Philosophy, B.A., Pre-Law Concentration

The study of philosophy is excellent preparation for law school and a career in law. The critical thinking skills, clarity in writing, and argumentative rigor required in philosophy provide students with the tools they need to be successful in law school and as lawyers. Philosophy majors typically have among the highest average scores on the LSAT test and the highest admission rates to law school of any major.

Field of Study requirements are the same for the B.A. in Philosophy and the B.A. in Philosophy with a Pre-Law Concentration.

Concentration Requirements

Major Area (27-28 Hours)

CTW Requirement (3 Hours)

Complete the following course to fulfill the Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) requirement:

PHIL 3000 - Philosophical Discussions-CTW 3 Credit Hours

Required Foundational Course (3 Hours)

Select at least one of the following:

PHIL 3010 - Origins of Western Philosophy 3 Credit Hours
or
PHIL 3020 - Rise of Modern Philosophy 3 Credit Hours

Required Law Course (3 Hours)

Select at least one of the following courses:

PHIL 3820 - Legal Reasoning 3 Credit Hours
PHIL 4820 - Philosophy of Law 3 Credit Hours

Select five more Philosophy courses at the 3000 or 4000 level (15 Hours)

The pre-law major is very flexible. Select any five other Philosophy courses (15 Hours) at the 3000 or 4000 level, at least two of which (6 Hours) must be at the 4000 level. Students should speak with their instructors, the Philosophy Pre-Law advisor, or the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) for additional guidance and suggestions about which courses may best meet their educational and career goals. All majors are encouraged to take Phil 4960 Internship.

Select one of the following courses (3-4 Hours)

CRJU: Any 3000- or 4000-level Criminal Justice course
LGLS: Any 3000- or 4000-level Legal Studies course
POLS: Any 3000- or 4000-level Political Science course
AAS 4120 - African-American Political Thought 3 Credit Hours
AAS 4550 - Black Activism 3 Credit Hours
AAS 4600 - Enslavement and Resistance in North America 3 Credit Hours
AAS 4780 - African-American Lesbian and Gay Activism 3 Credit Hours
ECON 4450 - Law and Economics 3 Credit Hours
ENGL 3080 - Persuasion: History, Theory, Practice 3 Credit Hours
ENGL 4150 - Milton 3 Credit Hours
HIST 3900 - Human Rights in Historical Perspective 3 Credit Hours
HIST 4460 - Bills of Rights 4 Credit Hours
HIST 4470 - The Founders’ Constitution 4 Credit Hours
PMAP 4411 - Introduction to the Law for Public and Nonprofit Managers 3 Credit Hours
RELS 4255 - Religion, Race, Nation 3 Credit Hours
RELS 4650 - Religion and Ethics 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 3224 - Crime and Punishment 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 4218 - Power and Politics 3 Credit Hours
WGSS 4510 - Feminist Political Theory 3 Credit Hours
WGSS 4760 - Activism: History and Theory 3 Credit Hours
Other law-related 3000- or 4000-level courses (in any college) approved in advance by the Philosophy Pre-Law Advisor. No courses will be approved after the mid-point of the semester of the course.

Graduation with Distinction in the Major

This unit offers undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn the designation of graduation with distinction in the major. To graduate with distinction in Philosophy, students must have excelled in their PHIL courses and undergraduate career, with at least a 3.5 GPA in the major, a 3.5 GPA overall, and a B or higher in PHIL 2500. Rare exceptions may be made by faculty vote.