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[remi983]

Can anyone recommend two good graduate level classes to take? I can fulfill six hours of elective credit for law school at any of the other graduate departments at my school.

I want to take a class that has a relaxed workload yet is still interesting. I took a lot of PoliSci, Philosophy, and Sociology classes in undergrad, so something in one of those departments would be ideal. Is there any general advice I should heed. For example, are seminars easier than regular classes?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

[polly_mer]

What kind of law do you plan to practice?  It might be a good idea to take electives that will help prepare you for your career.

And, FYI, asking a bunch of professors and others who are interested in higher education about which classes are easy is not really a winning strategy.  It tends to bring out the snark in people.

[hollow_man]

For example, are seminars easier than regular classes?

<snark>

Yes, courses where there is a huge reading load, an expectation of a background in the field and creative thinking, and nowhere to hide ... are typically easier than regular classes.

</snark>

[remi983]

Thanks for your candidness Wasteland. I was not aware that seminars are so work intensive at the graduate level. I took a couple of seminars for both of my undergrad majors and they were a very nice change of pace. So, this is news to me.

Basically, I want to take classes in the other departments to satisfy intellectual curiosity without killing myself with work. Is this an unfulfillable desire? I understand that grad students work very hard to earn their degrees. I also understand from reading posts on this forum that grad students sometimes counterbalance 'hard' classes with classes that aren't as work intensive. I'd like to do the same.

Sorry if my initial post came across as disrespectful, but I don't see how my inquiry is unreasonable. Again, any and all input is appreciated.

[polly_mer]

Basically, I want to take classes in the other departments to satisfy intellectual curiosity without killing myself with work. Is this an unfulfillable desire?

No, it's fine.  However, you're asking the wrong people.  We don't know what classes are taught at your school, who teaches them, or what level of effort will be required.  There's just no way for us to have that information.

Go over to the departments that interest you and ask people there about what the classes cover, what the prerequisites are, and how much work is required.

[dr_prephd]

Also, we have no way of knowing what you might consider a "light work load." Fifteen math problems would kick my ass, but I could write a 2-page essay each night no problem.

[ahhh_history]

Does your law school not provide requirements as far as what is allowed?  If you're really looking for something easy, would they let you take, say, underwater-basket-weaving? 

Realistically, you should take classes in areas that relate to what sort of law you want to practice.  If you are interested in art law, for instance, you might take some art or art history classes, museum studies classes, etc.  Will these be easy?  That, as has been noted, depends on you. 

[goldengate]

I think it's bizarre that someone who is in a rigorous professional program and is being given a small opportunity by that program to expand hu's intellectual horizons is getting advice here to refocus exclusively on the careerist grindstone. Classes relevant to hu's future practice as a lawyer? I'd rather see hu spend a few credit hours thinking about broader economic or political issues, or maybe even literature or philosophy. A few decades from now, hu might be running a firm or a company and grappling with issues that narrow specialization doesn't cover, and some remnant of that old classical liberal arts education might come in handy.

The other thing? Hu is likely to be real good at hard work by now, unlike the average hapless college freshman, so I don't get the snark or condescension and I don't quite understand the push for more time served under a macho-level workload. To prove or reinforce what, exactly? Time to think deep thoughts and smell the roses might be better for hu as a person, a newbie lawyer and, heck, even a community-minded citizen.

OP, I'd suggest you take a look at your uni's course guide if one exists and chat with more experienced students at your law school who have taken classes that might interest you.

[polly_mer]

The other thing? Hu is likely to be real good at hard work by now, unlike the average hapless college freshman, so I don't get the snark or condescension and I don't quite understand the push for more time served under a macho-level workload.

I don't think anyone is pushing for "more time served under a macho-level workload" to prove anything.  My point is "Hey, teach!  I'm in a hard program and need an easy elective.  Are your classes easy?" isn't the way to approach a prospective professor in any topic, but is particularly laughable to do for graduate classes.

Asking about the workload and choosing classes that provide the right tradeoff of required effort for interest level is fine.  Starting from the "Law school's really hard so I'll take an easy liberal arts class" attitude isn't going to fly, particularly here where so many people are teaching liberal arts classes and know that anything worthwhile is not easy.

[imawakenow]

OP: I can't speak to how hard you will have to work and/or are willing to work, but as an M.A. student I took a special topics class on game theory. I took it pass/fail, so that I could concentrate on the "bigger picture" and not get bogged down in the proofs.

Another suggestion: decision-making under conditions of uncertainty--often marketing departments offer a class like this under the guise of consumer decision making.

[dr_prephd]

I keep saying to myself that I will take some sort of P.E. elective so that I can actually be FORCED to do exercise. Maybe I will do that in the summer.

[imawakenow]

I keep saying to myself that I will take some sort of P.E. elective so that I can actually be FORCED to do exercise. Maybe I will do that in the summer.

Our funding package allows us to take up to X credits a semester. I know at least two people in my program have used the "extra credits" to do what you suggest.

[punchnpie]

Can anyone recommend two good graduate level classes to take? ...
I want to take a class that has a relaxed workload yet is still interesting.

Hi. I'm a lawyer and PhD. When I went back for a masters, I took my cognate courses in the MBA program. Trust me, you will see the world from a different side when you take a course like contracts from a business perspective. It is one thing to understand the law, it is quite another to be in a manager trying to get business done. This was a completely new perspective for me, and I had been house counsel!

Take some MBA courses and 1)do something new (rather than the same ole poli sci, etc.) and 2)learn about the people you may be working with/against.

As far as relaxed workload, I second the MBA courses. Jeez. Those guys would complain if they had to read 2 paragraphs and this was at a top 5 Bschool. You wanna relax, take MBA courses. After law classes, they will be a piece of cake. (except finance unless you are a math wizard already) : )