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Pre-Law Degrees

Naturally a degree in pre-law would help someone who wants to become a lawyer, but it can also be valuable for those wishing to become paralegals, legal assistants, or even enter some fields of business.

It's recommended, however, for many students who plan to go to law school to major in a different field for their bachelor's degree. These can range from English to history to political science to business, it really doesn't matter. Anyone can go to law school.

Those who don't plan on becoming lawyers may actually find pre-law courses more useful, since they provide the basics of a legal background that you won't learn if you're not going on to law school.

There isn't a specific set of courses involved in a pre-law major, since law schools accept students from a variety of backgrounds. But some of the courses offered may include:

  • Anthropology of law
  • Civil rights and civil liberties
  • Constitutional law
  • Crime and criminology
  • Criminal justice
  • Introduction to logic
  • Law ethics
  • Order of the courts
  • Political methodology
  • Procedural law

Job Opportunities

Obviously many pre-law students go on to law school and become lawyers and possibly judges. Others go on to become paralegals or legal assistants. Still others might choose to go into law enforcement as a police officer or detective.

Those who want to go on to law school should take classes necessary to score well on the LSATs, but otherwise you should work on broadening your knowledge and study areas that interest you. Law schools are competitive, and they like diversity.

Online Schools Offering Pre-Law Degrees


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