Educational Programs
Law
No single major is exclusively appropriate for pre-law students. They should choose a major that interests them and requires intensive reading, critical thinking, and writing. Traditionally, English, political science, economics, and history have been the choices of a majority of pre-law students, though mathematics, philosophy, foreign languages, the natural sciences, and other disciplines also have been chosen and are just as appropriate. Without prescribing a major, the College has identified certain areas of study that may be particularly helpful for the student considering law as a career, because they assist in preparing for legal education and in focusing a student's thoughts about his or her future. Students considering law school are encouraged to take the following courses if they wish to advance their candidacy. Some of these courses also may be used to fulfill Learning in Common requirements.
| English 211 | Creative Nonfiction (or an equivalent course to be chosen in consultation with the English Department) |
| Philosophy 210 | Symbolic Logic |
| A minimum of three courses from the following set: | |
| Accounting 157 | Financial Accounting |
| Economics 152 | Principles of Economics |
| Economics 330 | Public Finance |
| History 243 | The U.S. 1815-1877 |
| Political Science 220 | American Constitutional Law |
| Political Science 225 | Congress and the Presidency |
| Sociology 216 | The Legal System |
| Sociology 221 (also Political Science 221) | Civil Liberties and the U.S. Constitution |
It also is suggested that pre-law students choose Latin to fulfill the foreign language requirement (LinC F3), though it is recognized that not all students will find it possible or practicable to do so.
A student interested in the pre-law program should speak with the pre-law advisor, James J. Ravelle, as soon as possible. The pre-law advisor will be glad to answer any questions about the program or general preparation for law school.