Major Requirements

The patent law, technology, and culture major requires a minimum of 51 credits of LTC major courses with a grade of C or higher. These courses may include offerings at NJIT and Rutgers-Newark. The patent law B.A. also requires a minimum of 120 total credits, including completion of the General Education Requirements.  Each student's program of study is subject to approval by an advisor or by the chairperson of the department.

Students in the patent law curriculum program follow the standard curriculum for the Law, Technology and Culture B.A. while focusing their science-based coursework around a specific discipline (biology, chemistry, or physics). The curricular options for the Patent Law concentration are as follows:

Biology Options (B.A. or B.S.) 

Students choosing the biology option must complete 8 credits of approved chemistry or physics courses and 24 credits of approved courses in biology, botany, microbiology, or molecular biology. The 8 semester hours in chemistry or physics must be obtained in two sequential courses, each course including a lab. Only biology courses for biology majors will be accepted. Subject to the approval of an advisor, students can earn a double-major B.A. in LTC and biology with 124 total credits.  It is also possible to earn a double-major B.S. degree in LTC and Biology with 128 total credits.*

Chemistry Options (B.A. or B.S.)

Students choosing the chemistry option must complete 30 credits of approved chemistry courses. Only chemistry courses for chemistry majors will be accepted. Subject to the approval of an advisor, students can earn a double-major B.S. in LTC and chemistry with 125 total credits.*

Physics Options (B.A. or B.S.)

Students choosing the physics option must complete 24 credits of approved physics courses. Only physics courses for physics majors will be accepted. Subject to the approval of an advisor, students can earn a double-major B.S. in LTC and applied physics with 127 total credits. Students doing the B.S. in Applied Physics and LTC choose to study one of two concentrations: either Astronomy or Optical Science and Engineering.* 

General Science Option (B.A.)

Students choosing the general science option must complete 8 credits of approved chemistry or physics courses and 32 credits of approved courses in chemistry, physics, biology, botany, microbiology, molecular biology, or engineering. The 8 semester hours of chemistry or 8 semester hours of physics must be obtained in two sequential courses, each course including a lab. Only courses for science or engineering majors will be accepted.* 

*Note: The science courses in each Patent Law, Technology and Culture major are taken in place of:

  • 7-8 credits of the Natural Sciences GUR electives
  • up to 24 credits of Law-Related electives
  • up to 24 credits of Free Electives to fulfill 24 credits of Free Electives (as mandated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office).

B.A. in Patent Law, Technology and Culture

(120 credits minimum)

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
1st SemesterCredits
HUM 101 3
MATH 111 Calculus I 4
MGMT 290 Business Law I 3
Natural Science GER 3
Computer Science GER 3
FRSH SEM 0
 Term Credits16
2nd Semester
Social Science GER 3
HUM 102 3
Mathematics GER
Legal Foundations Elective 3
Natural Science Literacy with Lab GER 4
 Term Credits13
Second Year
1st Semester
Legal Foundations Elective 3
LTC Core Elective 3
History and Humanities GER 200 level 3
Natural Science GER 3
Free Elective 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
Law Technology and Culture Core Elective 3
Law Related Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Natural Science with Lab GER 1 4
 Term Credits16
Third Year
1st Semester
Law Technology and Culture Core Elective 3
Law Related Elective 3
Natural Science GER 1 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 2 1
 Term Credits16
2nd Semester
LTC Core Elective 3
Law Related Elective 3
Natural Science with Lab GER 1 4
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Term Credits16
Fourth Year
1st Semester
HIST 310 Co-op in Law, Technology, Culture and History I 3
HSS 404 Humanities, History and Social Sciences Senior Seminar 3
MGMT 390
Principles of Business
or Organizational Behavior
3
HIST 312 Prof Development in Law 1
Free Elective 3
 Term Credits13
2nd Semester
Law Related Elective 3
Law Related Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Term Credits12
 Total Credits117
*

Student may replace 1-credit elective if he or she has taken a 4-credit course elsewhere

B.A. Double Major in Biology & Law, Technology and Culture

(124 credits minimum)

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
1st SemesterCredits
BIOL 200 Concepts in Biology 4
CHEM 121
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles I
or General Chemistry I
3
MATH 138 General Calculus I 3
HUM 101 3
BNFO 135 Programming for Bioinformatics 3
FRSH SEM 0
 Term Credits16
2nd Semester
R120 201 Foundations Of Biology 3
R120 202 Foundations Of Biology Lab 1
CHEM 122
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles II
or General Chemistry II
3
CHEM 124 1
MATH 238 General Calculus II 3
HUM 102 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits15
Second Year
1st Semester
BIOL 205 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution Lecture 3
BIOL 206 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution Lab 1
CHEM 243 Organic Chemistry I 3
PHYS 102 General Physics I 3
PHYS 102A General Physics I Lab 1
HIST 213 The Twentieth-Century World 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
Biology Cluster Elective 3
CHEM 244 Organic Chemistry II 3
CHEM 244A Organic Chemistry I Laboratory 2
PHYS 103 General Physics II 3
PHYS 103A General Physics II Lab 1
Social Science: GUR Elective 3
 Term Credits15
Third Year
1st Semester
Biology Functional Laboratory Elective 3
Biology Cluster Elective 3
Management: GUR Elective 3
IE 447 Legal Aspects of Engineering 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
Biology Laboratory Elective 3
Biology Elective 3
HIST 378 Medicine and Health Law in Modern America 3
Social Science: GUR Elective 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Term Credits18
Fourth Year
1st Semester
Biology Laboratory Elective 3
Biology Elective 3
HIST 310 Co-op in Law, Technology, Culture and History I 3
HSS 404 Humanities, History and Social Sciences Senior Seminar ( (LTC Section)) 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
Biology Elective 3
HIST 375
Legal Issues in Environmental History
or Environmental Law
3
IT 400
Information Technology and the Law
or Privacy and Information Technology
or Digital Crime
3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Term Credits15
 Total Credits124

B.S. Double Major in Biology & Law, Technology and Culture

(128 credits minimum)

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
1st SemesterCredits
BIOL 200 Concepts in Biology 4
CHEM 121
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles I
or General Chemistry I
3
MATH 111 Calculus I 4
HUM 101 3
BNFO 135 Programming for Bioinformatics 3
FRSH SEM 0
 Term Credits17
2nd Semester
R120 201 Foundations Of Biology 3
R120 202 Foundations Of Biology Lab 1
CHEM 122
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles II
or General Chemistry II
3
MATH 112 Calculus II 4
CHEM 124 1
HUM 102 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits16
Second Year
1st Semester
BIOL 205 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution Lecture 3
BIOL 206 Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution Lab 1
CHEM 243 Organic Chemistry I 3
PHYS 111 Physics I 3
PHYS 111A Physics I Lab 1
MATH 211 Calculus III A 3
BNFO 236 Programming for Bioinformatics II 3
 Term Credits17
2nd Semester
CHEM 244 Organic Chemistry II 3
CHEM 244A Organic Chemistry I Laboratory 2
PHYS 121 Physics II 3
PHYS 121A Physics II Lab 1
Math Elective 3-4
MGMT 290 Business Law I 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits16-17
Third Year
1st Semester
Biology Functional Laboratory Elective 4
Biology Cluster Elective 3
MATH 333 Probability and Statistics 3
HIST 213 The Twentieth-Century World 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
 Term Credits16
2nd Semester
Biology Laboratory Elective 3
Biology Cluster Elective 4
HIST 378 Medicine and Health Law in Modern America 3
IE 447 Legal Aspects of Engineering 3
MGMT 390 Principles of Business 3
 Term Credits16
Fourth Year
1st Semester
Biology Laboratory Elective 3
Biology Cluster Elective 3
HIST 310 Co-op in Law, Technology, Culture and History I 3
IT 400
Information Technology and the Law
or Privacy and Information Technology
or Digital Crime
3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
Biology Elective 3
Biology Elective 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
HSS 404 Humanities, History and Social Sciences Senior Seminar ( (LTC Section)) 3
HIST 375
Legal Issues in Environmental History
or Environmental Law
3
 Term Credits15
 Total Credits128-129

B.S. Double Major in Chemistry & Law, Technology and Culture

(125 credits minimum)

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
1st SemesterCredits
CHEM 121
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles I
or General Chemistry I
3
CHEM 125A General Chemistry Lab I 1
CS 113
Introduction to Computer Science I
or Programming for Bioinformatics
3
HUM 101 3
MATH 111 Calculus I 4
PHYS 111 Physics I 3
PHYS 111A Physics I Lab 1
FRSH SEM 0
 Term Credits18
2nd Semester
CHEM 122
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles II
or General Chemistry II
3
CHEM 124 1
MATH 112 Calculus II 4
PHYS 121 Physics II 3
PHYS 121A Physics II Lab 1
HUM 102 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits16
Second Year
1st Semester
CHEM 221 Analytical Chemical Methods 2
CHEM 222 Analytical Chemistry 3
CHEM 243 Organic Chemistry I 3
MATH 211 Calculus III A 3
HIST 213 The Twentieth-Century World 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
CHEM 231 Physical Chemistry I 3
CHEM 244 Organic Chemistry II 3
CHEM 244A Organic Chemistry I Laboratory 2
EPS 202 Society, Technology, and the Environment 3
MGMT 290 Business Law I 3
IT 400
Information Technology and the Law
or Privacy and Information Technology
or Digital Crime
3
 Term Credits17
Third Year
1st Semester
CHEM 235 Physical Chemistry II 3
ECON 201 Economics 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
IE 447 Legal Aspects of Engineering 3
HIST 375
Legal Issues in Environmental History
or Environmental Law
3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
CHEM 340 Chemistry of Materials 3
CHEM 336 Quantum Chemistry 3
CHEM 235A Physical Chemistry II Laboratory 2
MATH 225 Survey of Probability and Statistics 1
Legal Foundations Elective 3
HIST 378 Medicine and Health Law in Modern America 3
 Term Credits15
Fourth Year
1st Semester
CHEM 473 Biochemistry 3
CHEM 412
Inorganic Chemistry
or Inorganic Chemistry
3
HIST 310 Co-op in Law, Technology, Culture and History I 3
Technical Elective 3
Technical Elective 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
CHEM 480 Instrumental Analysis 2
HSS 404 Humanities, History and Social Sciences Senior Seminar ( (LTC Section)) 3
Management: GUR Elective 3
Technical Elective 3
Technical Elective 3
 Term Credits14
 Total Credits125

B.S. Double Major in Physics & Law, Technology and Culture - Astronomy Option

(127 credits minimum)

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
1st SemesterCredits
HUM 101 3
PHYS 111 Physics I 3
PHYS 111A Physics I Lab 1
MATH 111 Calculus I 4
CS 113
Introduction to Computer Science I
or Introduction to Computer Science I in C++
3
CHEM 121
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles I
or General Chemistry I
3
FRSH SEM 0
 Term Credits17
2nd Semester
PHYS 114 Introduction to Data Reduction with Applications 3
PHYS 121 Physics II 3
PHYS 121A Physics II Lab 1
MATH 112 Calculus II 4
CHEM 122
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles II
or General Chemistry II
3
CHEM 124 1
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits16
Second Year
1st Semester
MATH 211 Calculus III A 3
MATH 225A Survey of Probability and Statistics 1
PHYS 234 Physics III 3
PHYS 231A Physics III Lab 1
HIST 213 The Twentieth-Century World 3
HUM 102 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
MATH 222 Differential Equations 4
MATH 328 Mathematical Methods for Scientists and Engineers 3
PHYS 335 Introductory Thermodynamics 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
 Term Credits16
Third Year
1st Semester
PHYS 418 Fundamentals of Optical Imaging 3
PHYS 432 Electromagnetism I 3
PHYS 320 Astronomy and Astrophysics I 3
PHYS 430 Classical Mechanics I 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
PHYS 433 Electromagnetism II 3
PHYS 321 Astronomy and Astrophysics II 3
Math Elective 3
HSS 404 Humanities, History and Social Sciences Senior Seminar ( (LTC Section) ) 3
IT 400
Information Technology and the Law
or Privacy and Information Technology
or Digital Crime
3
HIST 310 Co-op in Law, Technology, Culture and History I 3
 Term Credits18
Fourth Year
1st Semester
PHYS 420 Special Relativity 3
PHYS 442 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics 3
Elective (Math/Physics/Computer Science) 3
IE 447 Legal Aspects of Engineering 3
Management: GUR Elective 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
PHYS 322 Observational Astronomy 3
PHYS 421 General Relativity 3
PHYS 450 Advanced Physics Lab 3
HIST 378 Medicine and Health Law in Modern America 3
HIST 375
Legal Issues in Environmental History
or Environmental Law
3
 Term Credits15
 Total Credits127

B.S. Double Major in Physics & Law, Technology and Culture - Optical Science & Engineering Option

(127 credits minimum)

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
1st SemesterCredits
HUM 101 3
PHYS 111 Physics I 3
PHYS 111A Physics I Lab 1
MATH 111 Calculus I 4
CS 113
Introduction to Computer Science I
or Introduction to Computer Science I in C++
3
CHEM 121
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles I
or General Chemistry I
3
FRSH SEM 0
 Term Credits17
2nd Semester
PHYS 114 Introduction to Data Reduction with Applications 3
PHYS 121 Physics II 3
PHYS 121A Physics II Lab 1
MATH 112 Calculus II 4
CHEM 122
Fundamentals of Chemical Principles II
or General Chemistry II
3
CHEM 124 1
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits16
Second Year
1st Semester
MATH 211 Calculus III A 3
MATH 225A Survey of Probability and Statistics 1
PHYS 234 Physics III 3
PHYS 231A Physics III Lab 1
HUM 102 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
Physical Education: GUR Elective 1
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
MATH 222 Differential Equations 4
MATH 328 Mathematical Methods for Scientists and Engineers 3
PHYS 335 Introductory Thermodynamics 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
HIST 213 The Twentieth-Century World 3
 Term Credits16
Third Year
1st Semester
OPSE 301 Introduction to Optical Science and Engineering 3
PHYS 418 Fundamentals of Optical Imaging 3
PHYS 430 Classical Mechanics I 3
PHYS 432 Electromagnetism I 3
HIST 310 Co-op in Law, Technology, Culture and History I 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
PHYS 433 Electromagnetism II 3
PHYS 446 Solid State Physics 3
OPSE 402 High Power Laser and Photonics Applications 3
Legal Foundations Elective 3
HIST 378 Medicine and Health Law in Modern America 3
Elective (Physics/OPSE) 3
 Term Credits18
Fourth Year
1st Semester
PHYS 442 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics 3
IT 400
Information Technology and the Law
or Privacy and Information Technology
or Digital Crime
3
Management: GUR Elective 3
HIST 375
Legal Issues in Environmental History
or Environmental Law
3
Elective (Physics/OPSE/EE) 3
 Term Credits15
2nd Semester
OPSE 610 Virtual Instrumentation 3
PHYS 450 Advanced Physics Lab 3
Elective (Physics/EE) 3
IE 447 Legal Aspects of Engineering 3
HSS 404 Humanities, History and Social Sciences Senior Seminar ( (LTC Section) ) 3
 Term Credits15
 Total Credits127

This curriculum represents the maximum number of credits per semester for which a student is advised to register.  A full-time credit load is 12 credits.  First-year students are placed in a curriculum that positions them for success which may result in additional time needed to complete curriculum requirements. Continuing students should consult with their academic advisor to determine the appropriate credit load.