Curriculum

Most law schools have no requirements for a pre-law curriculum and will accept a bachelor's degree in any major. You should develop an educational program that is broad, yet provides depth of understanding in at least one subject area, along with fundamental insights into human institutions and values. The emphasis should be on a degree program that meets your needs and interests, while reflecting your abilities. If a program is interesting and challenging, you will do your best work and will earn good grades.

Legal educators agree that the development of particular skills and habits will contribute more to success in law school than will a major in any one subject. Therefore, your coursework should focus on strengthening:
- habits of thoroughness, intellectual curiosity, and scholarship
- research, analysis, and critical thinking
- verbal and written communication skills

Courses in literature, language, communication, composition, logic and linguistics are directly concerned with the cultivation of these skills. The ability to write clearly, concisely, and with a sense of style is highly desirable. Since the lawyer's principal tool is the ability to communicate, you should be proficient in both verbal and non-verbal use of language. In addition, lawyers must be adept at creative problem-solving and organizing information to support a point of view. Courses in political science, economics, American & British history, philosophy and business principles will provide you with an opportunity to practice these skills and to gain an understanding of social institutions and values. While some undergraduate courses may introduce legal principles and provide a basis for deciding whether to pursue legal studies, they are not taught with the same depth and rigor as actual law school courses. Most law schools prefer that students concentrate on courses that develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills rather than on undergraduate law courses.

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