Free Speech on Campus

Professors R. Brown and L. Epstein
LAW 620
Spring 2026

Description. This course is for law students who have not necessarily studied First Amendment law but are interested in thinking about the new and growing number of issues involving free speech that have arisen in recent years on university campuses.  For generations, controversies over free expression have rocked campuses across the United States, and yet the law governing the resolutions of these matters remains highly controversial and unsettled. Through a series of case studies, this course explores how the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom of expression play out in colleges and universities. Readings consist of court decisions, theories, and commentary.

Book. Rebecca L. Brown, Lee Epstein, Adam Liptak, & Andrew D. Martin, Free Speech: A Campus Toolkit (Congressional Quarterly/Sage, 2026). Please pick up a (free) copy of the book from Hannah Pae (hpae@law.usc.edu) in Office 465 on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday after January 2.

Course Outline and Readings. Click here

Evaluation and Outcomes. Click here

Academic Conduct and Support Systems. Click here