Preparatory Programs

Pre-Law
Advisors:
John Meixner, Director of Law Professions Center, Department of Philosophy, 774-3497.
Joyce Baugh, Department of Political Science, 774-3442.
Joyce Henricks, Department of Philosophy, 774-2650.
Michael Petrick, Department of Journalism, 774-3540.
Douglas Thomson, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, 774-2655.

Students interested in the legal profession should consult with pre-law advisors early in their university career. Since pre-law draws on numerous academic disciplines, we encourage students to consult with several advisors. Many avenues of study can lead to law school.

Students should keep in mind the words of the Pre-Law Handbook published by the Association of American Law Schools:
“The Association’s responsibility in matters of prelegal education cannot best be met by prescribing of certain courses for students planning later to study law. Such an endeavor is foreclosed by the wide range for choice of relevant pre-law preparation.... ”

The Association calls attention to the quality of undergraduate instruction which is fundamental to the later attainment of legal competence. That quality of education requires that pre-law students develop basic skills and insights. It thus involves education fostering:

(a) comprehension and expression of words;
(b) critical understanding of the human institutions and values with which the law deals;
(c) creative power in thinking.

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