Other majors that can provide a foundation for law school include the social and behavioral sciences, history, mathematics, computers and accounting. In general, law schools look for students who have received a broad liberal arts or multidisciplinary education. Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Are Pre-Law Programs Available?
In general, law schools look for students who have received a broad liberal arts or multidisciplinary education. Possible Majors. History, political science, philosophy, criminal justice, social science. Common Pre-Law Courses. Quantitative reasoning, behavioral sciences, government, humanities, communication.
Oct 09, 2021 · Economics is an excellent major for aspiring lawyers, especially for those intending to work in corporate law, intellectual property, or another niche where an understanding of economic theory and the levers that drive capitalism can be useful.
Jun 20, 2016 · With that in mind, certain majors do seem somewhat common among pre-law students including Political Science, History, Philosophy and Business. If one is interested in a particular aspect of law (which you stated you are but did not specify which aspect) then they may find related courses helpful.
The Best Undergraduate Degrees to Become a Lawyer Political Science. According to the Law School Admission Council, political science was, by far, the most popular major... Psychology. Among individual majors—those that were not seen so …
Before you can become a lawyer, you must graduate from an accredited law school program and pass the bar exam. There are many bachelor's degree programs that can help prepare you for law school, including criminal justice, political science and even philosophy programs.
If law school is your goal, several schools offer pre-law or pre-law studies majors specifically designed to prepare students for a professional law program. Pre-law programs might be found within a school's criminal justice and political science department. Other schools offer pre-law advisement programs rather than pre-law majors.
You might also prepare for law school with practical experience in the field. You can accomplish this in several ways, including employment, volunteer work, internships in legal settings, co-ops and study abroad opportunities. Depending on the school, you might be able to join a pre-law chapter of a law fraternity.
An ecology major might take up residence in environmental law. Science majors are challenging and require students to learn complex subject matter, analyze data, and arrive at provable conclusions.
Through the psychology major’s coursework, students develop a solid understanding of how people can make correct or incorrect judgments that can lead to things like stereotyping, prejudice, or discrimination. Psychology courses also teach students how to network and prepare for negotiations.
The LSAT tests for critical thinking skills rather than subject matter expertise. Law schools look for candidates with abstract thinking skills, the ability to interpret written texts, and high reading comprehension. They want candidates that have fine reasoning abilities, the ability to think logically. Notice how all majors have students that ...
Political science is the study of government systems, political behavior, and how the judicial system works. This is where a political science degree shows its advantage in law school. Students in this field often have a better understanding of how laws are created and executed as well as the history behind them.
The granddaddy of all mind-stretching mental exercises, philosophy is a fantastic major that builds a student’s ability to think critically and argue. Law is heavily based on philosophical elements like ethics, and human nature—subjects that are commonly taught in a philosophy major. Philosophy is a difficult major. It requires students to think analytically and form logical arguments. It also examines moral, political, and legal issues with no clear right or wrong while asking students to render judgment. Because of the difficulty level, some law schools may look more favorably at a degree in philosophy than a degree in a field like Criminal Justice.
In this light, the critical thinking skills required of English majors mirror the skills required by law students.
Legal studies focus on topics that are rooted in economic analysis—torts, contracts, property rights, antitrust, business organizations, and regulations. In short, a study of economics is a study in the financial impact of the law. Because of this, economics is a great area of specialization for many potential law students because it remains ...
Because the criminal justice and legal systems are so intertwined, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice serves as an excellent undergraduate major in preparation for law school. Those considering work as a prosecuting or defense attorney may find the degree especially helpful, as the coursework and internships will give students a strong familiarity with the criminal justice system. Potential law students can also form helpful relationships with current lawyers that can provide insight into what it’s like to work in the criminal justice system. Helpful courses include criminology, criminal psychology, law & the criminal justice system, and social science research.
Moreover, English majors learn to synthesize large amounts of written text and form persuasive and analytical arguments and positions. These skills are not only helpful in the field but serve as excellent preparation for entrance exams like the LSAT.
Political science offers an in-depth understanding of government, from its formulation to its implementation. As governments are the source of laws, this has wide applications to the legal field. Any lawyer will be working within the legal framework developed by the government of the nation in which they practice, and an intimate understanding of both the government and the philosophical values by which it governs is beneficial. For this reason, political science has long been regarded as one of the top areas of study for future lawyers, and it remains a strong choice for those looking to enter the profession.
Laws have material consequences on every person and structure. They influence outcomes across the life course, making the field extremely important to the stability and progress of society. The work done by law professionals is competitive and pays well. Because of these things, students wishing to pursue a career in law are faced ...
A bachelor’s degree in business administration is well suited for law school, especially those applicants considering a corporate law track where knowing business fundamentals is helpful . The coursework is rigorous in reading, writing, and quantitative analysis, which is also helpful in preparing for the LSAT.
Psychology and law intersect well, as both deal with human thought and behavior. Psychology experts are relied upon heavily as witnesses and experts in many different legal cases and contexts. Having an understanding of psychological theory and its application can be helpful when it comes to preparing for law school.
Economics is an excellent major for aspiring lawyers, especially for those intending to work in corporate law, intellectual property, or another niche where an understanding of economic theory and the levers that drive capitalism can be useful.
You should expect to spend many hours studying while attending law school. At some point during your first year of law school, you will need to take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination. You need a passing score of at least 75. California and a few other states require a score of 86.
Becoming a lawyer takes a total of seven years, and you must pass the bar exam. Every law school requires a four-year bachelor’s degree from a university or college, and law school takes another three years to complete. You should study English, government, history and public speaking.
This is a standardized test that provides information about your acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills. The results of this test is used as one factor in determining whether you are accepted to law school.
The bar exam covers a large range of topics pertaining to law. Specializing in a particular field of law will allow you to achieve greater expertise than if you were to become a general practitioner. Becoming a lawyer will help clients resolve their complicated issues.
When people say “pre-law,” they simply mean that they approached college with the plan that, after graduating, they would one day apply to law school. While there is no pre-law major or set of required classes, you can still prepare for law school while in college. Here are just a few ways you can do that:
Beyond taking these steps, there is no single best major for law school. You can major in absolutely anything and apply to law school. However, there are schools and programs that do a better job of preparing you for graduate study.
Graduates go on to be judges, prosecutors, professors, legislators, mediators, and so much more. But getting into law school is no easy matter.
in History and Classics. After graduating, she joined CollegeVine serving as the Curriculum Development Manager. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA and is writing her debut novel.
You can benefit from several majors. I was a Criminal Justice major and found it enlightening how future police officers were educated to do their jobs. No matter which major you choose, study hard and enjoy college. Good luck to you.#N#More
I don't think there is a "best" major as law school will change your way of thinking no matter what. The most common majors are English, history (which I majored in) and philosophy, but law schools are always looking to diversify so non-traditional math and science majors are looked well upon...
You can find out what the American Bar Association advises about pre-law school majors by clicking on the link provided below.
I'd say any major that really hones your writing ability. Writing is essential to a lawyers' craft. I personally doubled in political science and history. But many of my colleagues majored in areas that crossed the spectrum from English, to psychology, to finance, and I had one who was an MD before deciding to go to law school.
Get a BS of something. That way if you decided you'd rather be a patent lawyer (good money, lots of jobs) you will have a leg on up on those of us who can't unless we go back and get a BS because we have a BA.
Great question! The best major for your future in criminal defense would be criminal justice, psychology, acting/theatre, english, public speaking, etc. Keep in mind that Elle Woods in the movie Legally Blonde studied Fashion Design and still went to Harvard. Study what you love, get good grades, be honest.
You don't need a special major in college to get into law school - or even to do well in law school. Most people I went to law school were political science majors, but it doesn't necessarily mean they did better. I have a degree in pastoral ministry & graduated magna cum laude from law school. Just pick what interests you & you'll be fine.