With the new school year nearing college students, course registration and choosing classes can be a overwhelming. Wether you’re set on pursuing law school in the future or even slightly intrigued by the idea of law school, here are some courses that you might want to take in the near future!
PHILOSOPHY
If you have never taken a philosophy course before, you’re in for a surprise. Philosophy courses urge you to be a skeptic and always ask questions. It will make you question literally everything– down to your mere existence.
As a pre-law student, philosophy courses will prepare how you construct and evaluate arguments based on evidence. With the complicated and sometimes even convoluted language used by classic and contemporary philosophers, you will develop your critical thinking, reading, and writing skills.
Who knows you might need to reference Aristotle or Descartes in your Philosophical Foundations of Legal Ethics course one day!
POLITICAL SCIENCE
When people think of a pre-law curriculum, political science courses appear to be a crowd favorite. As one must learn about government and the legal procedures to be a lawyer, having a good foundation about politics is a great start.
Suggested political science courses range from American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory. However, it is important to keep in mind that these classes tend to be reading intensive and will require you to think like a political scientist– one that compares normative and empirical theories constantly.
Learning about elections or the United Kingdom’s political system, aside from an improvement in your reading and writing skills– as a political scientist– you learn to be an analytical thinker.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Imagine you are sitting in the court room. It is your first trial and you are delivering your opening statement to the judge, the jurors, and the plaintiffs. You almost forgot your first line, but luckily your public speaking course during undergrad taught you some skills you carry to this day.
Your skill to craft and deliver speeches, engage in debates, and practice different rhetorical strategies is unmatched.
As an aspiring lawyer, perhaps taking a public speaking course can be beneficial for those future presentations and debates in law school.
LOGIC
A logic course will require you to inquire rationally. Reasoning correctly and finding the gaps in arguments extends to nearly all courses that you might have to take in your undergraduate career. Logic courses are offered in various departments including Philosophy, Mathematics, and even Engineering. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, taking an introductory course can be beneficial.
It will not only prepare you for those arduous logic games when you’re preparing for your LSAT, but expect logic courses to transform your own perspective.
PSYCHOLOGY
As a pre-law student, psychology courses can easily be overlooked. Yet, psychology majors rank as one of the top contenders for law school applicants. Studying psychology urge you to analyze problems carefully, collect and combine information to form a conclusion, and share such findings to others. These skills allow students to succeed in law school and in the practice of law.
Plus, the variety of courses in psychology will allow you to choose a topic that perhaps interest you the most!
Although these courses are recommended, exploring your own academic interests during your undergraduate journey is the best preparation you can do as a pre-law student.
The possibilities are endless, so find your own academic rhythm!
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