What is Pre Law?

Pre Law is an area of study that some colleges and universities offer as a major to prepare individuals for the rigors of law school. Legal Studies is a Pre Law area of study that introduces students to many of the concepts that will be covered in law school. Pre Law can also be any area of study you choose that will help prepare you for applying to law school and excelling once you are there. The American Bar Association (ABA) approved law schools require students to have a bachelor's degree, but no specific degree is required. It is well known that law schools throughout the United States do not discriminate based on an applicant's choice of major, in fact, most law schools admit applicants with degrees ranging from biological sciences to art to political science and pay little attention to the area of study.

Pre Law Majors

As was mentioned above, law schools pay relatively little attention to which major an applicant pursued. This is primarily due to the fact that during your first year, professors assume you know absolutely nothing and really you probably don't. According to the ABA, an important consideration when choosing a pre law major is that it is challenging, interesting and you can earn top grades. The ABA does recomend a strong liberal arts education where you can develop the necessary skills for law school and the practice of law. Some of the necessary skills you will want to develop include logical reasoning, critical and analytical thinking, critical reading and writing, creative thinking, preparing arguments and providing solutions to problems, oral communication and listening skills, understanding of human behavior and social interaction. There probably isn't one course of study that will help you develop all these skills, so don't overwhelm yourself. Find a major that interests you and you will find ways to develop the necessary skills through other avenues. You may find that many of these skills are innate. A well known attorney told me that reading a well known national newspaper each day was the key to her success.

Pre Law Major Ideas

The Political Science Department at Colorado State University and the University of Texas Pre Law Handbook put together some pre law major ideas that correspond to areas of legal practice. Our experts added their thoughts as well.

Corporate Law Economics, Business, Legal Studies, Criminal Justice
Environmental Law Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences
Medical Law Health, Nursing, Biological Sciences
Patent Law Computer Science, Engineering
Politics or Government Law Political Science, History, Economics, Legal Studies
Tax Law Accounting, Finance

Find Out Which Degree Program Is Right For You

Request free information from of the Nation's top Online and Campus based schools offering Pre Law Majors to learn more:

Accounting and Finance
Health Care
Technology and Software Engineering
Criminal Justice
Biological and Environmental Sciences @ Ashford University
Business Degrees @ University of Phoenix
Legal Studies @ Kaplan University
B.B.A. in Legal Studies @ Strayer University