- The Constitution & National Security
- Voting Rights and Representation Seminar
Courses aware of the topic
- Federal Courts
- Professional Responsibility
- Property Law
- Tort Law
- Transportation Law
The USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law operates a Constitutional Law Center that offers research assistant positions during the school year and fellowships during the summer. The Center also hosts events and sponsors programs that students can attend or participate in.
Many of our student organizations are involved in issues of civil and constitutional rights, including:
- Carolina Equality Alliance
- The Civil Rights and Engagement Society (CRES)
- If/When/How
- Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
These (and other) faculty and staff may be available to advise you, supervise your own legal research ("SLR"), or hire you as a research assistant. Learn about them through their biographies, and then consider reaching out.
- The SC Bar has a Civil Rights Law Section.
- Related areas include Childrens Law, Labor and Employment Law, Environmental Law, Health Law, Legal Leadership.