2023-2024 Catalogue

Pre-Law

Students may pursue a legal career after completing undergraduate work in any discipline offered by Wesleyan. Students intending to apply to law school will maximize their chances of admission by maintaining a high GPA, earning high LSAT scores, and obtaining strong letters of recommendation. While the American Bar Association (ABA) does not recommend a specific course of study for students interested in enrolling in law school, both the ABA and Law School Admission Council (LSAC) emphasize the importance of coursework that teaches the skills students need to succeed in their study of law. The ability to read as well as listen, critically analyze fact patterns or situations, organize or synthesize a great deal of information, advocate for someone, counsel or give advice to people, write, speak (oral communication skills), and negotiate are critical skills for all lawyers. Strong library research skills are also important. The pre-law minor includes courses across a number of disciplines that will help students develop these skills, prepare them to take the LSAT, and for law school itself.

Student Learning Objectives

1. Demonstrate knowledge and historical application of the principles and theories of law, politics, and public policy.

2. Demonstrate the ability to identify and interpret sources effectively as evidence within the broader context of public policy, legal questions, and social issues.

3. Critically analyze, construct, and support evidence-based arguments from the most common perspectives in the legal profession.

4. Skillfully communicate logical, evidence-based arguments in both written and oral form.>

5. Interpret moral responsibilities within a professional setting.

Minor Requirements: Pre-Law
A minor in pre-law consists of 24 semester hours as follows:

Required (18 hours):
ACC 201 Financial Accounting: Concepts and Applications 3 hours
COM 202 Public Speaking 3 hours
HIS 130 The American Experience to 1877 3 hours
PHI 224 Logic 3 hours
HIS/POL 320 American Constitutional Development 3 hours
POL 115 American Politics 3 hours

Choose two courses from the following (6 hours; two different prefixes):
BUS 310 Business Law or BUS 331 Employment Labor Law 3 hours
COM 216 Intercultural Communication 3 hours
COM 340 Persuasion 3 hours (Note #1)
ECO 102 Macroeconomics 3 hours
ECO 104 Microeconomics 3 hours
HIS 135 The American Experience since 1877 3 hours
PHI 233 Ethics 3 hours
POL 319 International Law 3 hours (Note #1, #2)

Note #1: Prerequisite coursework required; see the Wesleyan Catalogue for details.

Note #2: Students interested in the Wesleyan College-Mercer University 3+3 program must take HIS/POL 320, BUS 310, and POL 319.

Students are also strongly encouraged to ensure that at least one hour of credit for PDE 400 is earned via an internship at a law office, whether that be at a private firm, a public defenders' office, a prosecutors' office, or a court.