Legal, Political & Government Affairs
The School of Professional & Continuing Studies offers classes and programs focused broadly on legal issues, politics, and government affairs. Our focus addresses the practical activities of legal offices, political campaigns, grassroots advocacy and government functions.
Our classes and programs cover a selection of law enforcement and criminal justice certifications along with legal affairs and law office functions. They also provide certificates in political campaign management along with grassroots lobbying and advocacy. And we feature a Virginia politics and government course taught by two-term Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling.
Our legal, political and government affairs classes and programs seek to extend the values and resources of a liberal arts education into the practice of criminal justice, law enforcement, legal affiars, and political and governmental influence and operations.
The selections listed in the tabs below represent a portion of what we have to offer. Additional listings are available and include a wide range of classes.
- Our Think Again catalog lists Public Safety & Legal Affairs classes along with Politics & Government Affairs classes available from SPCS (generally face-to-face) and from the Learning Resource Network (LERN, all online) for registration.
- Our online partner portals list classes in a variety of areas offered through our online partners.
Registration
In the tabs below, classes and programs include a registration link. For specific information on how to register for online classes, review the information in the Online Partner Registration page. Procedures differ slightly by partner, but may all be completed online.
Programming Levels
In our Professional Education & Enrichment areas of study, we seek to provide a selection of coursework and programs that meet different enrichment and workforce levels of study. Each is described below:
- Career-curious and enrichment: Designed to explore a career or expand an interest
- Career-level: Designed to build skills or shift to a new career
- Professional-level: Designed to deepen or widen knowledge and experience
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Career-Curious & Enrichment Programs
Virginia Government & Politics
Online: Designed for those want to learn more about Virginia’s unique political history or the structure and operation of Virginia’s state government. Likely to appeal to civic and community leaders and business leaders who work with government agencies; to state and local government employees who want to better understand Virginia’s unique bureaucracy; and to political party leaders and activists who seek to make inroads into the legislative process in Virginia. Instructor-led (start dates vary) through SPCS.
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Career-Level Programs
Grassroots Lobbying & Advocacy Professional Certificate
Online: Certificate earners will study the history of lobbying and examine how the legislative process works, key tactics used by groups in order to promote different issues, building coalitions, relationship building and ethical concerns. Certificate holders will leave the program with the skills needed to step into grassroots lobbying or professional advocacy roles in most any field as well as the knowledge to support personal causes through grassroots lobbying or advocacy. Instructional team-led (start dates vary) through SPCS.
Political Campaign Management Professional Certificate
Online: Certificate earners will gain the expertise and knowledge fundamental to campaign management, from conducting oppositions research, to building political coalitions, to creating a relevant policy platform that resonates with voters. Certificate holders will leave the program with the skills needed to step into professional campaign staff roles, in any discipline. Instructional team-led (start dates vary) through SPCS.
Public Safety and Legal Studies Certificates
Online: The focus of these programs is practical and applied, providing professional and technical skills and knowledge that can be used on the job. These programs may also offer add-on benefits to existing programs of study, like Paralegal Studies, Criminal Justice, Public Safety and other programs in related fields. Self-paced (12 months to complete) through Condensed Curriculum International (CCI).
