Information for Pre-Law Students
	Choosing Your Courses What is the best pre-law major?      There is no "best" pre-law major. According to the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC): "No      particular major, course of study, or kind of bachelor's degree is required for admission to law      school. Virtually all law schools will consider a variety of majors and look closely at an applicant's      overall background before reaching an admission decision. What matters most is that you do      progressively well in challenging courses, courses that require you to synthesize information."        What are the skills I must develop for law school?      According to the LSAC, the kind of skills you must develop for law school: "...include effective oral     and written communication, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Your     undergraduate education should include courses in which those skills were required. In general, you     should use your undergraduate education as an opportunity to explore and work on your intellectual     development. It's not necessary to take law-related courses as an undergraduate. Law schools don't     care what you know about the law when you arrive; they care about how well you can write and     analyze problems." What courses will help me develop my oral and written communication skills?      English courses are highly recommended. You need an excellent knowledge of English grammar and      composition. More generally, try to choose courses that include a significant writing component.      Courses designated as "writing intensive" should include such a component.      Learning a foreign language will help you master your own. You might also want to consider taking      some Latin courses, as a lot of legal terminology is in Latin and, also, learning Latin will help you      expand your English vocabulary significantly.     For oral communication skills, look for courses that include oral presentations and consider taking     COM 232: Argumentation & Debate.         What courses will help me develop my analytical reasoning skills and problem-solving skills?      Ideally, all of your courses at WSU will help you develop your analytical reasoning skills, but you      should make a conscious effort to do so. Courses in Philosophy and Math can be particularly useful      in this regard.   Are there other skills I need to develop?      Many law schools teach very little about the mechanics of the legislative and judicial processes. It will      be useful for you to have some background knowledge of American governmental institutions and      process, particularly from courses in History and Political Science.      Legal education includes the study of business law and tax law. It will be advantageous for you to      have some knowledge of business finance. Courses in Economics, Accounting and other business      courses can be very useful. Liberal Arts majors often say that they wish they had taken more      business-related courses to prepare for Contracts, Property, and Tax courses in law school.      According to the ABA's statement on "Preparation for a Legal Education," potential law students      should possess: "A broad understanding of history, particularly American History, and the various      factors (social, political, economic, and cultural) that have influenced the development of the pluralistic      society that presently exists in the United States. A fundamental understanding of political thought and      theory, and of the contemporary American political system; A basic understanding of ethical theory      and theories of justice; A grounding in economics, appropriate to the profession itself; Some basic      mathematical and financial skills, such as an understanding of basic pre-calculus, mathematics and an      ability to analyze financial data; A basic understanding of human behavior and social interaction; and      An understanding of diverse cultures within and beyond the United States." List of Recommended WSU Courses      Given the information above, you should be able to construct your own list of courses you need to      take. The following list is not meant to be "the list" of courses for you to take! You may take as many      or as few of these courses as you like --they are neither a pre-law program nor prerequisites for law      school. Remember, you must fulfill the degree requirements of your major. The requirements for each      major is different, so be sure to discuss the requirements of your chosen major with your academic      advisor.       ACC 204, 205     Accounting Principles I, II      COM 232            Argumentation and Debate      EC 204                Principles of Microeconomics      EC 205                Principles of Macroeconomics      EC 351                Labor Markets      EC 420                Law and Economics      ENG 240             Intermediate Composition      FIN 310, 311       Financial Management I, II      FIN 332               Real Estate Law      FIN 462               Estate Planning      LAW 300             The Legal Environment of Business      LAW 420             Legal Aspects of Managing a Diverse Workforce      LAW 480             Special Topics in Law      PHL 200              Critical Thinking      PHL 215              Inductive Logic      PHL 223              Symbolic Logic I      PHL 311              Ethics      PHL 378              Ethics and Medicine      PHL 399              Reasoning and the Law      PHL 411              Philosophy of Law      PLS 340              Law and Society      PLS 342, 343      Civil Liberties I, II      PLS 436              Criminal Law      PLS 437              Criminal Procedure      PLS 438              Environmental Law and Policy      PLS 439              Bioethics and Law      PLS 440              Constitutional Law      PLS 442              The American Criminal Justice System      PLS 443              Administrative Law Procedure      PLS 471              International Law      PLS 482              Legislative Internship
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