Still looking for some fall courses? As you know, students in ANY major can attend law school, and there are NO specifically required courses for pre-law undergrads. 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. Check out Course Explorer and speak to your academic advisor about the best courses for you.
AAS 370/LLS 372: Immigration, Law, and Rights
- Exploration of the histories, cultures, and experiences of immigration to the United States by examining cultural production (literary and visual narratives and texts) alongside legal discourses (legislation, federal court cases).
ACE 240: Personal Financial Planning
- Understanding financial instruments and tax implications is critical for many lawyers
Communication courses are helpful, as all lawyers must demonstrate strong oral and written communication skills.
- CMN 101: Public Speaking (this is a prereq for most upper level CMN courses)
- CMN 211: Business Communication
- CMN 310: The Rhetorical Tradition
- CMN 321: Strategies of Persuasion
- CMN 323: Argumentation
INFO 303: Writing Across Media, a skill that all careers integrate and value.
LAW 301: Introduction to Law
- Serves as a general foundation course for those interested in applying to law school.
Philosophy options include:
- PHIL 102: Logic & Reasoning This course is particularly helpful for students who have yet to take the LSAT, as two sections of the LSAT are based on Logical Reasoning.
- PHIL 104/105: Intro to Ethics This course includes some basic exploration of ethics, including looking at the relationship between social morality and the law.
Political Science options to explore specific legal areas include:
- PS 301/302: US Constitution I &II, are helpful primers for law school
- PS 312: Politics and the Media
- PS 313: Congress and Foreign Policy
- PS 323: Law & Representation
PSYC 368: Psych and Law
- Examines relationship of the administrative, civil, and criminal justice systems to educational and mental health institutions; individual rights, social issues, and psychological well being.
Sociology is introducing its Criminology, Law and Society Minor this fall, and has some interesting classes listed, including:
- SOC 275: Criminology
- SOC 477: Sociology of Law
Other courses to explore different areas of law include:
- JOUR 311: Media Law
- RST 354: Legal Aspects of Sport
- SE 400 (formerly GE 400): Engineering Law – note – only prerequisite is Rhet 105
- TE 450: Startups: Incorporate, Fund, Contracts, Intellectual Property
- UP 211: Local Planning, Government and Law
Remember: these are only suggestions. Further, this is not intended to be an exhaustive list. There are many other great courses described in the Course Explorer, some of which have prerequisites but are still open to undergrads. Do your own research and talk with your academic advisor to identify other good options.
