Program overview
Legal theory, simply put, is the discipline that studies "why the law is the way it is." It doesn't teach you to memorize statutes but guides you to think about the essence of law, the standards of justice, and the relationship between rights and power. Core courses include legal philosophy, sociology of law, comparative law, and the history of Chinese legal thought. If you enjoy asking "what the law should be" rather than just accepting "what the law is," this major is a great fit. Chinese universities offer unique advantages in this field: on one hand, Marxist legal theory is a required subject, helping you understand the underlying logic of China's rule of law; on the other, many schools offer courses on Chinese-Western comparative law, allowing you to see how different civilizations respond to similar social issues. For instance, the legal theory programs at Renmin University of China and Jilin University are highly influential both domestically and internationally, with professors often researching cutting-edge topics like global justice and human rights theory.