Pre-Law Minor

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Law schools accept all accredited baccalaureate degrees with any major and minor in specific academic areas. Thus, the pre-law student may choose any major or minor as she/he sees fit. However, the ABA has identified core legal skills that the pre-law student is advised to develop in her/his undergraduate studies in order to be successful in law school. Among these are analytical skills, writing skills, critical reading skills, oral communication and general research skills.

The Department of Government has designed the pre-law minor as a separate course of study within the political science major to help pre-law students develop and master these skills by exposing them to the foundation of legal writing, analysis and research, as well as preparing them to better understand how the law influences politics, social institutions and ethics in America.

Requirements

The pre-law minor consists of 21 hours of coursework

including 12 core hours comprised of:

PSC 211 - Introduction to Pre-Law Credit(s): 3
PSC 314 - Law and Politics Credit(s): 3
PSC 316 - Legal Research Credit(s): 3
PSC 403 - American Constitutional Law I Credit(s): 3
or
PSC 404 - American Constitutional Law II Credit(s): 3

In addition, each student must complete nine hours of electives from the following:

PSC 301 - Judicial Process Credit(s): 3
PSC 305 - Appellate Advocacy Credit(s): 3
PSC 415 - Law and Society Credit(s): 3
PSC 416 - Law and Ethics Credit(s): 3
CJS 303 - Criminal Law Credit(s): 3
CJS 305 - Criminal Procedure I Credit(s): 3
PSC 403 - American Constitutional Law I Credit(s): 3
or
PSC 404 - American Constitutional Law II Credit(s): 3

Note:

Courses not listed may be approved for elective credit in the pre-law minor by the pre-law minor advisor.