Pre-Law, Minor
A broadly-based liberal education will best prepare one to study law, and therefore no fixed pre-law curriculum is prescribed. Admission to an accredited law school is dependent upon a good undergraduate record with an earned baccalaureate degree and a competitive score on the Law School Admission Test.
Students interested in going to law school or exploring the possibility of doing so should make an appointment with the Pre-Law Advisor as early in their academic career as possible. The Pre-Law Advisor can guide the student in selecting courses that will help prepare the student for law school, plus provide valuable information on law schools, the Law School Admission Test, and typical admission procedures.
The Pre-Law Minor is an interdisciplinary program specifically designed for students considering law school and a career as an attorney after graduation. It is designed to supplement a student’s chosen major(s) by providing a strong foundation in basic legal concepts as well as legal research and writing. The minor incorporates course work from several disciplines related to law to develop students’ advocacy and interpersonal skills and introduce them to legal concepts in specific areas of legal practice.
While law schools do not require any particular undergraduate course of study before applying, the Pre-Law Minor encourages and enables students to make a more informed decision on whether they wish to attend law school and pursue a career as an attorney.
Course substitutions may be approved by the Chair of the Department of Government.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| LAS 210 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| LAS 220 | Legal Research and Writing I | 3 |
| Choose from 12 hours of the following, with a maximum of nine hours from any one prefix: | 12 | |
| Advocacy and Opposition | ||
| Communication in Conflict Management | ||
| Negotiation | ||
| Mediation | ||
| Criminal Justice Ethics | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| Legal Issues in Adult Corrections | ||
| Fundamentals of Business Law and Ethics | ||
| Legal Research and Writing II | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Criminal Evidence | ||
| Criminal Procedure | ||
| Judicial Process | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| Constitutional Politics | ||
| Law and Politics of Civil Liberties | ||
| Mock Trial and Mock Trial II (maximum six hours) | ||
| Practicum in Political Science (Special Topics: Trial Advocacy and Procedure) | ||
| Total Hours | 18 | |