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Pre-Law in Philosophy
Law schools do not recommend any specific major as
preparation for the study of law. The American Bar Association (in
Law as a Career) states:
An undergraduate should be aware that there is no
particular course of study that is required or preferred by law
schools. Accordingly, students from a wide variety of majors (e.g.,
philosophy, physics, political science, engineering, and business)
are admitted to law schools each year. There is no true pre-law
curriculum. Generally, a broad-based education that is rigorous and
that stresses analytical and verbal communication skills will be
useful.
Nevertheless, philosophy majors across the country
generally achieve among the highest scores of all majors on the Law
School Admissions Test (LSAT). Because admission to law school is
highly competitive, there is no easy path to success. But good
students who develop their critical skills in comprehension and
analysis of complex material through the study of philosophy and by
taking a strong General Education program can position themselves
to compete with the best. For example, compared with other students
at JMU, the students who took the Critical Thinking course from the
Philosophy faculty in General Education in Cluster One in their
Freshman year showed the most improvement in their scores on the
Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal.
The Department of Philosophy and Religion at JMU offers
an interdisciplinary concentration in philosophy that could be of
interest to under graduates who wish to study law. The
concentration consists of:
- eight courses in Philosophy which emphasize the
development of skills
- in logical reasoning and argumentation,
- in linguistic and ethical analysis, and
- in clear and precise communication.
- four additional courses from related disciplines in the
humanities such as history and political philosophy.
A sample curriculum is as follows:
- Choose eight courses in Philosophy:
- GPHIL 120: Critical Thinking
- PHIL 250: Logic
- PHIL 330: Moral Theory
- PHIL 333: Problems in Applied Ethics
- PHIL 335: The Individual, The State, and
Justice
- PHIL 340: Ancient Philosophy
- PHIL 341: Modern Philosophy
- PHIL 365: Philosophy, Law, and Public
Policy
- PHIL 440: Moral Theory
- PHIL 445: Political
Philosophy
- PHIL 490: Internship in a Law Office
- Choose four courses in related disciplines:
- ECON 302: History of Economic Thought
- ECON 345: Industrial Organization
- ECON 370: International Trade and Trade
Policies
- ECON 405: Political Economy
- ECON 426: Theory of Public Choice
- ECON 455: Economics of Regulated
Industries
- POSC 210: Introduction to Law and
Jurisprudence
- POSC 225: US Government
- POSC 307: Legal Research Methods
- POSC 316: Contemporary Political Theory
- POSC 325: Constitutional Law
- POSC 358 Public Policy
- POSC 395: International Law
All philosophy courses emphasize oral discussion and
well-reasoned writing, both of which are essential for careers in
law. The Department also offers several courses of special interest
to pre-law students:
- PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy
- GPHIL 120: Critical Thinking
- PHIL 250: Logic
- PHIL 315: Logic and Legal Reasoning
- PHIL 330: Moral Theory
- PHIL 333: Problems in Applied Ethics
- PHIL 365: Philosophy, Law, and Public
Policy
Law School Admission
Test, Law School Financial Aid, and other LSAC-sponsored programs
and services
Law School Admission Council with Message from Law
School Deans.
The Princeton
Review
Information about graduate school admissions and their
rankings; financial aid information; career advice; and
descriptions of Princeton Review's standardized test preparation
materials (including, the LSAT).
Kaplan Review
Preparation
Information about Kaplan's standardized test preparation
materials (including, the LSAT and sample test questions) with
material about law school admissions and financial
aid.
1998 U.S. News
Rankings
Law Home Page Articles; Tips on Getting In; What to
consider, application advice, and financial aid. Redefining the
American Lawyer; Ethics, values, and personal fulfillment; A Move
to Ethics; More emphasis on teaching right from wrong; Graduate
Directory: search to find the best law school for you.
Internet Legal Resource
Guide
3100 select web sites in 238 nations, islands, and
territories, as well as more than 850 locally stored web pages and
other files; this site was established to serve as a comprehensive
resource of the information available on the Internet concerning
law and the legal profession.
For more information about Pre-Law study,
email:
If you have comments or suggestions, email William O'Meara, Department of Philosophy
& Religion
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