What Will You Study?
Pre-law is not a major and has no required courses. However, all students considering law school are strongly encouraged to consider many of our majors that emphasize logic, critical thinking, expository writing, reasoning, policy courses, and social justice. Also consider the kinds of law that you are most interested in, for instance, immigration law, tax law, business law, criminal justice, environmental law, when you select a major. You can also easily double major in social justice, philosophy, political science, history, economics, or concentrate in environmental justice, or pre-law, human rights, and policy.
Here are some major recommendations:
Pre-law students are advised to consider the following courses:
- PHI 1001 Power of Logic Pre-law students are encouraged to take courses that strengthen their skills of writing and analysis, which are crucial to success in law school, including the power of logic. Since logic is a significant part of the LSAAT this course is critical for all students interested in pre-law.
- BUS 2414 Legal Environment of Business: Studies the relationship between law and business. Includes coverage of laws that impact the employer-employee relationship, product safety, advertising, contracts, business organizations, and business crimes and torts.
- JRN 4894 Media Law and Ethics: This course explores all major areas of media law, their significance for society, and the new challenges posed by cyberspace. Topics include First Amendment and the meaning of free expression; prior restraint; hate speech; libel; invasion of privacy; freedom of information; protection of news sources; free press/fair trial; obscenity and indecency; copyright; advertising; and telecommunications regulation.
- POL 4450 American Constitutional Law: study the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court, and the role of constitutional law in American government and society. Special attention is given to cases dealing with federalism and separation of powers.
- SJC 1000: Intro to Justice, Equity, and Cultural Studies examines the ways that the apparatus of law and its discourses have created patterns of power that have created racial and gendered structures that have been institutionalized in our society. This course looks at the histories of power and of racial and gendered resistance through the lens of writers of color and through film that document these stories in national and transnational contexts.
- POL 4452 International Law: An exploration of the intricacies of international law including its creation, different legal processes, and institutions that deal with international law as well as some of the main legal issues, pivotal cases, customs, laws and treaties that form the body of international law.
- SJC 4960: Race, Representation, and Law studies the way in which US Constitutional Law has shaped our ideas of race, gender, class, sexuality, and the environment. This class will also consider how these racial structures of law function in a national and an international context, with units on one of the following: South Africa/United States, Palestine/Israel/US Indigeneity, or India/Pakistan. Students will select a court case that relates to a social justice issue of their choice, for instance, regarding race, gender, sexuality, indigeneity and environmental policies. Then they will research this case as part of a history with a legal precedent and subsequent cases. Considering the connections between law and society, this course also asks students to consider how these issues of justice have been displayed in a cultural artifact, for instance, in a rap song, in a Netflix series, in a politician’s speech. Students will present their findings on the Constitutional Court Case and its current cultural forums in a research symposium.
View a more complete listing of our current course offerings.
Pre-Law Advising
No matter where you are in the process, help and advice are available to you. If you’re considering law school, set up an appointment with your pre-law advisor in your major, before the start of your junior year. Or if you are selecting a major, contact SPU’s pre-law advisors, Dr. Rebekah Rice, ricer@spu.edu; or Dr. Kimberly Segall, segalk@spu.edu.
LSAT Registration
If you’re planning to enter law school, take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) before the year you plan to attend.
Legal Internships
The pre-law program offers an internship program so pre-law students can gain firsthand knowledge of the legal world. Academic credit is available for such internships through the School of Business, Government, and Economics. Learn more about internships.