Category: Course Selection

Fall and Summer Recommended Course Charts

Recommended Course Lists

It is that time of the year again! Registration for Summer and Fall 2022 is just around the corner!  Students in ANY major can attend law school, and there are NO specifically required courses for pre-law undergrads. Law schools do not require any particular major or coursework. However, given an interest in law, we have compiled a list of suggested fall courses that pre-law students may find helpful and interesting.

Be sure to keep in mind…

      • These are not exhaustive lists.  There are hundreds of classes being offered this fall and summer. The highlighted classes may be particularly helpful and interesting for pre-law students, but there are many great options available that may not be listed.
      • These courses are only suggestions and are NOT requirements. Students in ANY major can attend law school, and there are NO specifically required courses for pre-law undergrads. Law schools do not require any particular major or coursework.
      • Recommended courses include those that examine specific and related legal topics, and also classes that provide opportunities to build skills or knowledge in areas particularly relevant to legal studies and future careers in law, including writing, research, leadership, cultural competency,  communication, and critically thinking and analysis!
      • Some of these courses have prerequisites or may be restricted to students in the same department; check Course Explorer for additional course details and specific enrollment requirements.
      • Some courses may be more relevant to you than others – look for classes in your major/minor or on general topics that enhance your skills and knowledge.
      • Keep checking back and check-in with the experts!  Courses may continue to be added as we approach the fall semester.  Having trouble deciding?  Be sure to meet with your academic advisors for academic and course planning, we are also here to assist with course options!  Professors are also a great resource to discuss goals and course options!
To review a handy chart version of suggested Summer 2022 course options, please click here.
To review a handy chart version of  suggested Fall 2022 course options, Please Click here.

*last updated 3.28.22

 

See what fellow Illini say about some of the most helpful courses at Illinois…

Stella Green

Stella is currently a communications intern with the Pre-Law Advising Services Office and shared the following perspectives on her list of  favorite pre-law related course…

    • ACE 240 – Personal Financial Planning – This class helped me gain a better understanding of different financial principles. I now have a better understanding of personal finance, which I think almost anyone can benefit from. The topics covered in this course can be used and applied in the legal world, as well.
    • CMN 111/112 – Although these courses are generally required for most undergraduate students, I would recommend them to everyone. I noticed great improvement in both my written and verbal communication skills.
    • CMN 321 – Strategies in Persuasion– This class uses different aspects of U.S. political history and relates it to different forms of public persuasion. I became more familiar with different strategies of speech that are used in politics and the media. If you are interested in politics, I would highly recommend this course.
    • Law 301 – Intro to Law –This class is a hidden gem. It is a great introduction to general law concepts and covers a variety of topics that are learned in law school. This class has given me a really great starting point as I begin my legal education. If you plan on going to law school or find interest in the legal field, I would 100% recommend this course. This course is a prerequisite to LAW 303, which applies these different concepts to real life situations. I recommend that course as well.
    • RST 354 – Legal Aspect of Sport – If you are interested in sports, I would definitely take this class. It was really interesting to be able to apply legal principles to the sports industry. This class was both interesting and enjoyable. This is another class that helped me gain a better understanding of topics that will be learned in law school.
Abbey Mizer

Abbey is currently the Vice President of the Pre-Law Honors Society and shared the following perspectives on her list of  favorite pre-law related course…

    • Phil 102 – Logic and Reasoning – This class was great for learning simple logic and being able to understand and work with complex arguments.
    • PS 270 – Intro to Political Theory – This class was helpful for getting comfortable with older texts and being able to put ideas about different political ideologies together.
    • PS 301 – The US Constitution I – This class helps you set a foundation for understanding how to brief cases, and the different branches of government, specifically the judicial branch.
    • PS 370 – Justice in the Law – This class was useful for reading and discussing a lot of court cases and practicing briefing skills. You learn how to brief cases in a way that helps you to truly understand and connect certain cases to the bigger picture of law.
    • PS 492 – Undergrad Research –  I did undergrad research for Prof. Samantha Frost, and found it to be super beneficial. I got to work with a team of research assistants and collaborate on a 25 page research paper. There are tons of professors who are looking for research interns, all you have to do is reach out to them via email to express your interest!
    • PS 375 – Feminist Political Theory – This class is very beneficial if you want to work on your writing skills. You get to learn different political theories, how they are connected, and how to form your opinions on which theories are the most effective and why.
MaryAllison Mahacek

MaryAllison is currently a student at the University of Illinois College of Law where she serves as the Notes Editor on the Elder Law Journal.  She will graduate as a double Illini in spring 2022 before sitting for the bar examination! Take a moment to view her list of  favorite pre-law related course from her time as a University of Illinois undergraduate student…

    • LAW 199: I took this my first year of college and honestly wish I would’ve wait to take it later because I completely forgot what it was like before law school. I believe the topics change each semester; when I took it, it was topics in domestic violence law. It was an awesome class, and a great primer to what law school is like.
    • CMN 101: Public Speaking. Pretty sure everyone has to take this, or most people, it was a good class and got me comfortable speaking publicly.
    • CMN 220: Communicating Public Policy. An interesting introduction to what public policy is, how people create policy and laws, and what it looks like in the public sector. If you want to go into government, its a great class.
    • CMN 323: Argumentation. While this isn’t exactly the type of arguing you’ll be doing in law school, it helped me learn how to form arguments and use evidence to back up my claims.
    • SOC 275: Criminology. An interesting view of social factors that relate to crime. I really liked this class and found it very interesting, especially for someone who wanted to go to law school.
    • CMN 211: Business Communication. A great class to help you with resume tweaking, interview prep, and making presentations! While it is more business oriented, I found my resume was helped a LOT from this class and I got a lot of interview experience in, which you’ll need in law school.
    • LAW 301: Intro to Law. While I didn’t take this class, I’ve heard many people liked it and it was a good introduction to topics that you’ll learn about in law school…
Considering possible minors?

Check out information about the Legal Studies Minor, including Q&A with Professor Pahre:  Legal Studies Minor At A Glance 

Spring 2022 Recommended Courses Chart

It is that time of year again! Each semester we receive many questions from pre-law students regarding courses helpful in preparation for law school in advance of course registration.  To assist in this process, Pre-Law Advising has made a handy chart with suggested classes pre-law students might find useful and interesting in planning and exploring a legal education.

In general, students interested in going to law school should take classes that focus on analytical and critical thinking, communication, research and writing, and when possible – legal topics of interest. The recommended course list includes classes from many different disciplines that might serve one, or more, of these goals.  Take a look at the chart to find courses that are both interesting to you and will help build necessary skills for law school.

Click Here for the list of Spring 2022 Recommended courses!

Please keep in mind that this list should not be viewed as exhaustive as there are many beneficial courses offered each semester.  This list should be used to highlight courses of particular interest and give a broad overview of options. 

Want to learn more?

See what fellow Illini say are some of the most helpful courses at Illinois…

Abbey Mizer

Abbey is currently the Vice President of the Pre-Law Honors Society and shared the following perspectives on her list of  favorite pre-law related course…

    • Phil 102 – Logic and Reasoning – This class was great for learning simple logic and being able to understand and work with complex arguments.
    • PS 270 – Intro to Political Theory – This class was helpful for getting comfortable with older texts and being able to put ideas about different political ideologies together.
    • PS 301 – The US Constitution I – This class helps you set a foundation for understanding how to brief cases, and the different branches of government, specifically the judicial branch.
    • PS 370 – Justice in the Law – This class was useful for reading and discussing a lot of court cases and practicing briefing skills. You learn how to brief cases in a way that helps you to truly understand and connect certain cases to the bigger picture of law.
    • PS 492 – Undergrad Research –  I did undergrad research for Prof. Samantha Frost, and found it to be super beneficial. I got to work with a team of research assistants and collaborate on a 25 page research paper. There are tons of professors who are looking for research interns, all you have to do is reach out to them via email to express your interest!
    • PS 375 – Feminist Political Theory – This class is very beneficial if you want to work on your writing skills. You get to learn different political theories, how they are connected, and how to form your opinions on which theories are the most effective and why.
MaryAllison Mahacek

MaryAllison is currently a student at the University of Illinois College of Law where she serves as the Notes Editor on the Elder Law Journal.  She will graduate as a double Illini in spring 2022 before sitting for the bar examination! Take a moment to view her list of  favorite pre-law related course from her time as a University of Illinois undergraduate student and perspectives as a current law student…

    • LAW 199: I took this my first year of college and honestly wish I would’ve wait to take it later because I completely forgot what it was like before law school. I believe the topics change each semester; when I took it, it was topics in domestic violence law. It was an awesome class, and a great primer to what law school is like.
    • CMN 101: Public Speaking. Pretty sure everyone has to take this, or most people, it was a good class and got me comfortable speaking publicly.
    • CMN 220: Communicating Public Policy. An interesting introduction to what public policy is, how people create policy and laws, and what it looks like in the public sector. If you want to go into government, its a great class.
    • CMN 323: Argumentation. While this isn’t exactly the type of arguing you’ll be doing in law school, it helped me learn how to form arguments and use evidence to back up my claims.
    • SOC 275: Criminology. An interesting view of social factors that relate to crime. I really liked this class and found it very interesting, especially for someone who wanted to go to law school.
    • CMN 211: Business Communication. A great class to help you with resume tweaking, interview prep, and making presentations! While it is more business oriented, I found my resume was helped a LOT from this class and I got a lot of interview experience in, which you’ll need in law school.
    • LAW 301: Intro to Law. While I didn’t take this class, I’ve heard many people liked it and it was a good introduction to topics that you’ll learn about in law school…
Considering possible minors?

Check out information about the Legal Studies Minor, including Q&A with Professor Pahre:  Legal Studies Minor At A Glance 

Still Not sure what to take? 

Schedule a pre-law advising meeting to discuss course options!

Fall 2021 Course Recommendations

Fall 2021 Pre-Law Recommended Course List

Registration for Fall 2021 is just around the corner! Every semester around this time our office hears from students asking for course suggestions.  Students in ANY major can attend law school, and there are NO specifically required courses for pre-law undergrads. Law schools do not require any particular major or coursework. However, given an interest in law, we have compiled a list of suggested fall courses that pre-law students may find helpful and interesting.

To review a handy chart version of suggested Fall 2021 course options, please click here.

Be sure to keep in mind…

    • This is not an exhaustive list.  There are hundreds of classes being offered this fall. The highlighted classes may be particularly helpful and interesting for pre-law students, but there are many great options available.
    • Recommended courses include those that examine specific legal topics and classes that provide opportunities to build skills in areas particularly relevant to law school, including writing, research, communication, and critically thinking and analysis!
    • These courses are only suggestions and are NOT requirements. Students in ANY major can attend law school, and there are NO specifically required courses for pre-law undergrads. Law schools do not require any particular major or coursework.
    • Some of these courses have prerequisites or may be restricted to students in the same department; check Course Explorer for additional course details and specific enrollment requirements.
    • Keep checking back and check-in with the experts!  Courses may continue to be added as we approach the fall semester.  Having trouble deciding?  Be sure to meet with your academic advisors for academic and course planning, we are also here to assist with course options!  Professors are also a great resource to discuss goals and course options!

Spring 2021 Course Options for Pre-Law Students!

Registration for Spring 2021 is here!  Every semester around this time, our office hears from students asking for course suggestions.  Students in ANY major can attend law school, and there are NO specifically required courses for pre-law undergrads. Law schools do not require any particular major or coursework. However, given an interest in law, we have compiled a list of suggested spring courses that pre-law students may find particularly helpful and interesting.   To review a handy chart version of suggested Spring 2021 course options, please click here. 

Be sure to keep in mind…

    • This is not an exhaustive list.  How did we pick them? We’ve simply chosen a selection of courses that build skills law schools like to see and/or cover topics of interest to many pre-law students. 
    • These courses are only suggestions and are NOT requirements.   For some additional information about course planning, check out the “Selecting Pre-Law Coursework” blog post for an overview of pre-law course planning and practical tips about planning your schedule.
    • Some of these courses have prerequisites or may be restricted to students in the same department; check Course Explorer and speak to your academic advisor about the best individual courses for you.  We are always here to help as well!

Suggestions for Fall 2020 Courses

Per the Office of the Registrar, the Fall 2020 time ticket release and registration schedule is as follows:

Summer/Fall 2020 registration has been delayed by two weeks. Time tickets will be available to be viewed on April 6. 

Priority registration begins April 20. Initial registration dates/times for fall will approximate what was previously in place in terms of spacing, with dates moved back by two weeks.

Registration is almost here, which means pre-law students are asking: What courses should I take?  As you know, students in ANY major can attend law school, and there are NO specifically required courses for pre-law undergrads. Law schools do not require any particular major or coursework. However, given an interest in law, here are some fall courses that pre-law students may find particularly helpful and interesting. These courses are only suggestions and are NOT requirements. For some additional information about course planning, go here to check out an earlier blog post with some good tips about planning your schedule.

CHART FORMAT: Want to see these suggestions in a handy chart format? Click here: Fall 2020 Class Chart

Some of these courses have prerequisites; check Course Explorer and speak to your academic advisor about the best courses for you.

ACE 240: Personal Financial Planning. Understanding financial instruments, records, and tax implications is critical for nearly all lawyers.

ACE 306: Food Law. Explores the legal and political dimensions of food law, policy and trad in the United States and major trading partners.

ACE 406: Environmental Law.  Examination of environmental law issues, including pollution control, the role of administrative agencies and courts, and federal and state power.

ADV 310: Intro to Public Relations  Introduces the student to the practice and profession of public relations. Course material covers topics such as the history of public relations, the role of law and ethics in public relations, and theories that guide public relations research and practice.

AIS 214/PS 214: American Indian Law and Politics. Examines the role of American Indians and Indian law in the US political system.

ANTH 246: Forensic Science. History and theory underlying methods used in forensic science.  Topics include the courtroom, the units of a crime laboratory and the analysis of evidence collected from a crime scene, such as blood, fibers, hair and fingerprints.

BTW 263: Writing in the Disciplines teaches very practical writing skills for aspiring professionals. This spring’s topic is Cross-Cultural Communication.

BTW 271: Persuasive Writing examines persuasive writing in a variety of contexts including ads, argumentative essays, proposals, and campaigns.

CHLH Community Health 101: Introduction to Public Health and 210: Community Health Organizations are both good options for those interested in pursuing healthcare law.

Communication courses are helpful, as all lawyers must demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills. Here are some examples of helpful courses:

  • CMN 101: Public Speaking (this is a prereq for most upper level CMN courses)
  • CMN 211: Business Communication
  • CMN 220: Communicating Public Policy
  • CMN 230: Intro to Interpersonal Communication
  • CMN 232: Intro to Intercultural Communication
  • CMN 260: Intro to Health Communication (for those interested in healthcare law)
  • CMN 323: Argumentation

ECON 484: Law and Economics Applications of economic theory to problems and issues in both civil and criminal law and the effect of legal rules on the allocation of resources; includes property rights, liability and negligence assignment, the use of administrative and common law to mitigate market failure, and the logic of private versus public law enforcement.

EDUC 202: Social Justice, School, and Society Examines the nature of justice and the dynamics of a pluralistic society to derive a conception of social justice.

ENGL 360: Environmental Writing for students interested in environmental law. Write about food, water, and energy resource systems. Students will also have the opportunity to meet working journalists and to practice professional skills like interviewing, conducting historical research, and drafting pitch letters.

ESE 210: Social & Environmental Issues for those interested in environmental law.  Same as GEOG 210.

FIN 241: Fundamentals of Real Estate. A survey of real estate finance, appraisal, investment, law, brokerage, management, development and economics. Special attention is given to the analysis of aggregate real estate and mortgage markets, to the individual transactions within these markets, and to the legal and institutional factors which affect these markets.

FSHN 101: Intro to Food Science & Human Nutrition for those interested in food regulation or public policy related to food or nutrition. Discusses the evolution of the food system to meet the needs and desires of a complex, heterogeneous society. Provides an overview of food in relation to nutrition and health, composition and chemistry, microbiology, safety, processing, preservation, laws and regulations, quality, and the consumer.

GEOG 101: Global Development & Environment and GEOG 210: Social & Environmental Issues for those interested in international or environmental law and public policy.

GLBL 260: Global Human Rights Examines how ideas about human rights are defined and how they are differentially deployed. Looks at human rights claims and crises, and examines how governmental and non-governmental individuals and organizations have sought to deal with human rights violations in order to address problems of justice, retribution, and reconciliation at personal, national, and international levels.

HDFS 120: Intro to Family Studies and SOCW 200: Intro to Social Work. Both of these courses may be of interest to students who want to be advocates for families, juveniles, the elderly, or other vulnerable populations.

HIST 281: Constructing Race in America. Interdisciplinary examination of the historical, cultural, and social dimensions of race and ethnicity in the United States. Explores the complex and intricate pursuit of multiracial and multicultural democracy.

INFO 303: Writing Across Media, a skill that all legal careers integrate and value.

JOUR 311: Media Law. Detailed analysis of the theories of freedom of expression, the legal doctrines of greatest concern to mass communicators, and contemporary issues related to free speech and press, including libel, copyright, and news-gathering in a digital age.

LER 100: Intro to Labor Studies for those interested in corporate or employment law. Looks at economic, political, and workplace issues facing working people, why and how workers join unions, how unions are structured and function, and how unions and management bargain a contract. Provides a historical overview of the American labor movement, and discusses the contemporary struggles workers and unions face in a rapidly changing global economy.

LER 120: Contemporary Labor Problems for those interested in corporate or employment law.  Focuses on problems and challenges facing American workers and the U.S. labor movement. Topics include the deterioration of the labor-management “social contract” in recent decades; a review of labor and employment law; the health care crisis; globalization and cross-border union alliances; and union democracy.

LER 320: Gender, Race, Class and Work. Provides a historical and contemporary overview of the impact and interplay of gender, race, class and other issues of identity in the workplace.  Topics include: pay gap, workplace harassment and employment discrimination laws.

LLS 468: Latinas/os & the Law. Examines the Latina/Latino experience in the U.S.  Students will come to understand that the law is a deeply contested social space that is central to U.S. hierarchies based upon race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, class, immigration status, and religion.

NRES courses that can be helpful for students interested in pursuing environmental law include:

NRES 102: Intro to Natural Resources and Environmental Science 

NRES 224: Social Justice and Environment and Society

PHIL 102/103: Logic & Reasoning. Especially helpful for students who have yet to take the LSAT, as two sections of the LSAT are based on logical and analytical reasoning.

PHIL 104/105: Intro to Ethics.  Basic exploration of ethics, including the relationship between social morality and the law.

PHIL 107: Intro to Political Philosophy. Introduction to core ideas in political and legal philosophy, for example, rights, equality, political obligations, legitimacy of states, nationalism, and oppression.

PHIL 436: Philosophy of Law and of the State. Examination of issues in the philosophy of law, such as the nature of law, law and morality, justice, liberty and authority, punishment, and legal responsibility. Prerequisite: One course in philosophy.

Political Science options to gain a foundational understanding of our legal system and its role within broader political structures include the following. Review course restrictions for prerequisites.

  • PS 220: Intro to Public Policy
  • PS 280: Intro to International Relations
  • PS 301: US Constitution I
  • PS 313: Congress and Foreign Policy
  • PS 329: Immigration & Citizenship

PS 491: Internship with the Champaign County Public Defender’s Office. Note: Due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and the policy of social distancing, the plan is to go through the selection process for this internship in mid May, after students have completed their registration, in the event that the internship is not available next semester.

Are you interested in how criminal courts work?  Would you like to see an arraignment, a motion hearing, or a real criminal trial?  Want to meet with Public Defender clients and help an attorney prepare cases for court?  The Department of Political Science and the Champaign County Public Defender’s Office will offer an internship for academic credit in Spring, 2020.    In this internship, students will earn 3 hours of credit for their work in the Public Defender’s Office combined with a series of structured academic assignments requiring integration of internship experiences with readings on the political systems, the legal system and constitutional and human rights. This class requires one hour of class time per week, and about six hours per week of work at the internship site. Admission is competitive: We expect to have five openings for Fall of 2020.

To apply: No date has been set but will be after students have completed their Fall 2020 registration. Please keep checking back for information.  Students seeking to participate in the Public Defender Internship Program must submit an application online.  The online link to the application will be available in early May.  PLAS will update students with that info as it is made available. The application consists of a cover letter, informal transcript, resume and writing sample. All of those materials will be reviewed for a decision on acceptance into the program by the departmental internship committee. At a minimum, students seeking to participate in this program need (1) to have completed 45 credit hours by Fall, 2020 (2) with at least one year of residence on this campus and (3) to have earned a cumulative UIUC grade point average of 3.0 or higher.  They must (4) have completed PS 101: U.S. Government & Politics and (5) have no arrests or criminal convictions – as an adult or juvenile – or serious campus disciplinary violations involving campus or local law enforcement.

PSYCH 144: Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination

Sociology has a Criminology, Law and Society minor. These courses may be helpful for students exploring criminal legal issues and the criminal justice system on a societal level, such as:

  • SOC 275: Criminology
  • SOC 378: Sociology of Law
  • SOC 479: Law and Society

UP 160: Race, Social Justice, and Cities. Explore everyday racial conflicts in selected cities as expressions of historical struggles for social and spatial justice, across multiple scales. Focus on the governance of routine social practices ranging from policing, to education, to gentrification and memorialization in public places.

More courses to explore different areas of law include the following. Some have restrictions; check Course Explorer.

  • ACE 403: Agricultural Law
  • GEOG 210: Social & Environmental Issues
  • RST 354: Legal Aspects of Sport
  • SE 400 Engineering Law (only pre-req is RHET 105 but preference is given to students in the College of Engineering with leftover seats released after a restricted period)

Business classes can provide a helpful foundation for those interested in corporate careers, however, most are restricted to College of Business majors or minors. Some courses will release any leftover seats after a restricted period; check Course Explorer for more details.

  • BADM 300 Legal Environment of Business
  • BADM 314 Leading Negotiations
  • BADM 340: Ethical Dilemmas of Business
  • BADM 380: International Business
  • BADM 403: Corporate & Commercial Law

Remember that these are only suggestions and that people come to law school from a variety of academic disciplines.  This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Courses get added all the time, and many are added after we publish this list. Many other great courses can be found in Course Explorer, some of which have prerequisites. Do additional research and talk with your academic advisor to identify other good options for you.