In general, there is no specific program or set of courses required for those who wish to pursue study of the law, nor are students expected to have substantial knowledge of the law prior to law school. Instead, law schools look at a student’s overall resume. A student interested in law school should pursue an academic background that emphasizes and cultivates reading, writing, and verbal analytical skills along with a study of society from political, economic, cultural, and philosophical perspectives.
A list of possible courses to take can be found here.
Suggested Majors
It is important to show law schools that one can succeed in a rigorous academic program with high standards. While this kind of academic program can be acquired in many forms, the majors and minors in the College of Liberal and Creative Arts are particularly well-suited to foster the analytical skills that law schools look for through interdisciplinary study. Liberal arts majors with especially strong track records of doing so include English, history, and political science. Still other students pursue the study of law through a major in criminal justice.
Students may also pursue a major within the Interdisciplinary Studies program, which allows students to combines courses across disciplines and colleges to create a unique major to match their interests.
Suggested Minors
The pre-law minor, which the College of Liberal and Creative Arts strong encourages, provides another option for students interested in law. The minor includes a core set of courses that emphasize precisely the kinds of analytical skills desired by law schools: argumentation, logic, writing, and ethical reasoning. Beyond this core, students choose from additional electives pertaining to law, criminal procedure, or literature. The pre-law minor can be added to any major.
Minors in philosophy, writing, international studies, and ethics are also common for students interested in studying law. These minors all put special emphasis on interpreting texts, writing clearly, and thinking through big ideas about our world. Just like the pre-law minor, these can be added to any major.
Interested students who would like to discuss these and other options are encouraged to contact these faculty members in the College of Liberal and Creative Arts:
Keith Bell, Chair of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Aaron Harper, Chair of Humanities and Social Sciences
Angela Rehbein, Chair of English and Modern Languages