HELP [Archived Catalog] Pre-Law - Pre-Professional Option Print-Friendly Page Add to Portfolio

While there is no specific “pre-law” major or program of study at any college, the American Bar Association (ABA) encourages students to enroll in a major that allows them to gain breadth of knowledge and skills that will allow them to be successful both in law school and in their future careers. According to the ABA’s Section on Pre-Law Education, “the student who comes to law school lacking a broad range of basic skills and knowledge will face an extremely difficult task.” The ABA believes that good lawyering requires:

• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Critical reading abilities
• Writing skills
• Oral communication and listening abilities
• General research skills
• Task organization and management skills
• Commitment to the values of serving others and promoting justice
• A good understanding of history, particularly U.S. history
• A basic understanding of political and legal institutions
• Familiarity with ethics and theories of justice
• A grounding in economics
• Basic mathematical and financial skills
• An appreciation for diversity and cultural interdependence

The ABA also maintains “taking difficult courses from demanding instructors is the best generic preparation for legal education.” For example, critical reading abilities “should include substantial experience at close reading and critical analysis of complex textual material. The particular nature of the materials examined is not crucial; what is important is that law school not be the first time that a student has been rigorously engaged in the enterprise of carefully reading and understanding, and critically analyzing, complex written material of substantial length.” Oral communication and listening abilities involve “basic speaking and listening skills, such as by engaging in debate, making formal presentations in class, or speaking before groups in school, the community, or the workplace.”

Furthermore, the ABA reports that “those wishing to prepare for legal education should select courses and seek experiences that will require them to plan a research strategy, to undertake substantial library research, and to analyze, organize and present a reasonably large amount of material. A basic ability to use a personal computer is also increasingly important for law students, both for word processing and for computerized legal research.”

Finally, the ABA indicates that those following the law should understand the value “of serving others and promoting justice.” Therefore, “those thinking of entering this profession would be well served by having some significant experience, before coming to law school, in which they devoted substantial effort toward assisting others. Participation in public service projects or similar efforts at achieving objectives established for common purposes can be particularly helpful.”

Mount Ida College is prepared to assist those students wishing to pursue a career as a lawyer. Students will choose the majors that interest them (a broad liberal arts major is preferred by most law schools), but those indicating an interest in law school will be assigned to a pre-law advisor. Students interested in pre-law might typically enroll in the following majors at Mount Ida College: American Studies, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Liberal Studies, or Psychology. However, students from other majors may also participate in this program. The advisor will assist students in choosing the courses that will best prepare them for law school. These courses may be taken as part of the student’s major or as open electives.

Requirements